Keith Hernandez Calls Nationals' Star Juan Soto "Not a Home Run Hitter" Right Before Soto Hits One Very Far
Keith Hernandez won a Most Valuable Player award for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979 and was a big part of the New York Mets’ 1986 World Series champions. He was also on “Seinfeld” that time. He’s Keith Hernandez.
Now he’s the Mets’ color man on their television broadcasts and, well, let’s just say his analysis isn’t always as smooth as his fielding at first base used to be. Tonight at Citi Field, Washington Nationals’ stud outfielder Juan Soto came up in the top of the second inning and Hernandez wasted no time in minimizing Soto as a home run threat. “Too big a swing. He is not a home run hitter, even though he had a nice power year last year.”
Here’s what Soto did with that at-bat:
Juan Soto is 20 years old.
Juan Soto has played 154 @MLB games.
Here's the Mets broadcast saying Juan Soto isn't a HR hitter.
Here's Juan Soto immediately hitting his 29th career HR ONTO THE CONCOURSE OF THE UPPER DECK. pic.twitter.com/BCL37k4X4A
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 22, 2019
That was Soto’s 7th home run this season. “I have not seen one, I believe, go up in the plaza up above, ” a chastened Hernandez meekly offered. Yeah…that’s because the Mets only have two guys who have hit that many bombs so far this season, and one of them, Michael Conforto, is on the injured list with a concussion after his second baseman knocked him out cold with a shoulder to the jaw:
https://twitter.com/MattJ_Sports/status/1129100417290215424
This has been quite a week for the Metropolitans, who reported yesterday that Yoenis Cespedes — currently on a four-year, $110 million contract — suffered multiple fractures in his right ankle (while supposedly rehabilitating) on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, FL. Over the weekend, the Mets were swept by the Miami Marlins. That put manager Mickey Callaway’s job in grave danger. It’s not really happening for the Mets right now.
Which is why Keith Hernandez, who hit all of 162 home runs at a power position in 17 seasons, might want to go easy with denigrating opposing players’ power strokes. Although to be fair, based on his career, maybe there isn’t anyone more qualified to say who isn’t a home run hitter than Keith Hernandez.