A HILARIOUS JUAN SOTO PREDICTION THAT HAS BYB LAUGHING OUT LOUD!

Quick, someone check on Harold Reynolds because I think he has lost ALL of his marbles! A recent appearance on MLB Network has so many of us scratching our heads. He's got some interesting opinions lately and some of them are just crazy and illogical.

Look, everyone has the right to their opinions....no matter how crazy they may be. Reynolds has a really crazy one. Here the thing though, he has the right to be wrong in his opinions and people like me and other experts also have the right to tell Reynolds he's just wrong. In case you missed it, Reynolds thinks Juan Soto has a better chance of signing with the Toronto Blue Jays than coming back to the Yankees.

Cameron Maybin and Gary Sheffield Jr have logic behind their stance, but Reynolds is so far out in left field that you can't make it make sense. I'm not naive to think the only chances to sign Soto are one of the two New York teams. There are other suitors out there and yes money talks but if the Blue Jays and Yankees offers are close together WHY would Soto choose the Blue Jays? They finished in last place in the AL East and have not been as competitive as they thought they would be in a long time. The Yankees are the American League champions.... just what does Harold think the Jays have to offer that is better than the Yankees? Maybe he didn't watch enough baseball this year.

I know the Blue Jays have been trying to make a splash for a while now. They chased hard after Shohei Ohtani, and that didn't work out. Now their next chase would be Soto because they are looking for that big splash and he is the bright new shiny toy this winter.... but that doesn't mean they will get him. They couldn't land Ohtani, and honestly if Soto is as serious about winning as he says he is, the idea of him in a Jays uniform just doesn't make sense.

At the end of the day, I see this coming down to the big-name teams with the bigger payroll because they are spending more money in hopes to be more competitive. Look at the World Series, the teams with the two biggest payrolls faced off. I think the Dodgers will be in the mix because they are the Dodgers and there is no reason why they wouldn't be. Soto is going to look for the big bucks and not many teams are going to be willing to make that dollar commitment because at some point the teams with the deeper pockets are going to buy Soto. That's just the reality. At the end of the day, Soto already rejected multiple high dollar extension offers. Now he gets to pick where he goes and for how much in a multiple bid situation.

The Blue Jays aren't even on my mind and probably not on Soto's. I am not sure what Reynolds was on before he went on the air but whatever it was it was potent. The Yankees are very much in the mix, but so are the Mets. Honestly, that's the team to watch....not the last place Blue Jays.

Crazy Harold.....you've lost your marbles.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

TOPPS CARDS: ULTIMATE CARD GIVEAWAY!

And now a word from Topps Cards about a great offer this season!

The latest from Topps:

"Baseball season is back, and it begins with the launch of 2017 Topps® Baseball Series 1. Every year since 1952, The Topps Company, the exclusive trading card partner of Major League Baseball, has released its annual baseball card set that includes fan favorites, superstars, up-and-coming rookies and the recent addition of popular First Pitch™ inserts.

Today, baseball fans around the world can start ripping packs and collecting cards of amazing moments, rookies and superstars. As announced last week, Chicago Cubs third baseman and 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant was voted by fans to be on Card No. 1 for 2017 Topps Baseball.

Bryant joins a long list of great players who have been represented on the first Topps card of the year from Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams to Mike Piazza and Derek Jeter. Also included in the series are special cards depicting on-air personalities from the MLB Network, including Hall of Famer John Smoltz, hosts Greg Amsinger and Lauren Shehadi, and former players Harold Reynolds, Sean Casey and more.

The first 10 cards of this 29-card set will appear in 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1 and the rest within the June release of 2017 Topps Baseball Series 2 and the October release of 2017 Topps Baseball Update.

Additionally, Topps is giving away two million cards in The Ultimate Card Giveaway, giving baseball fans a chance to find original Topps cards from throughout its 66-year history. There will also be opportunities to win great prizes including Topps Now™ and Topps BUNT® cards as part of The Ultimate Card Giveaway.

'Topps Baseball Series 1 is the official launch of the baseball season and a part of Americana as generations of fans eagerly await the annual baseball card release,' said David Leiner, General Manager and Vice President of the North American Sports & Entertainment Division at Topps. 'Each year, Topps Baseball includes the best players and must-have rookie cards. Collecting cards is the perfect hobby to enjoy with friends and family, and we are proud to keep that tradition alive.'

Photo: Getty Images

Much of what makes baseball and Topps cards great is celebrating what happens on the field. This year’s annual release looks at memorable moments and milestones including Jackie Robinson Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, and special throwback nights showcasing Clubs’ classic uniforms. Topps is also honoring MLB’s award winners from 2016 with special cards made for the AL and NL Most Valuable Players, Rookies of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year, among others.

Topps’s popular First Pitch™ insert cards also return, depicting newsworthy moments of celebrities throwing out first pitches prior to games. The set’s popularity has grown since its inception two years ago.

'As the game has evolved so has our product offering,' said Clay Luraschi, Topps Vice President of Product Development. 'This year’s release features a modern design and includes players’ social media information on the backs of cards, all while celebrating the rich history of Topps and Major League Baseball.'

Opening a pack of cards brings joy to long-time and new collectors alike. Parents and grandparents can share the thrill and excitement of a lifelong hobby with younger family members. They can also teach them about Topps’ history with special cards dedicated to 1987 Topps, featuring the memorable wood-grain design that can be found in the new packs. Topps Baseball blends its rich heritage of traditional cards with new technologies including Topps NOW, on-demand trading cards, and digital cards from Topps BUNT®, which can also be found in the BUNT app.

The celebration doesn’t end there. With The Ultimate Card Giveaway, Topps is randomly inserting two million original Topps cards into packs beginning with 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1. Fans can find cards from The Ultimate Card Giveaway throughout the year in other products, including Topps Baseball® Series 2, Topps Baseball® Update, Topps Heritage® Baseball, Topps Allen & Ginter® Baseball and Bowman® Baseball.

The Ultimate Card Giveaway includes a great blend of new and vintage cards, giving collectors a taste what Topps has offered throughout its 66 years of creating baseball cards. Many of the cards will include a special foil stamp to celebrate the joy of rediscovering Topps Baseball, from fabulous memories of the past to the game’s greatest moments as they happen.

You can also find rookie cards of the newest rising stars, including 2015 No. 1 Draft pick Dansby Swanson, 2015 No. 2 Draft pick Alex Bregman, international star Yoan Moncada, and New York Yankees standout Aaron Judge. Don’t miss out on the thrill of opening new packs of 2017 Topps Baseball Series 1 starting Feb. 1.

Celebrities and newsworthy moments depicted on the First Pitch collection insert set:

Judd Apatow

Deshauna Barber

Stephen Colbert

Luis Coronel

Brett Eldredge

Lou Ferrigno

John Goodman

Joan Jett

Leslie Jordan

Victoria Justice

Jon Lovitz

Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Keegan-Michael Key

Chris Lane

Joe Mantegna

Mase

Bob Odenkirk

Jeremy Piven

William Shatner

Paul Wall"

Be sure to check out Topps at their website: TOPPS.COM.

JETER SPEAKS: "I WILL BE GOOD TO GO!"

No Derek Jeter on Opening Day? Say it ain't so! Well….maybe “it ain't so!” It was hard to watch the Captain go down during game one of the ALCS. I know I felt like someone sucker punched me in the stomach and all of the air was sucked out of me as soon as I saw him grimace when he hit the ground. Opening Day would not be the same without him, but maybe we won’t even have to worry about that….cross your fingers.

Jeter is on the road to recovery, and while it is a slow process all signs indicate that he is right on schedule. Right now Derek Jeter is in a walking boot, and he will be for another six or seven weeks. It’s a good sign, and Brian Cashman doesn’t seem concerned either, “he’s going to be ready for us by Opening Day. He’ll be a restricted player early in camp but all indications are very strong for a healthy recovery,” read the rest HERE.

Cashman is confident that Jeter will be ready for the big day on April 1st, and so is Jeter. On Monday Jeter was a guest on “The Michael Kay show” and said that there was “no question” that he would be ready for Opening Day. You can read the rest of the interview HERE. I know that there is always the possibility that he won’t be ready. In baseball anything is possible. There is just something so convincing when Derek Jeter says something with conviction. It’s hard not to believe him. It’s hard not to just get sucked into that enthusiasm and go with that notion. Right now, I want to go with that notion and side with optimism. I wonder if I click my red heals three times and say “Jeter WILL be ready for Opening Day…” that it will actually happen. Either way, I have faith.

Derek Jeter is a gamer, he will always say that he is ready to play and he would never tell us any differently but to hear him talk about it brings back that excitement. He is like a superhero, he overcomes challenges and ends up doing the impossible, and I don’t think this will change any of that. Once the season gets underway he will be back to lead this team. I can’t imagine watching someone else jog out of the dugout and man that position…and I pray I don’t have to.

Jeter’s rehab progress isn’t the only thing that has been in question lately, last week Jeter was seen walking around in Miami. I’m sure you have heard the story but in case you haven’t a less than flattering looking picture was captured of him and pretty soon the story changed to how Jeter was supposedly overweight. Come on, we all have pictures like this, right? The point is the picture is out there, but that isn’t the story here. Right now his ankle isn’t in shape….that is the only story here. That is gossip, and since then we can see that Jeter isn’t letting himself go by any means. For those who missed it Harold Reynolds of MLB Network did take a picture with him since and there is the evidence….Jeter in a walking boot. Jeter and his ankle will be ready to go when the time comes.

There are a lot of questions right now that the Yankees are trying to solve. One thing that we can all take comfort in is that Derek Jeter is still as hungry and determined as ever. Jeter has never let anything stand in his way and this injury is no exception. It’s possible that Jeter isn’t ready in time? Sure….but if anyone can do it, Jeter can!

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ


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