MESA, Ariz. (AP) -Here’s what Geovany Soto accomplished in his first full major league season: He became the first National League rookie catcher to start the All-Star game; he caught Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter and he won NL rookie of the year.
All so quickly after spending most of his first seven seasons of professional baseball in the minors.
“That’s what you live for. You live for the opportunity and when that day comes, you better be ready,” Soto said. “I tried to make sure that whenever they gave me a chance, I was ready and I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity.”
After brief appearances with Chicago in 2005 and 2006, Soto was called up at the end of the 2007 season – one that saw him win the Pacific Coast League MVP award – and appeared in the playoffs for the Cubs.
He showed the ability, in that short time, that would make him the starting catcher. And last season he responded, batting .285 with 23 homers and 86 RBIs, numbers that don’t reflect how well he guided Chicago’s pitching staff.
es things in this game as a catcher that not a lot of guys can do and that’s catch and hit and do it very well from both ends,” Cubs starter Ryan Dempster said.
“He learned so much during last year and I’m sure it’s been a whirlwind for him, from All-Star games, to the playoffs to rookie of the year.”
Soto, who is 26, acknowledged that it took some time for all his success to sink in after winning rookie of the year.
“It was pretty special. It was like I was in shock for a little bit,” he said. “I was like, `I’m rookie of the year in the big leagues.”’
At the end of last season, Soto was hampered by a sore left hand and – like his team – struggled in a playoff sweep by the Dodgers, when he batted just .182. The hand is fine, now.
“I’m not going to look for any excuses. We just went bad, we didn’t really do a good job,” Soto said.
“It’s at a different stage and now you want to move on and have a great year and help your team. Have a great year and help your teammates out and be in the playoffs again and see what happens.”
Soto’s spring could be interrupted by another calling. He’s expected to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Dempster said that shouldn’t be a big deal with Soto out of camp for an extended period of time.
on, said. “The guys are all comfortable throwing to him and enough on the side where he knows your game plan. He’ll be seeing a lot of game action early and will be plenty ready to go once the season starts.”
Notes: Manager Lou Piniella dropped a bit of a surprise Monday when he said he would experiment this spring moving Alfonso Soriano out of the leadoff spot and into the middle of the Cubs’ batting order.
“If I were to put a lineup out tomorrow to open up the season, he would be leading off,” Piniella said. “But we’ll take a look at him in a couple of the different spots and just see. As long as he is willing to go along with it and as long as he’s comfortable with it, I don’t see any problem with it.” Although Soriano has always preferred to lead off, he told Piniella at the team’s winter convention last month, he’d be willing to try another spot in the order. The Cubs already have Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Milton Bradley in the heart of their order at 3-4-5.
Piniella said with such a long spring that includes 39 exhibition games, it would be worth a look, especially since Soriano doesn’t run as much as he once did. He has 38 stolen bases and 62 homers combined in those two years, despite trips to the disabled list in both seasons.
round with that a little bit this spring.” Among other potential leadoff hitters are Aaron Miles, Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot and perhaps Kosuke Fukudome. … The Cubs will have their first full squad workout Tuesday. Lee, Ted Lilly and Carlos Marmol could also participate in the WBC.
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