Birth of a Meme: #MLBHugs

Early reporting on the Geovany Soto and Reed Johnson deals came from eyewitness reports of… hugging. The players hugged each other as they said their goodbyes, and a meme was born:

Now, Geo Soto getting hugs from teammates. #Cubs

— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) July 31, 2012

perv RT @kevin_goldstein: Weird that I’m flipping to the Cubs game just to watch people hug.

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) July 31, 2012

you get a hug and you get a hug RT @adammccalvy: Maybe the Cubs are just feeling affectionate tonight. #HugsAllAround

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) July 31, 2012

Someone hug the shit out of Theriot. Just go up and hug him until he gets uncomfortable and leaves.

— Grant Brisbee (@mccoveychron) July 31, 2012

Hugging is different in my eyes now. Life has changed.

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) July 31, 2012

Travis Snider has apparently been traded, according to hugs, confirmed visually by numerous sources. More as it develops.

— MLB Daily Dish (@mlbdailydish) July 31, 2012

Glad the Royals aren’t getting any hugs. RT @jdsussman: Mets need more hugs

— Justin Bopp (@justinbopp) July 31, 2012

We’re this close to a new account called @mlbhugrumors, aren’t we?

— Amanda Rykoff (@amandarykoff) July 31, 2012

RT @larsthewanderer: So what are the rules? A hug means you are traded. Does a grope mean DFA?

— Wendy Thurm (@hangingsliders) July 31, 2012

I haven’t seen this many hugs since a high school party where the parents weren’t home and the girls started drinking peppermint schnapps.

— Kevin Goldstein (@Kevin_Goldstein) July 31, 2012

Homers, not hugs, for Scott Hairston. #stillamet

— Matthew Leach (@MatthewHLeach) July 31, 2012

And there it is. New follower @mlb_hugrumors.

— Wendy Thurm (@hangingsliders) July 31, 2012

HUG ALERT IN SEATTLE.

— Amanda Rykoff (@amandarykoff) July 31, 2012

Thanks to everyone here and sorry if I missed your tweet, this spread like wildfire and twitter wouldn’t let me got back for enough to get em all.