Scott Boras' attempt to hype up NY Mets CF Luis Robert Jr. sound like excuses instead

Swab every microphone in the known universe and you’re going to find some Scott Boras DNA on it. The man never met a word he didn’t want to say. He didn’t have a huge offseason taking money from the New York Mets, but several of his clients did wind up in Flushing including Luis Robert Jr. via trade.

Boras appeared on the Foul Territory Podcast and had a chance to talk about the new Mets center fielder and why playing alongside someone like Juan Soto will help him. On behalf of Boras, apologies for taking so long to get to the point. Hopefully he stretched before patting himself on the back for so long.

Boras meant well, as he typically does with everything he tries to accomplish in the baseball world. Ruthless negotiations are a part of what makes him the most well-known agent in the sport. In a universe where money isn’t the root of all evil, he’s winning Nobel Peace Prizes. His pitch of why the Mets can expect a better version of Robert is well-meaning, but the counterargument seems to be so blatantly obvious.

This isn’t as inspiring about Luis Robert Jr. as Scott Boras intended

There’s nothing wrong with Soto taking Robert under his wing. In fact, it’s precisely what Mets fans should want to see from both sides. Soto isn’t a known leader and to show any of those qualities is a good thing. Robert benefitting from the professionalism Soto shows up to the ballpark with is an added win, too. Boras’ long-winded assessment of the situation while promoting the Boras Sports Performance Camps doesn’t sound like anything proprietary. Nevertheless, Soto’s influence on Robert as a hitter sure can help as long as the information doesn’t go in one ear and out the other.

Boras may be correct in some aspects, but even if he is, the line about relying on the presence of a superstar and having a chance to win every day is the terrifying fear with Robert. He shouldn’t need a superstar on his roster to get the most out of him. He should be giving his best effort even in a sluggish season where he doesn’t have a chance to win every day.

Robert’s last two seasons have been disappointments with multiple injuries along the way. It almost sounds as if the lack of winning with the Chicago White Sox had Robert unmotivated. Perhaps he was even fighting through the pain less regularly because the chances of winning weren’t as great. It’s an assumption others have made about Robert.

What’s odd is he had a huge year in 2023 with 38 home runs on a ball club that lost 101 games. He performed well in August after the team already began to sell parts before a September malaise which, for the sake of the Mets, hopefully wasn’t about the inability for the White Sox to make the postseason.

Is Robert one of those guys who performs best when the pressure is on?

Ironically enough, last March was when Francisco Lindor called out Luisangel Acuna for being a player who played “bored.” It doesn’t sound so dissimilar to what Boras has said about Robert. The fact that they were traded for one another is amazing if this is indeed an issue.

When the going gets tough, you want an athlete who can help your team dig out. Boras might’ve intended to hype up his guy, but he made too many excuses instead.

The real losers from this conversation are the White Sox. It took an offseason camp of Boras clients to get the best out of Robert? What about their coaching? 

Only one person comes away looking spectacularly brilliant in this interview if you believe all of the words, Boras.