OverDrive - Phillips on Guerrero Jr.'s career trajectory, the plummeting power and Soto's approach without Judge

Episode Date: April 15, 2025

TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the MLB, Juan Soto's comments on playing with Aaron Judge and the approach from pitchers, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s contract extension and his declined power to start the season and more.

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That just happened with Vashi Kapelos. Canada decides 2025. every Friday stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app. We were talking about these Juan Soto comments last night. Again, the Mets are 11 and five. He had a home run last night. His stats aren't off the charts, but he was asked about pitchers attacking him and whether or not it's been different this year.

And he said, yes, it has been different basically because I don't have Aaron Judge The best hitter in baseball protecting me in the lineup Now he does have Pete Alonso protecting him in the lineup pretty good hitter and judge I guess was asked about it today and he pumped the tires of Alonso and he basically said I'm not doing this every day guys Like take I'm not doing this don day guys like take I'm not doing this don't come to me and ask me about Juan Soto to chat about that among other things including Jay's Braves tonight here's our TSN baseball insider Steve Phillips. Steve what was your

approach to Soto's comments that he was just simply telling the truth or that he should have known better and when you get paid that kind of money, you got to stop making any excuse whatsoever. Yeah. I think that that he, he should not ever mentioned, uh, a Yankee again. I mean, he signed his life away with the Mets. Uh, and you know, it's it, there's, there's no benefit in commenting about his time with the Yankees, about Aaron judge, about hitting in front of Judge, about the difference. I mean, here's the reality of it, is that nobody pitched to Juan Soto, you know, because

Aaron Judge was behind him. He walked, how many times did he walk last year, Juan Soto? And so, you know, I mean, he walked a ton. And so I, you know, in my mind, I think the same sort of thing is that, that it's not like all of a sudden they're gonna pitch him tougher me He was in lineups previously in Washington that had nobody behind him in a lineup and had great seasons So, you know, I think that that he needs just go out there put together his quality of bats and and and go get it

I mean, I mean Aaron judge You know was able to have a great season last year with nobody hitting behind him in the lineup. I mean, if you think about it, he had the best offensive season in the history of baseball for a right-handed hitter, maybe ever, and he didn't have anybody hitting behind him in the lineup. So just go out there and do your job. So yeah, I don't know, it's a little weird,

but players all, I was surprised that Vlady talked as much as he did after the February 18th date where it kind of came and went and he kept talking about the contract when he gave a deadline, it was over, and then he kept talking about, but I'm willing to do more and everything. And the same thing with Soto, like there's no benefit to it and fine, okay, well great,

you don't have the best hitter in baseball behind. It's not like the guy behind you is chopped liver either. He's actually having a great season right now. I mean, really Pete Alonzo is having a great season and you know, I don't know. I mean, I just think Soto's got to just, you know, he sort of don't protest too much or making it more about somebody else rather

than he's just not off to a great start. I agree. And even his number, like they're not, they're not horrendous, you know, like he's not putting up awful numbers. Soto and what's interesting is the Mets are in a good spot. They're 11 and five. And that what it says to me is that team success is one thing, but he realizes with that kind of money, it's got to be individual success because it was right there for him to just say,

guys, we're 11 and five, we're winning ballgames here. Like I'll be I'll be fine we're fine it's not about Juan Soto it's about the Mets and when you sign for 765 it's about Juan Soto yeah and that's what he's that's what he's talking he's like defensive you know like it was just it was a late like if they were 5 and 11 it's totally different they're not and he just he knows New York and the Mets in particular like dude you better be a superstar every time you're up the plate and he just can't handle it and I appreciate greatly what judge said I guess he was asked about it a couple hours ago and judge said quote I'm not going to go back and forth with this he's got one of the best hitters in the

game hitting behind him in Alonzo end quote. Yet you know this market as well as anyone Steve, they're not going to stop. Like Soto didn't sign in San Francisco, you know, he didn't, he didn't leave the market. The Soto judge met Yankee thing. The media is never going to stop talking about this. No, no, it's not, but but it's he made it a comparison right

now that it didn't need to be like he created something that didn't need to be created I mean the reality is he's got a 142 OPS plus which means that he's 42% better than the average player right now right in the season he's having right now he's 42% better than the average player. Last year was a 178 OPS plus. All right, the year before, 155. The year before that, 127. The year before that went like, he's right in the range of where he's been as a player.

And I think that, I mean, here's the thing. He just made it about himself and about Alonzo and a little bit about Judge, but more about Alonzo too. Like, it's hard to call out his teammates when there's no need, you're 11 and five, like just make it about the team. Like Aaron Judge only makes it about the team ever. He never makes it about himself.

You talk to Aaron Judge, and I've interviewed him a ton of times, he only talks about the team. He talks about the guys, he talks about the process, talks about going out there doing his job, talks about the people who came before him, talks about his gratitude for the organization. For Warnsotto, let that be the lesson. Never talk about yourself. Always make it about your team. And the expectations about the contract, ignore them. Those are for other people. He needs to have expectations for his role within the team.

But again, that is the difference between Aaron Judge and Juan. So Aaron Judge is why Aaron Judge is, you know, captain of the USA, you know, he's like Mike Trout in that regard. And then, you know, they just want it to play. They don't want to make it. They don't care about people talking about their numbers or anything else.

They just want to play the game. And Soto's a bit of a different player and and you know it's more about himself than than maybe some of the other guys so uh... but he just created a bigger controversy that when there wasn't a controversy to be created well from the highest paid player baseball to the second highest paid player baseball vladdy his o p s plus is only 103. So 3% better player than league average. I mean, at what point, Steve, does that kind of become a concern?

Yeah, trade them. I mean, right now, I can... Move off it before the deal kicks in. Right. I mean, let's see if we can get out of it in some way. You know, have to do the physical again and find something that... And so, I mean you know it's it is a little concerning only in that you know he has had peaks and valleys in his career we've seen that now his valleys are not you know you know bad they're just you know he's he goes sometimes he's good sometimes he's great so it's not a complete shot plus he's been dealing with I think now he's got the contract

now there's pressure to deliver you now there's pressure to deliver. There was pressure to negotiate, pressure to deliver. And he just needs to get on the board a little bit with some numbers and start to warm up. And I think everything will be OK. But this will happen throughout the course of 14 years. It's going to happen. There's going to be years where he starts like this. There's going to be years where he starts like this,

there's going to be years he starts great. In the end, the numbers will always be from good to great. He'll end up with an OPS plus well above 103. It's just a matter of time. You got to just play it out a little bit and get away from everybody focusing on the numbers to where they can just focus on winning games and then the numbers will come. Yeah, I'm I kind of have an Aaron Judge approach to this. Like I can't mention the contract every day for 15 years. You know, if Ladi you can't do it yet leading up to this, it has been celebratory. You know, great story. He's back.

He's sticking around hometown guy. He wants to be in Toronto forever. And Miles Straw and Tyler Heineman have more home runs than him through 17 games. And he was 0 for 4 last night and terrible. And Bichette's no better. They're 9 and 8, so the glass is half full because you've survived with these guys playing

the way they're playing. But man, Vlady, you're you're seven like you're 10% into the season right Steve like 20% comes quick then 30% and obviously he's not gonna hit zero home runs but he's got to get going man like they need him to start cooking here forget the contract he's just capable of being way way better and his stats are they're staggering through 17 games yeah there's nothing great no they're not good but I mean again yeah he will he'll get hot I mean it's you know and you know if this were the middle of the

season and he went for a period of time this was his production that's one thing but when it's beginning of the year and the numbers are pretty stark you see zeros up there it's difficult but I but I mean, think about also, you know, the schedule that they are going through right now, and you know, the way that, you know, who they've lined up to play. I mean, the Orioles were obviously a playoff team a year ago, the Mets, the Red Sox are a playoff team,

in most people's mind, maybe the best team in the AL East this year. The Orioles, the Braves, Ives, so the schedule has not been great. They have faced some good pitching. Latty's supposed to be the one that hits the good pitching, but the good news is they're getting through this part of the schedule, which is a gauntlet. There's no doubt. The early part of this season for them is a really tough schedule.

They're holding their head above water with it and now they just need Vlad to get going and when he does and the schedule lights up, then they're going to start to go out like gangbusters and go on a good run. So I think that they've got a hot streak coming and so does Vlad personally. Yeah and that is very valid. Like the sked, it's tough man. Like it is tough and it doesn't really get easier because now you got the Braves who were wounded and they're due to bounce back Like they did last night, you know and at least though. Yeah, that's what you're playing the ALE. Yeah, exactly There's no escaping it man. We know the numbers you got to hit you got to win a certain amount of games and it's still early It's middle of April

Alright, Steve great catching up with you. We'll do it again soon Hey, you get my pleasure guys, have a great afternoon. You got it, there's Steve hop, and when it comes to country, it's the true north all the way. Loud and proud. An all new digital radio station from coast to coast. Made in Canada, played in Canada. On the free iHeartRadio app and at iHeartRadio.ca. It's gonna get loud.