So, I’ve been meaning to really sit down and process one of those classic John Sterling calls, specifically for Juan Soto. You know how some announcers just have those lines that stick with you forever? Sterling is definitely one of those guys. His calls aren’t just descriptions; they’re like, little bursts of theater.
I finally got around to it the other day. Wasn’t a live game, mind you. I actually went looking for a good Soto home run clip specifically to hear Sterling’s call. I’d heard bits and pieces, people talking about it, but I wanted to experience it, you know? Like, let it wash over me. I played it a few times, really listened.
And man, it’s something. “IT IS HIGH! IT IS FAR! IT IS GONE! SOTO-MATIC! JUAN SOTO! HE IS SO GOOD!” That’s the one. Simple, classic Sterling build-up, and then that “Soto-matic” kicker. It just works.
Why did I bother doing this? Well, it’s funny how these things can hit you, especially when other stuff isn’t going so great. Let me tell you about the day I really appreciated that call. It wasn’t the first time I heard it, but it was the time it stuck.
I was having one of those absolutely garbage days. You know the type. I was supposed to be putting together this new shelving unit for the garage. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. The instructions looked like they were written by someone who’d only ever seen a shelf in a dream. Parts didn’t quite line up, screws were threatening to strip, and I swear one of the pieces was warped. I’d been at it for a couple of hours, getting more and more frustrated. My back was starting to ache, I’d whacked my thumb with the rubber mallet – which, by the way, why do they even give you those tiny things? – and I was generally feeling like a complete failure at basic assembly.
I was so close to just kicking the whole pile of particleboard and metal back into the box and calling it a day. My wife was out, the kids were quiet for once, probably sensing my dark aura, and I just felt so unproductive and annoyed. Like, this simple task was defeating me. It sounds silly, but it really grinds your gears when you can’t even put together a shelf you bought to make your life more organized.
Finally, I threw down the Allen wrench in disgust and stormed inside to grab a drink. I figured I’d put on the Yankees game replay, just to have some noise in the background while I sulked and tried to decide if I had the energy to even attempt making dinner. I wasn’t even really watching, just letting the sounds of the game fill the room.
Then, out of nowhere, I hear the crack of the bat through the TV speakers. My head kind of snapped up. And then Sterling’s voice just cut through all my frustration: “IT IS HIGH! IT IS FAR! IT IS GONE!” I actually paused. And then came the punchline: “SOTO-MATIC! JUAN SOTO! HE IS SO GOOD!”
And for some reason, in that moment, with the garage disaster still fresh in my mind, that call, that home run, it just made me laugh. It was so confident, so declarative. “HE IS SO GOOD!” Yeah, he is. And for a minute, my stupid shelf didn’t seem so important. It was just a silly home run call, but it was like a little pinprick of light in a really grumpy afternoon. It didn’t fix my shelf, but it definitely improved my mood. Sometimes, it’s those unexpected little things, right? That’s my record of really appreciating that call, anyway. It’s more than just words; it’s the whole moment. And I guess that’s the practice – finding those moments.
