New York Mets broadcaster Ron Darling was not keen on the team going all-out for New York Yankees Right Fielder Juan Soto. Soto is set to become a free agent, and there will be a bidding war for the 26-year-old’s services. Soto is set to command one of the biggest contracts in league history, if not the biggest. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Designated Hitter/Starting Pitcher Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year $700 million contract earlier this year. That contract is the biggest in the history of the league as of now.
Ron Darling’s opinion is one player does not guarantee World Series glory. He believes the best way to build a winning ballclub is to have multiple $300 million players instead of one $600 million player. Will the New York Mets heed Ron Darling’s advice and not break the bank for Juan Soto?
Ron Darling’s Opinion Is Partially Correct
Ron Darling if the Mets should be all-in on Juan Soto:
"I don’t know why I want to say no. I just think that as we discovered in the postseason, one player doesn’t ensure that you win a World Series. [Soto] is as great a hitter as I’ve ever seen and [Aaron] Judge had as great a… pic.twitter.com/AK7Z4qeQXB
— Dan Bartels (@DanBartels2) November 1, 2024
Darling has been an analyst for the New York Mets since 2006 on SNY. He also played for the team for nine seasons and was a crucial part of their World Series-winning 1986 team. Darling may end up being in the minority in the Mets organization as Owner Steve Cohen and President of Baseball Operations David Stearns have mentioned the team will spare no expense this offseason as it pertains to signing free agents.
Ron Darling’s opinion on team-building has some validity to it. The New York Mets have had the league’s top payroll for the last two years but did not bring a World Series title to Queens. While the Mets had a surprising season that saw them advance to the NLCS, the franchise is still looking for their first World Series since Darling’s ’86 squad.
One thing is for sure though, to win in modern-day Major League Baseball, a team must spend money to win the game’s ultimate prize. The Los Angeles Dodgers, the 2024 World Series champion, had the fifth-highest payroll this year. Only two teams in the past 10 seasons, the 2015 Kansas City Royals and 2017 Houston Astros, won the World Series with payrolls outside the top 10. Kansas City was 13th and Houston was 17th in payroll in the seasons they won the “Fall Classic.”
Final Thoughts
Ron Darling’s opinion is controversial as Soto is set to be one of the most sought-after free agents in league history. The tandem of Cohen and Stearns has been successful thus far. One thing has been during Cohen’s time at the helm in New York. If he decides he wants a player on the team, money will not stand in his way.
This will be a fascinating offseason as the baseball world will wait with bated breath as the Juan Soto sweepstakes unfolds. After the World Series, Soto signaled to the league that he is open for business this offseason. Only time will if the New York Mets decide to listen to Ron Darling and spread out their financial commitments or pay whatever it takes to get Juan Soto playing in Citi Field come 2025.
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