As most Cubs fans know, the Cubs Convention is going on this weekend in Chicago(imagine that!). Well, Geovany Soto attended the convention today, but it's unlikely anybody recognized him immediately:

Wow. Maybe we should just start calling him GQ Soto. To go with a hairdo that likely took two hours to put together, the Cubs catcher has lost a whopping 40 pounds this offseason:

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."

Cubs Get A Slimmer, Trimmer Soto In 2010- Chicago Breaking Sports

As that excerpt mentions, Soto's weight was what many blamed for his miserable 2009 season after winning the National League Rookie of the Year, being an National League All-Star, and even getting MVP votes in 2008.

Personally, I think it was more than just his weight. Teams began pitching him away more, and he still tried to pull most everything. If you do that, you're going to either swing and miss or pull groundballs weakly. That's why he grounded into 19 double plays in 331 at bats in 2009, compared to just 11 in 494 at bats in 2008.

Still, getting in great shape certainly can't be a bad thing, and you have to love how committed he seems to turning things around. Let's hope he does, because the Cubs absolutely need him to be more like his 2008 self if they wish to be a serious contender in the National League this year.


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