Steve Cohen's latest Juan Soto quote is just as awkward as anything Hal Steinbrenner said

If you had a problem with Hal Steinbrenner's supposed lack of confidence about the Yankees' pursuit of Juan Soto last week at the owners' meetings, you'd better be just as loud this week about Mets head honcho Steve Cohen's cryptic comment.

Neither party, of course, said much of anything at all. Both could be keeping their cards close to the vest. Both could also be holding in pee and rage as they attempt not to soil themselves in front of the microphone. But if you made an assumption about the intent of one nothing quote and stayed silent on the other, let us hear you this week!

Steinbrenner, of course, emboldened the Mets' fan base by stating, “We had a good meeting. It was very honest," then responding to inquiries about his confidence in bringing Soto back by saying, “No idea. We’ll be in the mix.” Did that mean his meeting discouraged him? Did it mean anything? You could read it however you wanted to, and Cohen acolytes ignored the part where Steinbrenner said he knew "what was expected of him" and smelled blood in the water. If Cohen said anything like that, they claimed, they'd be FREAKING out.

Anyway ... for no reason whatsoever, here's Cohen's comments on the Soto chase from Monday. He went absolutely SCORCHED EARTH, all but GUARANTEEING ... oh, wait, what?

Steve Cohen reveals nothing in latest quote about Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox Juan Soto rumors

"Time will tell"? What is this, Kamala Harris getting existential? Talk to us, Uncle Steve! Blink twice if you're getting Soto.

Either way, it's time to get down to brass tacks, with initial Soto offers reportedly being made this week by interested parties. In addition to the Mets and Yankees, that group likely includes the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers.

The expectation across the game remains that Cohen will go extremely far in order to lure Soto into the machine that he and David Stearns are currently building, while Steinbrenner will probably have to get uncomfortable in order to halt a crosstown switch. The Sox, a team Soto admired in 2004 (the gift that keeps on giving!), cannot be ruled out, either.

But if you're trying to read the tea leaves, just know that nobody in charge is giving you anything, and Mets fans should be required to keep the same energy for their fearless leader's wishy-washy quote mess here.