The hop, a simple 360 foot run around the bases to reach home plate, and the kisses begin. Since Sammy Sosa’s return from the Disabled List, however, that story has been far from different. Sosa is 4 for 24 in the last six games, coming off the DL, and the added controversy with the cork bat Tuesday night doesn’t necessarily help his case.
Prior to Tuesday night, and while Sosa was on the DL, many Cubs fans rejoiced claiming the Cubs are better off without Sammy Sosa, which left me scratching my head. Just how exactly are the Cubs better off without Sammy Sosa? The last five years, Sosa his hit forty-five plus homeruns, with hitting at least fifty homeruns in four of those five years. While homeruns doesn’t guarantee wins, his homeruns contribute something the Cubs need desperately. Runs!!! Sammy Sosa can’t score runs by himself, but his contributions at the plate are effective with his RBI’s. Since 1995, Sosa has had 100 plus RBI’s each year, with 158 in 1998 and topping that with 160 in 2001. Sosa may not be a great defensive player, but his offense has provided the Cubs with plenty of much needed help.
The lack of sense Cubs fans think that the team is better off without Sosa is ridiculous! The only way the Cubs would be better off without Sammy Sosa is if he is traded in return for another young outstanding power hitter, or two above average hitters.
At this moment, there are probably more Cub fans willing to support Sammy in this time when he faces suspension. The Commissioner’s office of Major League Baseball are expected to make a ruling either this Friday or Saturday. Perfect timing, because the league knows Sosa will appeal, thus allowing him to play against the Yankees this weekend.
There is no doubt in my mind, MLB is ready to suspend Sammy, but you better believe the league wants Sammy to play against the Yankees this weekend. This weekend’s Chicago Cubs meeting with the New York Yankees will be the first time the two teams have played each other since the 1938 World Series. This historic meeting has gained the attention of not only the fans of Chicago and New York, but also across the country. The game of baseball will only be hurting themselves if Sosa does not play in the series. When it comes to the almighty dollar, that influence will rule out all other judgement.
My take on Sosa is this. All seventy-six of his bats confiscated by Major League Baseball are reported clean. His five bats now displayed at the Hall of Fame are reported clean. So it was just the one bat he had that had the cork in it huh? Sosa claims he had it to use during batting practice, so he can put on a show for the fans. I could buy that statement, however, from my experience at Wrigely Field, and listening to callers on sports talk radio, by the time Wrigely Field allows the fans inside the ballpark, Sosa has already finished his batting practice.
If Sosa uses a corked bat during batting practice, how come he has only one? Sosa never answered just how long he has used a corked bat during batting practice. If this is something that Sosa has been doing for a while now, surely he would have more than one corked bat wouldn’t he? Isn’t it just too coincidental that he uses accidentally uses a corked bat, and it happens to break? Plus, the bat Sosa used on Tuesday night had a C on the top of it. Did the C stand for Cubs? None of Sosa’s other bats have C’s on them, at least that I have seen used on television.
I want to believe Sosa, I want to believe his explanation. Yet, everything that has gone down the last forty-eight hours, there is simply more than meets the eye. I am not suggesting that Sosa has used a corked bat during 1998 when he hit sixty-six homeruns, or any other year while hitting fifty homeruns, or last year when hitting forty-nine homeruns.
But I can picture a Sammy Sosa, struggling big time, not only since returning from the DL, but since he got beamed in the head on Easter Sunday. I can picture a Sammy Sosa, in hopes of getting back on track, trying a corked bat a few times, hoping the added advantages may boost his confidence. Yet a corked bat may make very little difference, allowing the ball to fly a few more feet, and making the bat a little lighter. Why take such a huge risk, for something that may not make such a big difference? Either way, whether Sosa is telling the complete truth, he will face the consequences. As a Cubs fan, I can only hope that Sosa will serve his suspension, return, and get back on track. Hit homeruns, steal more bases, bring in more RBI’s, those all are things the Cubs are missing from Sammy this year. And all those are things the Cubs will desperately need if they want to remain in first place.
Random Thoughts
– Speaking on the topic of Sammy Sosa, despite what happened Tuesday night, if he can return and produce solid numbers again for the Cubs, I don’t believe his legacy will be severely tarnished. Eventually, baseball fans will move on, and while this incident will never leave Sosa, the fans will lighten up, and Sosa’s career will move on and hopefully prosper.
Sosa still has trade value I believe. I’m sure there are teams out there that believe that a simple change of scenery, and Sosa will be back to his old self again. Trust me, there are teams out there that believe that, and would be willing to give up some valuables in order to gain the services of Sammy Sosa. Yet, I think the Cubs are better off holding onto Sosa for now.
I watched David Stern on ESPN’s Rome is Burning the other night and again Thursday night on Fox Sports Net’s Best Damn Sports Show Period. Each time I listen to this man speak, I am reminded of how close this guy is to being a genius. There are so many issues he was asked about, and his responses were right on the money, in my opinion at least. Why are the NBA Finals so far apart from the Conference Finals? To allow the networks and advertisers to prepare for the event, knowing there is a set date. That makes sense. Stern also is in the favor of an age requirement to enter the NBA draft. There are too many young kids out there who may be as young as ten years old, who can dribble a basketball, and believe they will be the next Lebron James. Their parents start to believe it, and suddenly, they believe their kid is good enough that he doesn’t have to go to college. That’s a problem.
Shifting gears to wrestling, Vince McMahon appointing Sable as the Assistant to Stephanie McMahon is completely ridiculous. In a real world situation, she is not remotely qualified to hold such a position. But then again, neither is Steve Austin. The difference here though is, Austin will be entertaining, Sable as an Assistant will prove to be plain boring in her feud with Stephanie McMahon.
It was nice to watch a Smackdown that didn’t feature a majority of the program devoted to Mr. America and Vince McMahon.
It was great to see Kurt Angle return. Because I for now am not keeping up with the wrestling news and rumors online, I just wonder how long he remains a face. I can easily see another swerve involving Angle and possibly Big Show in the near future… this despite the fact that I think Angle should lead Smackdown as the number one baby face, or co-number one baby face along Brock Lesnar.
And finally, I will be moving away from the Web Manager position, and serve as the Director of Graphical Design. Joe has made a site “comeback” so to speak and will and rightfully be running his site. Congrats to Joe and I look forward to my new position at the Website.
Martin Hawrysko
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