JUAN SOTO'S COMMENTS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING FREE AGENCY ARE CONCERNING!

So far, I really like what I see from Juan Soto. I'm not just talking about the good spring he had, or the first games of the season. I like the chemistry I am seeing on the field, in the dugout and what we hear about in the clubhouse. It's too soon to be sure, but Soto could be a good fit for the Yankees....maybe.

I've been nervous about this trade since it happened. It's always risky to give up several prospects for a one-year rental. If the Yankees can re-sign him, the trade isn't as costly. If the Yankees can't and we don't win a championship, it's a tough look back in retrospect. So what are the odds of him coming back?

I don't know at this point. He's got slimy Scott Boras as his agent who has a history of hosing teams and getting some fat contracts for his clients. That didn't happen this winter, Boras underachieved if you compare this winter with his long history. Maybe teams are getting smarter about how many years and how much money they are spending....teams not named the Dodgers.

So IF teams are spending less money, and he wants to stay with the Yankees why test free agency? NJ.com had an interesting story HERE (subscription required) and he referenced Aaron Judge for his reasoning. I thought his answer was rather interesting though.

"You cannot be selfish. You have to think about the guys who come in behind you," Soto said in a story that came from The Athletic. "That’s what Judge did (in opting to test free agency). He made a great deal. Corey Seager, Shohei Ohtani, all these guys are setting the market for the guys after them. And if I were to take anything down there (with what the Nationals offered) it would make it different, tougher for guys coming up."

So, does that mean Soto thinks he has to "take anything" more than what the Nationals offered him and what Judge got because Soto came after Judge? I was talking about that a lot at work today. My coworker doesn't view this the same way I do. My coworker thinks it's just part of the business.

On the other hand, I didn't like the "you cannot be selfish" but then you talk about you have to take MORE money because it affects the guys that come after him. The Nationals made him a HUGE offer that he walked away from. That made him look selfish before, and now his comment just rubs me the wrong way. Rumors are that his free agency contract STARTS at $500 million, read that HERE. We've played 7 games this year, so that's pretty rich. Did he suddenly learn how to pitch, too? Because Ohtani's contract (although I think stupid) is driven by the fact that he's a 2-way player and the Dodgers have a money tree apparently.

So, how is he not being selfish? I am really looking for a logical explanation. There are ways of raising the bar for yourself and those who come after you that don't have to be tied to money. Derek Jeter did it just by being the face of baseball during his player days because he was classy and just loved the game and was a good teammate. He didn't care about individual recognition or milestones. He was all about the team and winning a championship. THAT is how you raise the bar. 

So as much as I like what I have seen from Soto so far, I can't help but think he's full of crap. It sounds like entitlement to me. So sorry, I am not buying the crap he's trying to sell. 

I see Juan Soto a little differently now. I'm not the same believer that I was. Maybe I am wrong, and I will own that if I am, but this doesn't sit right with me. If this season doesn't go the way he envisions it and he gets LESS than what the Nationals offered him, he earned that.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj