Will Shohei Ohtani (aged 30, LA Dodgers) really beat his ransom? Attention is heating up on Juan Soto (26), the "biggest free agent" outfielder in the Major League this winter.
The U.S. "Yahoo Sports" dealt with whether Soto could break Ohtani's record $700 million contract on the 17th (Korea Standard Time). Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December last year, the highest in the world's professional sports history. It far exceeded the 12-year, $426 million contract of outfielder Mike Trout (LA Angels) in March 2019, the previous highest ransom in the Major League. Soto is challenging Ohtani's ransom, which was not expected to be easily broken for the time being.
Yahoo Sports cited Soto's age of just 26 as the reason to break Ohtani's record. Yahoo Sports emphasized that "age is just a number, but it's a very important number here." Both Soto and Ohtani made their MLB debut in 2018, but Soto is three years younger than Ohtani. Ohtani advanced to the Major League at the age of 23 after rising to stardom in Japan, while Soto grew up in the Washington Nationals minor league system as a teenager. The difference between these three years is very important because if Soto is hired, he can enjoy three more years of his prime."
On another basis, he put forward competition among the "Big Market" New York teams. The New York Yankees, where Soto worked this season, and the New York Mets, led by "billionaire owner" Steve Cohen, entered the competition and began to scramble.
Yahoo Sports said, "With Soto joining the Yankees a year before the FA, he has become a player that the Yankees can lose. Soto contributed to advancing to the World Series in his first year in the Yankees uniform, but now the Yankees may have to go back to the World Series without Soto. Fans will not like it. This is especially true in that the three teams that are meeting with Soto this week are the Yankees' global rivals, the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Mets, who are on the other side of the city," adding, "The baseball community has known for years that if there is an FA player that the Yankees really want, they can recruit him." The Mets had a chance to boast that it was no longer true. The best thing for Soto is that the Mets Cohen and the Yankees' Steinbrenner family are getting emotional with the recruiting competition, and things are moving in that direction."
He cited Soto's health and durability as the third reason. Yahoo Sports said, "When you look at Soto's career so far, you don't have to worry too much about his injury. Since he was on the roster for the opening game for the first time in 2019, he has never missed more than 13 games in a season. He does not rely on tools that deteriorate as he gets older. He is known to be able to maintain his talent as he grows older."
Yahoo Sports also mentioned three reasons why Soto could not exceed Ohtani's ransom.
First, Ohtani's contract is a "defer" condition that $680 million out of $700 million will be paid later after the contract period expires. Considering inflation, the actual value of the Ohtani contract is valued at $460 million. Unless Soto takes the dipper like Ohtani, Ohtani's $700 million will not be a reference point.
Yahoo Sports added that the Dodgers not only gained great baseball players but also a global icon when it signed Ohtani. Ohtani and Soto have different reputations. While Soto can be said to be Ted Williams' reign, Ohtani is a national hero of the world's third richest country. The Dodgers made tens of millions of dollars through sponsorship and advertisements with Japanese memories, stressing that Ohtani is not simply getting 700 million dollars for good baseball. 안전놀이터
Yahoo Sports also said, "Ohtani showed the best performance with 50-50 record for the first time in history. Don't forget that he sometimes played as an outfielder in Japan. Considering his speed and arm strength, he can become a good outfielder if he is not a pitcher. We don't know how Otani will perform when he turns 39, but he will be worth it. On the other hand, Soto's value is entirely focused on hitting. He is neither a good runner nor a good fielder."