Juan Soto

And high school and college athletes more tumors.  Plus old players can die sooner and we'll have more retrospectives about how awesome they were. 

A win all around?

Wasn’t the meeting today?

So, we need a sarcasm font…

ChatGPT also suggested Nick Yorke and Alex Verdugo as part of a Red Sox trade package for Garrett Crochet, so do with that what you will.

Incorrect. 

You don’t know anything Stats!**

** except for the things you say that validate my priors or are beneficial to the Sox

I asked ChatGPT about the tax implications of these 4 clubs and thought the response interesting enough to share:

“For a hypothetical 15-year, $600 million contract for Juan Soto, his after-tax income would vary significantly depending on which team he plays for, primarily due to differing state (or provincial) tax rates, city taxes, and the impact of the “jock tax” (which requires athletes to pay income tax in states or provinces where they play away games).

1. New York Yankees and New York Mets: Both teams fall under New York’s top state income tax rate, which is about 10.9% for high-income earners. New York City also imposes an additional local tax of around 3.9% on residents, making New York one of the highest-taxing areas for athletes. The combined state and city taxes, along with the U.S. federal tax rate of up to 37%, would result in a significant reduction in Soto’s after-tax income if he were to play for either of these New York-based teams. The “jock tax” would still apply for away games in other states, but most of the income would be taxed at New York rates.

2. Boston Red Sox: Massachusetts has a slightly lower state income tax rate of 5% compared to New York, but it remains high overall. With the federal tax rate included, Soto would still pay a substantial amount in taxes if he joined the Red Sox. Boston doesn’t have an additional city tax on income like New York City, making the total tax burden lower than in New York but still significant.

3. Toronto Blue Jays: Playing in Canada presents unique tax considerations. Ontario’s top tax rate for high-income earners reaches 49.53% (combined federal and provincial rates). However, as a U.S. resident, Soto would be taxed in Canada only on earnings from “home games” played in Canada (about 45% of the season). He would still owe U.S. taxes on his global income but could claim credits for taxes paid in Canada, effectively meaning he would pay the higher of the two tax rates for income earned on Canadian soil. This scenario would likely lead to a complex tax situation but ultimately a comparable or slightly lower tax burden than in New York  .

In summary, based on tax rates alone, Soto would retain more of his earnings in Massachusetts or Canada than in New York due to New York’s additional city tax and higher combined rates. However, Canada’s unique tax situation for athletes would add complexity, potentially making Toronto a less favorable choice despite some financial advantages.”