Thongs, Taco Bell and the neuroscience of baseball’s weirdest rituals

This story is part of Peak, The Athletic’s desk covering the mental side of sports. Sign up for Peak’s newsletter here.Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist who studies nonverbal communication. She was a professor at Harvard Business School and is a best-selling author.José Valverde was a man of ritual. Before trotting out to the mound, the former Detroit Tigers closer would fill his mouth with water in the bullpen, then spit it out in perfect symmetry — left, right, no shortcuts. He’d slap his glove against his thigh, swap his cap to his throwing hand and start his run.Advertisement