Do you think the Red Sox interest in Juan Soto is genuine?

[Sille Skrub]

Do you think the Red Sox are putting in a sincere effort to sign Juan Soto? Or is this just another FA dog and pony show to make it look like they are still invested.

Someone just asked in the other thread, so let's put it to a vote. Please answer honestly. I am genuinely curious.

Poll closes in 48 hours.

 

[Rasputin]

You think they’re going to spend time and effort to pretend to go after free agents?

that seems dumb to me.

 

[soxhop411]

Yes. The reporting here is 10000% different than last year. If they were truly not “genuinely” interested it would have been reported by now. Just like last year.
Both local and national reporters have flat out said this offseason is different than last year.

we are better than resorting to lazy weei takes

 

[Sille Skrub]

You think they’re going to spend time and effort to pretend to go after free agents?

When it comes to charging one of the highest ticket prices in baseball and $30/month for a shoddy NESN app?

Absolutely. It's all about the bottom line.

 

[BrandyWhine]

Yes, he's a generational talent, with interest in and connection to Boston.
However, will they be the Sox be the highest bidder? I doubt it and I think that will make all the difference.

 

[brienc]

I think the Sox are interested in Soto at a certain number, which is surely lower than what Soto will end up with. I believe the Sox are interested in spending up to and possibly slightly over the luxury tax threshold. So I’m not sure how to answer this poll.

Upon further review, I am voting no.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Given where the Sox are competitively versus the other teams and factoring locale (if Soto signs with either NY team he presumably doesn't have to move or anything) if we find they didn't have the highest offer, they weren't really trying to sign him.

 

[Sille Skrub]

we are better than resorting to lazy weei takes

I don't see how this is a lazy WEEI take.

And even if it is, after the last few years of doing pretty much nothing, it is a legitimate question for those of us outside of Fantasyland.

 

[Brianish]

I think the pretending/serious binary is a bit unhelpful. I would call it performative, rather than pretend. Make an offer that is likely to be rejected, but hey - if he bites, great! I'm also not convinced it takes that much time and effort. There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes with the second-tier FAs, I'm sure - regardless of the Soto sitution.

 

[joe dokes]

I think it's genuine because if it wasn't, given the numbers being reported, there would be leaks from the Sox about the stratosphere they dont want to be in. I assume all the leaked numbers are from Boras, trying to get others to offer more. That's his job. But no team wants to be used as nothing more than an auction shill.

 

[Max Power]

I don't see how this is a lazy WEEI take.

And even if it is, after the last few years of doing pretty much nothing, it is a legitimate question for those of us outside of Fantasyland.

So the people who think that management and Papi were trying to get the guy and weren't just running an elaborate commercial for the team are the ones in Fantasyland?

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

 

[geoflin]

AFAIK every "insider" report is that the Sox are in on Soto. I haven't seen a single one that says they aren't. They're in.

 

[Big Papi's Mango Salsa]

I think it is genuine. I think they are trying to pay him a ridiculous amount of money and revamp their entire roster to get him to come here.

However, I think the Mets offer is genuine too (and the Yankees). And that Steve Cohen is worth $21.3b and the value of the Yankees franchise is roughly $3b more than the Red Sox, so if the motivations of all three parties are equal and genuine, there is no numeric way for the Red Sox to win.

(This will not excuse them from taking a pass on other avenues to markedly improve the team the way they have the last 5 years when Soto ends up not in Boston, however).

 

[lexrageorge]

Sorry, Breslow is not going to waste everyone’s time and throw out $600M contracts for performance art.

 

[Sille Skrub]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

OK this I can get behind.

We would like Juan Soto, but at a discounted rate.

 

[BigSoxFan]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

Yup. They want him at their price. They don’t want him at his price. Interest is genuine but they likely don’t want to go the distance here.

In a hypothetical situation where Soto tells them 700 over 15 gets it done, are they pulling the trigger?

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Yup. They want him at their price. They don’t want him at his price. Interest is genuine but they likely don’t want to go the distance here.

In a hypothetical situation where Soto tells them 700 over 15 gets it done, are they pulling the trigger?

Of course not.

 

[YTF]

Yes. The reporting here is 10000% different than last year. If they were truly not “genuinely” interested it would have been reported by now. Just like last year.
Both local and national reporters have flat out said this offseason is different than last year.

we are better than resorting to lazy weei takes

We used to be.

 

[Mooch]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

This is exactly where I am.

 

[astrozombie]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

Exactly this. They have genuine interest... but not enough interest to be the highest bidder. So they are interested but not serious and hence it's a dog and pony show.

 

[Average Reds]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

At the beginning of the process, I think their interest was 100% genuine.

After the leak about the Sox wanting a meeting to see if they could extract a price that would end the bidding, I think they switched to cover-their-asses-because-I-think-we’re-going-to-be-outbid mode.

 

[YTF]

Yup. They want him at their price. They don’t want him at his price. Interest is genuine but they likely don’t want to go the distance here.

In a hypothetical situation where Soto tells them 700 over 15 gets it done, are they pulling the trigger?

Is there a team listed that would rather him at his price than theirs?

 

[Mooch]

At the beginning of the process, I think their interest was 100% genuine.

After the leak about the Sox wanting a meeting to see if they could extract a price that would end the bidding, I think they switched to cover-their-asses-because-I-think-we’re-going-to-be-outbid mode.

Which prompts the question: Were they naive? Or just trying to put on a good show for the fans?

 

[joe dokes]

Yup. They want him at their price. They don’t want him at his price.

More like, they may not want him at Cohen's price. It's undeniable that Cohen has more money than Henry.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Is there a team listed that would rather him at his price than theirs?

There is a team who will sign him for his price. Of course everyone would love him at their price but this is an auction. Highest bidder wins. Sox know that. And they’re likely tapping out here.

 

[Mooch]

More like, they may not want him at Cohen's price. It's undeniable that Cohen has more money than Henry.

But this has been the situation from the very beginning. So I think it's fair to ask the question: How geniune was their pursuit when you're starting from this fact?

 

[joe dokes]

Which prompts the question: Were they naive? Or just trying to put on a good show for the fans?

Or neither. They had to know there was something of a bidding war with Cohen on the horizon.

 

[BigSoxFan]

More like, they may not want him at Cohen's price. It's undeniable that Cohen has more money than Henry.

Cohen’s price is the market price. You either pay it or you don’t get the guy.

None of this is news.

 

[Mooch]

Or neither. They had to know there was something of a bidding war with Cohen on the horizon.

Agreed. Which is why I think this whole thing was a giant waste of time for the Sox.

 

[DJnVa]

We seem way more jaded now, after 4 titles, than we were in 2003.

 

[joe dokes]

But this has been the situation from the very beginning. So I think it's fair to ask the question: How geniune was their pursuit when you're starting from this fact?

Internally, the discussion is "how high do we think Cohen is willing to go and will we go there." If he signs a 20yr 50m deal with the Mets, I'm sure people will still shit on henry.

 

[YTF]

There is a team who will sign him for his price. Of course everyone would love him at their price but this is an auction. Highest bidder wins. Sox know that. And they’re likely tapping out here.

If the reporting is accurate, 4 teams will likely be tapping out. Until they are out, they're in.

 

[BaseballJones]

I think they're very much in, and also that there's a number at which they won't go, and that's how it's going to end up - higher than what they want to spend (because it'll be absolutely silly money). That doesn't mean it's a dog and pony show at all. The interest is real. The effort is real. The offer they have made or will make is real and humongous. I just don't think it'll be humongous enough. I don't see an option for that in the poll though.

 

[joe dokes]

Agreed. Which is why I think this whole thing was a giant waste of time for the Sox.

I just dont think they are that stupid. I think Henry knows that this may be the one FA that comes along in his ownership tenure that it *is* worth blowing up the model for.

Anyone who comes down on "they didn't get him, so it was all a dog and pony show" should just apply for a job on talk radio. There may turn out to be evidence that it *was* a dog and pony show. But "they didn't get him," standing alone, isn't that.

 

[NoXInNixon]

When it comes to charging one of the highest ticket prices in baseball and $30/month for a shoddy NESN app?

Absolutely. It's all about the bottom line.

You think a single person is going to buy a Red Sox ticket because they tried to get Soto, but didn't? I don't think so.

 

[BigSoxFan]

If the reporting is accurate, 4 teams will likely be tapping out. Until they are out, they're in.

Yes, not saying they’re out now, just that it appears this is where they’re headed.

 

[Max Power]

At the beginning of the process, I think their interest was 100% genuine.

After the leak about the Sox wanting a meeting to see if they could extract a price that would end the bidding, I think they switched to cover-their-asses-because-I-think-we’re-going-to-be-outbid mode.

The team walked away from A-Rod, a better player than Juan Soto, over $3 million a year and that worked out. You need to know your limits and sometimes the bidding gets to a point where it doesn't make sense for the rest of the roster. I don't think it means they're not truly interested, just that they were hoping Steve Cohen wasn't going to go full Steve Cohen.

 

[RIrooter09]

They're genuinely interested, but they probably have a ceiling well below the Mets.

 

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

We seem way more jaded now, after 4 titles, than we were in 2003.

The jaded comes more from finishing last too many times than first.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

We seem way more jaded now, after 4 titles, than we were in 2003.

The Mookie situation left scars.

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

We seem way more jaded now, after 4 titles, than we were in 2003.

Some fans are lol. Meanwhile, some of us have watched the Red Sox just flat out be awesome our entire adult lives. Along with basically all of the other Boston sports. It's basically impossible for me to comprehend negativity about the Boston teams. They've been awesome forever. At least so long as I've followed them. Getting even the slightest bit angry about the Sox not being competitive the past couple years feels... spoiled and petulant? I dunno, it's just bizarre that anyone can have a negative take about the Sox.

 

[tims4wins]

I think they're very much in, and also that there's a number at which they won't go, and that's how it's going to end up - higher than what they want to spend (because it'll be absolutely silly money). That doesn't mean it's a dog and pony show at all. The interest is real. The effort is real. The offer they have made or will make is real and humongous. I just don't think it'll be humongous enough. I don't see an option for that in the poll though.

I don't understand the silly money comment. It was ALWAYS going to be silly money. They either understood this, or they were delusional.

 

[Mooch]

The team walked away from A-Rod, a better player than Juan Soto, over $3 million a year and that worked out. You need to know your limits and sometimes the bidding gets to a point where it doesn't make sense for the rest of the roster. I don't think it means they're not truly interested, just that they were hoping Steve Cohen wasn't going to go full Steve Cohen.

Hope isn't a strategy. Every indiciation all along was that Cohen would do just that.

Look, I REALLY want Soto. But if this ends up the case, I''ll be pretty angry with the Sox for even going down this path in the first place.

 

[Carroll Hardy]

2004, 2007, 2013, 2018 and now 2025. We're due, but not really overdue by much...time to get Fenway rocking again.

 

[lexrageorge]

So, if Soto goes to the Mets, that means the interest by the Yankees, Dodgers, and Blue Jays must also be similarly performative.

 

[BaseballJones]

I don't understand the silly money comment. It was ALWAYS going to be silly money. They either understood this, or they were delusional.

Because there's silly money - 12 years, $550 million ($45.8m/year) - and then there's SILLY money - 15 years, $750 million ($50m/year). I'm sure the Sox had no problem with silly money. Pretty sure they don't literally have a blank checkbook and aren't ok with SILLY money.

 

[bankshot1]

The Sox have demonstrated over the past 5-6 years they won't go past their model's red line for player retention and acquisition. Whether the recent history of poor finishes is enough to move them off their financial discipline is in doubt. And even if they did deviate, a bidding war for a high-demand Boras client is not really in John Henry's wheelhouse. So I think the effort is real, but its for appearances only.

 

[E5 Yaz]

It's genuine in that they are interested in Soto and are trying to sign him. I am EXTREMELY skeptical that they have any interest in being the highest bidder, however, and in that regard I do think it's a dog and pony show. They're praying that Soto likes Boston and the club and where they're positioned and will take less to sign here. That never works.

Do I think they have any interest in a $700 million contract for him? Absolutely not.

Hey! It's that one time a year we agree on something!

 

[YTF]

Hope isn't a strategy. Every indiciation all along was that Cohen would do just that.

Look, I REALLY want Soto. But if this ends up the case, I''ll be pretty angry with the Sox for even going down this path in the first place.

So that's it? The Sox should never show interest in a player that the Mets are intensely interested in?