Geovany Soto showed up at the Cubs Convention fitter than he's been at any time in his career.
After a sophomore slump that many blamed on his weight, Soto lost 40 pounds, spiked up his hair and looked like a totally different person on Friday.
"It's weird, I feel like a 12-year-old," he said. "I have a lot of energy. I'm kind of wired all day. I've got a little one now, and it's helped me at home. I give mama some rest. I'm active the whole day. I used to be a little sluggish -- like 'I want to take a nap.' Now I feel great and I just want to put myself in the best position to help the club.
"If I'm agile back there, that will give me the best opportunity to not get hurt. I just want to be there for my teammates."
So how did Soto lose all that weight?
"Just ate a lot of fish and chicken breasts," he said.
Soto was listed at 230 pounds last year, but was at least 10 pounds heavier. He slumped badly after his Rookie of the Year season, hitting .218 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI. He knows that all eyes are on him in 2010, since the Cubs didn't make many major moves, counting on comebacks from him and Alfonso Soriano to revive the lineup.
"The weight is really not going to be an issue," he said. "I could be 210 pounds now and 205 in two days."
The Cubs are ecstatic that Soto proved he's committed to being as good as he could be, putting his career goals ahead of other leisurely pursuits. The 2009 season was embarrassing for Soto, and he'd like to put it all behind him now.
"Everybody has good years, everybody can have a bad year," he said. "It's over with. It's done. Whatever is done is done. We have a new year here, and let's move forward."
Photo: Geovany Soto. (Phil Velasquez / Tribune)
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Tom weighs 280 pounds. His wife won't even look at him anymore, so he's stuck hiding behind his desktop proclaiming how fat other people are.
do you know how tall Lee is, you retard?
Soto got minor league player of the year in '07 cause he dedicated his offseason after '06 to working out and being in shape, after he did that he tore it up in AAA, was called up and got to start a play-off game. So I have no worries about a loss of power from his off-season regime.
It gets better....... this are some of the guys on the ACTIVE CUBS ROSTER!!! Derrick Lee 245lbs; Byrd 245lbs; Big (Fat) Z 255lbs; Justin Berg 230lbs; Carlos Silva 250lbs; Randy Wells 230lbs. Don't call them the Cubs, we shall call them the CHUBS!!!!
Now that Soto has dropped 40lbs, the Cubs are a lock to win the Central Division title! Oh wait.... that's right, they haven't done squat this off season. Sure, they added a chubby player and are going to pay him big bucks, but it appears the Cubs like these chubby guys. Soto, Big (Fat) Z and now Byrd in the outfield... who is listed at 6' and 245lbs on the Cubs website! I am sure he will cover a lot of ground out there in left field. Can you imagine when all three are in the line up, the Cubs may have the heaviest line up in baseball!
GO CARDINALS!!!!
I'm sure he was around 245 pounds last year, so this puts him at around 205 pounds. I just hope he still has power. Seems small.