Forgotten Pitchers of the 1980s, pt. 2

The Angry Man: Mario Soto

Of all the star pitchers of the 1980s, perhaps none has fallen as deeply into obscurity as Mario Soto. Upon his arrival in the majors in 1977, no less an authority than Sparky Anderson pronounced that he could be the next Juan Marichal. The comparison seemed apt, as Marichal had been the last pitcher from the Dominican Republic to have real success at the highest level, and indeed, Soto and countryman Joaquin Andujar headlined a second wave of Dominicans in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was one of the dominant pitchers of the first half of the 1980s despite playing for a series of bad Cincinnati teams. From 1980-84, Soto struck out more batters than any pitcher besides Steve Carlton, relying mostly on a 95+ mph fastball and a devastating changeup. About the latter, Sports Illustrated claimed that “some batters say they can hear the screech of brakes as the ball approaches the plate.” Unfortunately, he often fed into the stereotype of a hot-headed Latino, earning himself several suspensions and a reputation as “the crazy Dominican.” Soto’s career ended prematurely due to arm troubles, yet the body of work which he was able to produce is extremely impressive, and deserving of closer inspection.

Mario Soto was born July 12, 1956 in Bani, Dominican Republic. He was the first big league player ever to hail from the small town which since has produced players such as Miguel Tejada, Juan Uribe, Julio Lugo and Willy & Erick Aybar. As an amateur on the island, Soto started off behind the plate but was taught to pitch in 1973 by Dominican star Juan Melo. Reds scout Johnny Sierra noticed him that same year, and Cincinnati signed him for just $1,000. Recalled Reds Latin American scout George Zuraw, “it was a total projection. He didn’t throw very hard, but some pitchers, with a certain type of rhythm, get faster.”

After stops in the Florida State League and the American Association, Soto got his first taste of the big leagues in 1977, but was hit hard and returned to AAA Indianapolis. He spent the next two seasons bouncing among the minors, the majors and the disabled list. Those years, however, proved to be crucial in his development. It was in 1978 while pitching in relief that he was first able to harness the circle changeup which became his signature pitch. The defining moment came in Atlanta on September 22. Soto had come on in relief of Paul Moskau, but in the bottom of the 6 ^th , with the Reds up by one run, he loaded the bases, bringing Dale Murphy to the plate. He recalled the sequence with (mostly) great accuracy in a Sports Illustrated article five years later: “Johnny Bench was catching. He kept calling for fastballs and sliders and I kept shaking him off. When he finally called for the changeup, I struck out Murphy on a perfect pitch. I kept working on it in winter ball.”

He missed much of the 1979 season with a back injury, but finally established himself the following season, posting a 1.11 WHIP with 182 strikeouts in 190 innings, both starting and in relief. Reds pitching coach Dick Fischer predicted that “once Mario Soto settles down, gains confidence, he should be one of the best pitchers in the league with the stuff he’s got.”

Over the next four seasons, Soto fully validated Fischer’s belief. A look at his numbers from 1981-84 next to those of his contemporaries shows the level at which he was playing:

Despite his stellar numbers, Soto averaged just 14 wins a season over this span, peaking with 18 in 1984. The Reds’ aging offense was anemic, and the rest of the starting rotation provided little help outside of right-hander Bruce Berenyi. The team finished under .500 each year from 1982-84, going through four different managers in the process. The Dominican was indeed one of the few bright spots in Cincinnati for the first half of the decade; his performance on the mound, however, often came to be overshadowed by his fiery temperament.

Always a fierce competitor, Soto gained notoriety through two incidents in 1984. The first came in Chicago on May 27. Cubs’ third baseman hit a line drive down the third base line that was incorrectly ruled a fair ball by umpire Steve Rippley. The call was eventually overturned, but not before Soto had allegedly bumped Rippley in debating the point. Soto retreated to the Reds dugout during the subsequent Chicago protest, but came charging out towards Rippley after learning that he had been ejected, inciting an ugly brawl. Reds manager Vern Rapp bemoaned after the game that “I tried to chase him, but I’m not as fast as I used to be.” As he was escorted back off the field, Soto was hit in the chest with a cup full of ice, and had to be restrained from charging into the stands with a bat. The pitcher was handed a 5-game suspension as a result of the rhubarb.

After missing his turn in the rotation, Soto came back and lost two discouraging starts in a row. In 16 innings he allowed just 4 runs on 8 hits, yet the punchless Reds lost both games 3-2. His next start was in Atlanta on June 16, and he began strong again, giving up 3 hits through his first 4 innings. One of those hits, however, was a 1 ^st inning home run by Claudell Washington, who had had a great deal of success against Soto that season. Soto struck Washington out in the 3 ^rd , but only after sending him sprawling with a pitch well inside. In their next meeting, leading off the 5 ^th inning, Washington took a detour towards the mound between pitches after losing the grip on his bat. The two exchanged words and another brawl ensued shortly. This time, Soto hurled the ball into the fracas, striking a Braves’ coach and earning himself a second 5-game suspension.

In 1985, Soto topped 200 innings pitched for the 4 ^th time and 200 strikeouts for the 3 ^rd , but yet won just 12 games for the surprising Reds. His teammates provided him with just 3.63 runs per game that year, compared to 4.22 for the team as a whole. The following year, his age 29 season, was to prove a major disappointment. He lost 5 straight starts in April and May, and then went on the disabled list in June with pain in his shoulder. He came back briefly, but was sidelined again before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on August 23.

Soto started 6 games in 1987 before going back on the shelf with his career in serious jeopardy. In 1988 he was the surprise of training camp, being named the opening day starter for the 7 ^th time. He got out of the gate fast, pitching a 4-hit shutout on April 11; a long losing streak, however, made him expendable, and he was released on June 19. “I leave in good spirits, with no enemies,” Soto said. “I spent some good times with the Cincinnati Reds.”

What can be said about Mario Soto’s place in the baseball canon? He has a career line of 100-92, and is second in Reds history with 1,449 strikeouts. During the mid-1980s, he was identified as the single best pitcher in baseball by men such as Dave Parker and Whitey Herzog, not to mention his erstwhile enemy Claudell Washington. From 1981-85, his peak seasons, he had the most strikeouts and lowest WHIP in the major leagues, and was second in complete games after Jack Morris. Together with the Cardinals’ Joaquin Andujar, he helped pave the way for a generation of successful Hispanic pitchers, despite providing unfortunate fodder for writers eager to label him as a hot-tempered Latino. The abrupt ending to his career, has perhaps contributed to the lack of consideration he receives in debates about the best pitchers of the 1980s. Another factor is his low win total, a result of playing for poor teams (and in a small market at that). In terms of career peaks, however, it cannot be denied that for several years, Mario Soto shined as brightly as any pitcher of the decade.