Geo no longer needs to use words to communicate.

[Brian]

Catcher Geovany Soto has a secret for calming down his pitchers.

 

Silence.

 

Soto visited Carlos Zambrano on the mound early in Sunday's game for a pep talk, or at least that's what it looked like.

 

"He didn't say anything," Zambrano said. "He just went up there. That was kind of funny. He was moving his chin, looking like he was talking. But he wasn't saying anything."

 

The technique, which is becoming a Soto routine, works. Zambrano went on to throw five innings, giving up just one earned run and retired his final 12 batters.

 

"I just went up there and stared at him and made it look like I was talking, but I really wasn't saying anything," Soto said. "I was shaking my head, moving my hands. I was looking at him, just sort of relaxing him. He'll probably say, 'What's he doing?' I really didn't have anything to say. I was just giving him a breather, calming him down, being a little sarcastic."

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080803&content_id=3247590&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[imb]

What a god

[erik316wttn]

Is there anything he can't do?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

that's good stuff

[Andy]

I originally read that as "God no longer needs to use words to communicate"

 

Same thing, really.

[Sammy Sofa]

Soto is from a future evolutionary point where humans communicate through thought, and he's trying to force the Cubs to evolve.

[BCVM22]

Soto is from a future evolutionary point where humans communicate through thought, and he's trying to force the Cubs to evolve.

 

Give him a plasma rifle, tattoo a "G" over his eye and I'd read that comic.

[Careless]

if the starting rotation dies of koolaid poisoning, I'm blaming Soto

[CubsWin]

Catcher Geovany Soto has a secret for calming down his pitchers.

 

Silence.

 

Soto visited Carlos Zambrano on the mound early in Sunday's game for a pep talk, or at least that's what it looked like.

 

"He didn't say anything," Zambrano said. "He just went up there. That was kind of funny. He was moving his chin, looking like he was talking. But he wasn't saying anything."

 

The technique, which is becoming a Soto routine, works. Zambrano went on to throw five innings, giving up just one earned run and retired his final 12 batters.

 

"I just went up there and stared at him and made it look like I was talking, but I really wasn't saying anything," Soto said. "I was shaking my head, moving my hands. I was looking at him, just sort of relaxing him. He'll probably say, 'What's he doing?' I really didn't have anything to say. I was just giving him a breather, calming him down, being a little sarcastic."

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080803&content_id=3247590&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

I'm so glad you posted this story. I caught it on cubs.com before coming over here. It's one of the best I've read this year. How awesome is that?! That's some next level stuff right there. I mean, it's original and definitely lightens the mood/breaks the tension, but the fact that it also seemed to work, to help Z is outstanding.

[Banedon]

So what kind of crazy stuff does Soto say on the mound?

 

"I'll just be like, 'Somebody said I [stink]. What do you think?' " Soto said. "Just random stuff where [the pitcher] is like, 'What are you talking about? We've got three men on in the first.'

 

"It's just to lighten the mood up and take him out of the game for a split-second. Then he can concentrate and refocus and come again full bore."

[Wheelimus]

What a breath of fresh air Soto has been. With the way he handles the pitchers, you'd take anything he gave you with the bat as gravy. And an .850 OPS is a whole lot of freaking gravy.

 

I kind of hope the Cubs think long term with Soto early. Lock him up for a while at the point he'll sign for the least.

[Sorianos hop]

He's my idol.

[daske17]

I wonder if they discuss what to get players for their wedding. Candlesticks are always a good choice. :D

[javy knows my name]

I wonder if they discuss what to get players for their wedding. Candlesticks are always a good choice. :D

We're dealing with some serious isht here

[Bull]

So his plan is to break their focus for a split second and sort press a restart button? Nice theory. Kinda crazy.

[jersey cubs fan]

It looked to me like Zambrano was on the verge of arguing with the ump, and as animated as Geo looked during that discussion, I thought maybe the ump told him to go out there and shut Zambrano up before he gets in trouble. You could tell by Z's reaction that whatever Soto said (or in this case, didn't say) got through and nearly made him laugh.

[Vanilla Ice]

Has anybody else noticed the ritual Geo does before every inning that he catches?

[jersey cubs fan]

Has anybody else noticed the ritual Geo does before every inning that he catches?

 

I know the clubhouse attendants sacrifice a virgin at his locker before every game, but I didn't think it was every inning.

[RedFlash]

So esssentially, Soto gives Z---6'5 250lb hoss of a man---the stink eye and it got Z to calm down? Am I correct?

 

If Z backs down to the "Power of Soto" then there shouldn't be a pitcher who will disagree with him, or face the "Stink eye."

 

 

I'm calling it now, with all due respect to Jurgens of Atlanta, Soto will be ROY, or he'll give the voters the stink eye.

[Brett]

His eyes also shoot laser beams. I'm glad he's able to differentiate between those powers.

[Soul]

Muadib no longer needs the werding module.

[DubCub]

What a breath of fresh air Soto has been. With the way he handles the pitchers, you'd take anything he gave you with the bat as gravy. And an .850 OPS is a whole lot of freaking gravy.

 

I kind of hope the Cubs think long term with Soto early. Lock him up for a while at the point he'll sign for the least.

I totally agree. Very little gets by Geo. Hopefully they realise this in the front office long before contract renewal time.

[Warpticon]

Soto is from a future evolutionary point where humans communicate through thought, and he's trying to force the Cubs to evolve.

 

Give him a plasma rifle, tattoo a "G" over his eye and I'd read that comic.

 

As long as he can activate that rifle three times while in the air.

[Wheelimus]

Geovany Soto will be replacing Arnold in the next Terminator film.

 

Or at least he should...

[Tracer Bullet]

Has anybody else noticed the ritual Geo does before every inning that he catches?

 

I know the clubhouse attendants sacrifice a virgin at his locker before every game, but I didn't think it was every inning.

 

"sacrifice" a virgin? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?