SOTO'S ABOUT TO GET DESTROYED IN THE BRONX

I’ve got to say, there’s something poetic about watching Juan Soto flounder in Queens. A year ago, he was mashing baseballs in the Bronx, putting the Yankees on his back during a World Series run and soaking in the love from fans who thought he’d be a franchise cornerstone. Fast-forward to today, and he’s in a Mets uniform, underperforming, overpaid, and—ironically—getting "rest days" like he’s 38 and made of glass.

Let’s not beat around the bush. Steve Cohen made what might go down as the single worst investment in the history of baseball, and that includes Bobby Bonilla still cashing checks. Cohen tossed 15 years and $765 million at Soto like he was buying a piece of rare art, not a player already showing wear and tear. This wasn’t a calculated gamble. It was a billionaire fantasy—impulsive, reckless, and rooted in ego more than baseball sense. He didn’t sign a generational two-way superstar. He signed a one-dimensional bat with declining mobility and a growing list of mystery “maintenance days.”

And what exactly has that fortune bought the Mets so far? A guy batting .255 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in mid-May. A .845 OPS sounds nice on paper—until you realize it’s propped up by a few hot weeks, and most of his damage comes when the game’s already out of reach. Clutch? Not this year. Elite? Not lately. Worth nearly a billion dollars? Not even close. He's been, at best, “pretty good”—which is just another way of saying “not what we paid for.”

Now, here comes the kicker. Just before the Subway Series, in the biggest emotional moment of the season so far, Soto gets benched. For rest. Before a scheduled off day. Before facing the Yankees. At Yankee Stadium. Where boos will rain down like biblical plagues. Is it a physical issue? A mental reset? Or just the Mets doing Mets things? Either way, it’s soft. Inexcusable. You don’t sit out this kind of moment unless something’s really wrong—or you can’t handle the heat.

Soto says he’s excited. He says he’s ready for the boos. “I don’t mind,” he told reporters. Cute. But anyone who’s watched this city long enough knows—those jeers will be unrelenting. They’ll remind him of what he walked away from. The energy, the pressure, the expectations. He’s no longer a Yankee star—he’s the villain in Queens, getting paid like a superhero and playing like a sidekick.

And let’s not pretend Yankee fans have forgotten. This guy was a monster in pinstripes—.288 average, 41 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a trip to the World Series. He had it all right there. Then he left. For the Mets. For money. For Steve Cohen’s Monopoly cash. And now he’s coming back to the Bronx wearing orange and blue, thinking the crowd’s going to treat him like anything but a traitor? Please.

Subway Series weekends are always intense, but this one has some extra juice. Soto is front and center—overpaid, underwhelming, and walking into a stadium full of fans ready to let him have it. And whether he admits it or not, it's going to get to him. Because this year? He’s not the guy. He’s not carrying a team. He’s not feared. He’s getting clowned on sports radio and whispered about in clubhouses. That stuff sticks.

And while we're at it, let’s end the myth once and for all: Juan Soto is a great hitter. That’s it. He’s not a five-tool phenom. He’s not a game-changer with the glove or a burner on the bases. He’s not a clubhouse leader. He’s a bat. An expensive one. And unlike Aaron Judge, he doesn’t wear the moment like armor. He folds when the lights get hottest. Judge is New York. Soto rented the role for a year and couldn’t wait to jump ship the second the check got bigger.

Bottom line: Steve Cohen bought himself a name, not a legacy. And Juan Soto is learning the hard way that in this city, production matters more than potential. The Subway Series is here, and for Yankee fans, there’s only one sweeter sight than beating the Mets—watching Juan Soto melt under the pressure.

Let the drama begin.

DODGERS SPENDING HABITS ARE TOO MUCH FOR THE YANKEES

Could it be possible that the spotlight of evil is off the Yankees? The Athletic thinks so. In fact their quote is this, "Maybe the Evil Empire really has relocated to the West Coast." Yes, maybe, and eventually they have to pay up. I feel like they just keep racking in the "Bobby Bonillas". In case you don't know, this was the contract the New York Mets agreed on in order to bring in and eventually cut Bonilla back in 2001. He is paid every July 1 through 2035. The Dodgers have a few of those kinds of contracts. In fact, "The Dodgers have committed nearly a half-billion in guaranteed dollars to players this offseason, second only to the New York Mets, who signed Juan Soto to a historic 15-year, $765 million deal." So it is safe to say that the Dodgers spending habits are wide and deep, perhaps too deep for the Yankees.

According to The Athletic, "This winter, the Dodgers made the following big-money signings: Lefty starting pitcher Blake Snell, five years, $182 million; lefty reliever Tanner Scott, four years, $72 million; outfielder Teoscar Hernández, three years, $66 million; righty reliever Blake Treinen, two years, $22 million; outfielder Michael Conforto, one year, $17 million; and infielder Hyeseong Kim, three years, $12.5 million. They also landed Japanese free-agent starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, the most coveted international prospect of the winter." This is in addition of course to Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, must I go on? You can see the whole payroll here.

But the Yankees haven't been quiet in the off season. They have made some upgrades for sure. But not quite at the expense that the Dodgers have. They have picked up starting pitcher Max Fried, veteran first base man Paul Goldschmidt, outfield Cody Bellinger and likely the best closer in the game right now in Devin Williams. Yet, still, the Death Star march plays for the Dodgers who have positioned themselves as not only the team to beat but the team to hate.

What likely adds salt to the Yankees wounds is that the Dodgers are favored to repeat in 2025, perhaps a rematch in the Fall Classic with their rival Bombers. But I think Hal Steinbrenner has the right mindset here, “They still have to have a season relatively injury-free for it to work out for them, and it’s a long season, as you know, and once you get to the postseason, anything can happen. We’ve seen that time and time again. We’ll see who’s there at the end.” He's right. The season is unforgiving. And injuries are inevitable. It is about who is left standing at the end. And this year, the Yankees hope it's them and that they have done enough.

With Spring Training only a few weeks away, the anticipation for the new season is high. Will the Yankees start early and stay strong? My prediction is yes. They have a good start; they lead the East through the All-Star Break, and they have a heck of half of a season. But guess what, so do the Dodgers. So, then it really comes down to do the dollar pay for endurance and greatness? We shall see. It will be interesting to watch what money can pay for. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

IN THE LATEST SAGA OF THE METS WANTING TO BE THE YANKEES...

Steve Cohen and the New York Mets—baseball’s answer to that one person in high school who keeps trying to reinvent themselves to impress the cool kids, only to trip over their own shoelaces. The latest twist in the Mets' ongoing obsession with the Yankees? A desperate grab at bullpen pieces that might as well come with pinstripes stitched in for good measure.

According to Dan Bartels of the New York Post, the Mets are considering a trio of options for their bullpen, including Yankee fan-favorite Tommy Kahnle. Bartels’ tweet sums it up:

"If the Mets don’t spend big in the bullpen: David Robertson, Chris Martin, or Tommy Kahnle could be a fit, per @NYPost_Mets."

All former Yankees by the way.

Oh, the audacity! Kahnle, who practically breathes Yankee mystique, posted a career-best 2.11 ERA, fanned 46 batters, and boasted an absurd 59.8% ground-ball rate. Naturally, this would make him a tempting target for a team that has spent the better part of the last decade looking like they’ve been cursed by the ghost of Bobby Bonilla’s contract.

But wait—this is the same Mets team that’s already poached Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, two former Yankees by the way. Did I mention that they were former Yankees? Are we seeing a pattern here? Maybe Steve Cohen isn’t building a team so much as he’s collecting Yankees like they’re Pokémon cards. What’s next? A monument at Citi Field dedicated to "Almost Yankees We Paid Too Much For"?

And then there’s the Juan Soto saga. Former Yankee. Cohen’s near-obsessive pursuit of the slugger reportedly included outlandish offers—rumored to flirt with a near billion-dollar price tag and a luxury suite for Soto’s family. Really? NEARLY A billion dollars? That’s Bezos money, not "we're still paying for Max Scherzer’s arm and Justin Verlander’s ghost" money.

But here’s the kicker: the Yankees and us Yankee fans couldn’t be happier about the Mets taking Soto off the market. With their rivals distracted, the Bronx Bombers were free to bolster their lineup and pitching staff, leaving Mets fans wondering if Cohen is secretly a double agent sent by Hal Steinbrenner.

If Cohen wants to mimic the Yankees, here’s a free tip: it’s not about signing players who used to be good in pinstripes. It’s about cultivating a winning culture, making smart investments, and, oh yeah, not treating your team like a vanity project. Until then, the Mets will remain what they’ve always been: the Yankees' shadow, forever chasing the light.

Good luck with Tommy Kahnle, Mets. Maybe he’ll bring some of that Yankee magic with him. Or maybe he’ll just bring another reminder that Citi Field is where pinstriped dreams go to die.

But I actually hope Kahnle comes back to the Yankees. I liked him there, and I know he loved being a Yankee.

WE AIN'T IN KANSAS ANYMORE SOTO!

Yes, here is another "typical Yankee fan" popping off about Juan Soto taking his big payday with the other ball club in Queens. 

No, I'm not running the Mets or their fans down. What bothers my about the Orange and Blue...and sometimes black team and their fans is that WE DON'T HATE THE METS! They want us to! 

They want us to hate them. They want a rivalry... but they, as Derek said, they're "just the Mets". They are the place holder wearing the colors of New York originals... THE BROOKLYN DODGERS and THE NEW YORK GIANTS. They will always be the "other team". 

Steve Cohen will never change that. Why? Because all the money in the world can't erase The Babe, The Mick, Joe D, The Iron Horse, Reggie, The Bronx Zoo, The 90s etc.  No, this isn't me holding onto the past either. IT'S JUST BASEBALL HISTORY, that's all, and there happens to be a lot of YANKEE BASEBALL in that proud story of the American Pastime. Full stop.

I'm glad for my pals that root for the Metropolitans. Truly. They have a great park over there. It's a quantum leap over the big "Ashtray near LaGuardia" as my Pop once called it. Yea... remember Shea Stadium? They have some great players these days and the Mets of the 1980s were fun to watch.

My issue is with guys like Barstool's KFC puffing his chest out on WFAN today saying, "NOBODY CARES ABOUT MONUMENT PARK AND THE PINSTRIPES ANYMORE!" Seems like Yankee fans live rent-free eating nothing but high scoring Portnoy Pizza's in Kev's head. Take your big-time player! Steve had the money, Soto has Boras and so it goes and so it goes. I enjoy KFC on the Barstool podcast, and know he's breaking balls, but the glee people get from the Yanks not signing someone outweighing the rush of getting a big bat like Juan is nuts.

Signing Soto would've been awesome for the Yankees. He seemed to like the Bronx, playing with #99 and the fans loved him...BUT it's a lousy move. It hamstrings you from getting anything else, even having Cohen's monopoly money. The luxury tax is heavy and buying all-star teams does not work.

We are so far gone on players and these contracts. 700 plus million? For a one ballplayer? Think on that. Yes, dollar amounts increase as time passes, but that is insane. Even if they do a little presto chango like Ohtani and backload it all...it still sucks. WE AS FANS END UP PAYING THE NOTE, GANG! Higher ticket prices. Higher concessions prices, Taking a family of 4 to a game? Call your bank and take out that second mortgage.

I don't blame the players. They take what is offered. If the owners put a cap on cash the Union will strike. Agents like Boras don't care about you and your love of the game. They don't. Juan Soto doesn't either. You cheering him as a Met or booing because he ain't a Yankee anymore makes NO difference to him. He is a hired gun. He NEVER claimed to be anything else.

Don't the Mets still own Bobby Bonilla? Baseball is a clown show of contracts these days. For every Juan Soto story we see flame outs, injuries... or they lose the hunger because they got all they wanted. S

Sickboy's line in Trainspotting - "First ya have it. Then you lose it. Then it's gone forever. In all walks of life." 

THIS WILL HAPPEN. The Mets just overpaid for a guy who is GREAT! He is a great ballplayer...but in 2 years he'll be really, really good. In 5 years he'll be a strong power hitter who will be a permanent DH. In 7 years, Mets fans will be calling into WFAN saying, "I said it then! We should never have given him that type of money! 15 years??"

Look, the Yankees have PLENTY of problems. I don't think much of the GM. The owner ain't his old man. The team has stars...and a lot of black holes too. The new stadium is a nice outdoor mall, and there are loud mouth Yankee fans spouting off with the sad, "27 championships, bro!" But they're still the Yankees for better or for worse. Steve Cohen and Juan Soto can't make them a lesser franchise in the world of sports or baseball lore any more than Rolling Stone could try to make the Beatles a lesser band. In short, some things just stay gold in this world. The New York Yankees were never about one player. They are, whether KFC and his ilk like it or not, what people think of when baseball is uttered - fan or not.

What Soto did was great for Soto, good for the Mets and lousy for baseball fans. It will keep pushing our game more and more out of reach. It's not because the slugger passed on the Yankees either. I feel the Yankees are culpable too. No organizations are innocent. No superstar player is either.

We always hear the cliche', "hey, it's a business." That may be true. It's a business for the owners and big-time players...but for us fans? We're outside looking in at a sign that reads : BASEBALL FANS NEED NOT APPLY.

A 90's song about greed ought to do it... Silverchair for the Golden Throne Juan Soto now sits on.

--Mike O'Hara

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @mikeyoh21

 

THE SOTO SAGA: WHY YANKEE FANS SHOULD BE GRATEFUL

Alright, Yankees fans, let’s clear the air. Juan Soto isn’t wearing pinstripes, and that’s not a tragedy. 

In fact, it’s possibly a blessing in disguise. Before you throw your remote at the TV or tweet out your frustrations like Nick Turturro, let’s break it down—and maybe have a little fun while we do.

DEAR JUAN SOTO pic.twitter.com/1eNeWCYTlO

— Big Nick Turturro (@NickTurturro1) December 9, 2024

First, let’s give Hal Steinbrenner a round of applause. The Yankees didn’t lose Soto because they were cheap. Oh no, Hal opened the vault and offered Soto more cash than any of us could even dream about. Seriously, the offer was so jaw-dropping it made Aaron Judge’s record-breaking contract look like a Costco discount. They were ready to pay Soto more than they ever paid Derek Jeter. Derek. Freaking. Jeter. Let that sink in.

But Soto? He just couldn’t deal with being the second fiddle. Aaron Judge is the face of the Yankees, the captain, the one fans chant for. Soto wanted to be the main attraction. Ego much? Sorry, Juan, but New York isn’t a place for second-tier divas when we’ve got a leader like Judge. The Mets was the right fit.

Now let’s talk about our crosstown rivals. Steve Cohen swooped in with an offer that screams desperation. And hey, Mets fans, enjoy it while it lasts because in about five years, you’ll be stuck with an overpriced DH who can’t run, can’t field, and is nursing injuries from years of overuse. Soto’s not even a five-tool player. Let’s face it, the Mets didn’t make a smart baseball move—they made a move to stick it to the Yankees. Classic Mets.

Do we really think this is a championship-defining contract? It feels more like a billionaire playing “anything you can do, I can do better.” Spoiler: he can’t. Soto’s contract might just go down as the biggest albatross in MLB history. Yankees fans, you dodged a bullet. The Mets? They have Bobby Bonilla 2.0.

The system is broken. You know that right? Let’s address the elephant in the room: baseball’s salary system is a circus act. $760 million for one player? It’s insane. The Yankees were ready to commit, but maybe it’s a good thing they didn’t. This money can—and should—be spent more wisely.

And so, here's what I say; if Hal was willing to splash that kind of cash on Soto, then he has no excuse not to fix the other holes in this roster. First and third base need upgrades. The rotation? Oh, it’s screaming for reinforcements. Max Fried and Corbin Burnes, anyone? GET THEM BOTH. With just a fraction of what they offered Soto, the Yankees can bring in two legitimate starters and still have cash left over for a power-hitting outfielder.

Think about it: instead of one Soto, we could have multiple stars bolstering this team. That’s not losing—it’s a strategic win.

So, Yankees fans, take a deep breath. This isn’t about Hal being cheap or Brian Cashman losing his touch. It’s about Juan Soto making a decision that wasn’t the right fit for New York. Instead of sulking, let’s see this as an opportunity. The Yankees can still make moves, spend smartly, and build a more well-rounded team.

Who knows? By the time Soto’s hobbling around Citi Field as a glorified pinch hitter, the Yankees could be hoisting another trophy—or two.  

In Hal we trust. Now, Hal, get us those pitchers and let’s go win something, shall we?

ALL EYES ON DODGERS VS YANKEES - GET READY!

Even if you won the whole $468 million jackpot this weekend, Shohei Ohtani wins more and takes a bigger pot. He has 700 million reasons why and has the baseball world buzzing. Now, I just can't wait to see how this shakes down.

Get ready, the Dodgers come to Yankee stadium June 7-9th next season and it is going to be a must watch event. Ohtani and the Dodgers rolls into town to play against Juan Soto and the retooled Yankees, you couldn't imagine this any better... or could you? Actually, I think you can.

The Yankees are going ALL IN this year. Soto was just the start. The next "need" to address is going to be the pitching and it's coming. Even the foolish present-day Yankees know you can't lose as much pitching as they did in both the Rule 5 draft and their trades and NOT replenish it. Pitching is coming, but now we just wait and see who.

The Yankees are ALL IN on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He's the next target, and if the Yankees get him that old Death Star is officially waxed and no longer dusty. We all know Hal Steinbrenner is NOT like his dad George, but even he knows this is a business. The faltering Yankees needed to rebuild their brand. The Yankees aren't just a baseball team, they are an attraction in one of the brightest cities in the world. These aggressive moves are long overdue.

So, Yamamoto is the next piece of the puzzle, and we will see what comes from his visit on Monday. There are rumors that Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka might help with recruiting efforts. This is a big deal; the Yankees are pulling the big guns out. I just hope it works.

So back to that summer series against the Dodgers....it could be even bigger. Can you imagine Ohtani and Soto in the lineup AND Yamamoto pitching for the Yankees? This has HUGE profitability written all over it. Those bleacher tickets are already pricey enough, but get ready the price for that series would be higher without a doubt.

By the way, anyone who thinks baseball is a dying American sport... just look at the details of Ohtani's deal. Baseball is a alive and well, his new contract proves it. Bobby Bonilla is jealous! Get ready folks, the Dodgers and Yankees series is going to be epic!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

 

COLLUSION IN BASEBALL?

No, I am not talking about the conspiracy between President Trump and Russia. We breathe baseball here, not politics. That being said, does collusion exist in baseball?

There are WAY too many free agents still on the market right now. Spring training is here and there are far too many big names out there still with no job. Thankfully J.A. Happ isn't one of those names and he was smart to sign in December, but you can still hear some of his frustration:

"It’s surprising and it’s disappointing. I know we're [the Players Association] working on ways to change this, but it's frustrating for sure to see all the quality guys out there that can help teams win not being signed this close to spring. It's a bummer," read more HERE.

Last winter was slow, but it also didn't have the same star studded power as this free agent class, so many didn't expect another slow market. Big names like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado usually create a slower market for others until they sign but....they both still don't have jobs. How can two young guys with infinite talent still be on the market? This wouldn't even be possible three years ago.

And what about Dallas Keuchel, a Cy Young Award winner three years ago? There's no reason why he does not have a job. Or Craig Kimbrel, who led the NL in saves for four straight seasons and was the closer for the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox who is the best reliever on the market. Adam Jones does not have a job, nor does Mike Moustakas or Gio Gonzalez.

How about Doug Fister or Marwin Gonzalez? I mean, Gonzalez is extremely versatile. Teams salivate over a guy they can plug in multiple positions. You can't convince me that a guy with his versatility doesn't fit on one of the 30 MLB teams. I'm not buying that one.

There are approximately 70 experienced free agents still unsigned with Opening Day less than two months away. Quite a few of these players would be major game changers to a team, especially contending teams like the Red Sox who haven't addressed their bullpen and the guy that helped them win their championship. Side note, I am VERY okay with not seeing Kimbrel pitch against the Yankees.

So should fans and players be mad at the owners? It's easy to say that owners are trying to be strategic with how they are spending their money and don't want to sign those big money long term deals. They are in it to make money, but fans are in it to see their favorite players. Without their favorite players there is no reason to buy the expensive jerseys, MLB extra inning packages, game tickets or outrageously priced beers at those games.

Long term and big money deals do have a bad stigma attached to them. We tend to remember the bad deals like Bobby Bonilla, Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury and Alex Rodriguez and understandably so. I know I can't wait to get rid of Ellsbury.

But not all long term deals are remembered as a disaster. I'd say CC Sabathia's seven year deal was a good investment. He's been reliable and it helped us get an immediate championship. Oh and Derek Jeter's 10 year deal back in 2000 was one of the best investments any team could make.

More than half of Major League teams haven't signed a free agent this winter. That's a startling number. So far, the only player to get a payday of over $100 million is Patrick Corbin. Many teams (like the Yankees) CAN afford guys like Harper or Machado, but yet they have chosen not to. Are MLB owners behind this?

I love baseball, but it's not easy to make it here. Yeah, there is a potential to make BIG money here.....but it's a long road to get there and maybe it is scaring some guys off. Maybe guys like Kyler Murray who just chose the NFL over baseball (read more HERE) are more interested in the guaranteed money than a gamble in MLB free agency. At this point, can you blame them?

So who is to blame for these last slow winters? Are players just greedy and have they ruined free agency....or are MLB owners colluding to change the game? It makes me wonder if a salary cap is the only thing to get baseball back on track.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Edtior
Twitter: @nyprincessj

FEELING PROUD OF YOUR TEAM

On Friday morning, I was boarding the train.  I happened to see my buddy getting out of his car and he was dressed, head to toe in Mets gear.  Worn out hat… ratty shirt, you know, his comfy clothes. Clearly he was off from work and going to the bagel shop.  He had a skip in his step. That’s because he’s a die hard Mets fan and has been for years.  He’s proud of what his team has accomplished so far.  The Mets are in the World Series.  I got all fuzzy inside as I watch him walk into the shop and as the train pulled away… I started to write this. I remember when Yankee fans had that feeling. Thinking about how excited his is about the Mets gives me chills.  That’s true fandom.  It’s stuff like that that makes you, if you’re a baseball fan, step back and see the big picture.  Fans come in all shapes and sizes… and yes, there are Mets fans that for decades have been embarrassed by their team and management and lousy decision making.  Now, these same Mets fans… the die-hards, are proud.  They are proud that a club that no one really thought about actually has done something incredible.  For them… it’s about damn time. I stated in THE METS ARE IN & JOE MADDON ISN'T A ROCKSTAR the following:

"I'm happy for the die hard Mets fans . I am not happy for the bandwagon fans who have no allegiance to anything but winners and will sell their mother down the river if it means being with a champion.  If you were a Yankee fan and you flipped because you got impatient... go away, you are no longer welcome on my side of the street.  But again... to the die hard Mets fans, this is great for you guys!"

That’s a fact.  Bandwagon fans kill me, and I see them a mile away.  Their Mets hat right out of the bag… they’re wearing uniform tops like Flores and deGrom.  Let me tell you something, my friends… My real friends that happen to be die-hard Mets fans wear Hernandez… Kranepool… Seaver… Orosco.  They are true Mets fans.  I’m not taking anything away from Wilmer Flores, David Wright or Jacob deGrom, they are great players having a good run. But in the grand scope of Mets fans and baseball… I appreciate the die-hards.  That’s because the die-hards have been waiting for a while.  Again, they're proud… they deserve alittle happiness.

I made a statement the other day suggesting I wanted to Cubs to win it all.  It’s not unusual or absurd.  As a baseball and Yankee fan, I felt the Cubs fans needed a smile… it had nothing to do with the Mets, but Mets fans took exception when I wrote WHY I DON'T FEEL THE NEW YORK METS tweeting me…

Like we care. #lgm RT @BleednYankeeBlu: Bleeding Yankee Blue: WHY I DON'T FEEL THE NEW YORK #METS http://t.co/OhPLzx8V72

— Shea Hey (@sheahey56) October 18, 2015

@BleednYankeeBlu No one cares here. #LGM #Mets

— TheKevinLarkin (@TheKevinLarkin) October 18, 2015

If they didn't care, they should have ignored it
.

Sure, they have a point, no one cares about my opinion.  But they took it personally and they shouldn’t have.  It’s an opinion, nothing more and they need to relax!   No one cares about great baseball and fan allegiance more than I, but it’s those damn bandwagon fans that couldn’t name the 1986 lineup or even know what uniform number David Wright is that kill me.  They water down what the true Mets fans are feeling.  That’s basically what I’ve been suggesting all along.

So, here’s to the Mets fans, the die-hards, the guys and gals that have been struggling through the Bobby Bonilla years. The ones who had to dig out their Darryl Strawberry shirt from the closet and re-break in their old Mets cap.  Be proud of your club. They did good for you and I got your back.  In the end, the Mets in the World Series is good for baseball.  It’s a wonderful story. It is good for New York too. But don’t give away the key to New York yet… the Yanks have always been the kings of New York.  OK… if the Mets win… we can lend them New York… but just for 2015.

Good luck to all those true Mets fans.

Take $20 Off Steiner Sports' Business + Baseball Event General Admission Tickets with code BYBSTEINER.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XI

Here we are again; another week in the pre-season hunt for pitching and, another starting pitcher is again out of our reach.  Max Scherzer is headed off to DC for many years in a deal that smells a lot like a Mets Bobby Bonilla contract.  "The deal is for $210 million with half deferred, according to multiple reports. Scherzer reportedly will receive $15 million annually for 14 years. The deal also includes a record $50 million signing bonus, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press."  Yikes... check out Bonilla's contract. According to the website Celebrity Worth, "Bobby Bonilla hasn't swung a baseball bat professionally in over a decade, yet every year on July 1st The Mets cut him a check for $1.2 million. That's more than any current Mets outfielder will make in 2013."  How?  Well, here is how it happened.

According to CBSSports, "The deal was signed by the Marlins in 1996, but Bonilla was traded to the Dodgers in the 1998 blockbuster that involved Gary Sheffield and Mike Piazza. Bonilla was later flipped to the Mets. He then only played 60 games in 1999, hitting .160/.277/.303, so the Mets saw fit to get rid of him before the 2000 season instead of paying him $5.9 million that year. And now they'll be paying him a bit more than four times that -- just stretched out over 25 years."  Bonilla gets paid $1.2 million dollars through 2035 for doing absolutely nothing.  We don't need contracts like that, making lofty deals to pitchers who will be well into their twilight years or gone from the sport entirely.  Scherzer will be 44 at this point before the Nationals are done paying him on this contract.

I bring this up, because although we all thought we wanted Scherzer, we did not want that inflated contract.  Good luck with that, Washington.

"A source had earlier told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Nationals wouldn't have the financial flexibility to sign the right-handed Scherzer unless they have a trade in place to move starter Jordan Zimmermann and possibly shortstop Ian Desmond. As of Saturday, the source told Stark, the Nationals did not have trades in place for Zimmermann or Desmond," reported ESPN.com.  So, who might be interested in these guys?  I know, I would!  There is also talk that the Nationals could trade Stephen Strasburg or Doug Fister.  I'm open but again, we are not going to spend big dollars on these guys.

And Stark also reminds fans that the Yankees, although a team never to be ruled out of any deal including a deal with James Shields, have a clear focus and purposeful message.  "They've been all about getting younger and loading up on bullpen depth. And Shields would contribute to neither. Not to mention that his career ERA in the new Yankee Stadium is 6.35."  Nope, not interested.  

Interestingly enough, in this market of free agency and gluttony, as long as general managers keep feeding the beast, they will keep demanding the big money.  According to Stark, "I can't imagine he gets less than $80 million over four [years]," said one exec. "There's someone out there. You know that. I just have no idea who that is." Lots of teams have had interest in the Shields, but no one has stepped up officially.  Many say it could be any day.  

To end this week's Hot Stove, a word about Johan Santana.  According to Jon Heyman's Twitter feed, the Yankee, Padres, Blue Jays and about six other teams have shown interest in Santana.  Santana is currently 35-years-old and some say he could be a bull pen asset.  I don't know.  It is just too risky.  But, it could happen, so brace yourself.  

That's it for this week's Hot Stove.  Fingers crossed for some good news for us this upcoming week. Only 29 days 'til pitchers and catchers!


 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYaneeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!