Then There Was Sammy

[ThomasTomasz]

Here is an article I wrote for another site. I'm got an internship with a writer at a local newspaper, and I will use this as my beginning article, before he teaches me things about sports journalism. Comments are really appreciated.

Even three years ago, who would have thought Sammy Sosa would be on the Free Agent market? Even if he was, did anyone think he would still be on the market with most teams already starting into camp exercises?

No one would have thought that.

After all, Slammin Sammy Sosa was one of the four who saved baseball back in 1998. Sosa, along with Mark McGwire, Greg Vaughn, and Ken Griffey Jr, kept the nation, and world, on pins and needles the entire season in the chase for the Home Run record, held by Roger Maris. The chase had both Sosa and McGwire ecliping the record, with the final tallies being McGwire 70, Sosa 66.

Many argue that these four saved baseball. It was nearly four years prior that baseball missed its first World Series in history because of a work stoppage. MLB also missed half of their season that year, and barely got the 1995 season off the ground. Baseball struggled to bring interest and fans back to the game, but the summer of 1998 changed that. As ESPN billed it, "chicks dig the long ball." That goes not only for chicks, but for everyone. Baseball was suddenly back in the limelight of the USA, and the world.

But, back to Sammy. This is the only guy to have three seasons of at least 60 home runs. Not even Babe Ruth did that. A guy who anchored the Chicago Cubs for many losing seasons, providing fan interest while the team lost. A guy with 574 career home runs, 1530 RBIs, and a career batting average around .280. Someone who energized fans of all ages and teams by sprinting out to right field during the first inning.

That all changed when the Cubs started winning.

In 2003, the Cubs were the miracle team, stepping up past their losing history, making the playoffs, and coming to within outs of a World Series berth. Sosa hit about .280 that year, with 40 home runs, but dealt with a few injury problems that year. Many of the Cubs were now beginning to become annoyed with the Prima Donna treatment that he received.

Then came the 2004 season, a season filled with optimism by the organization and fans alike.

The season got off on a sour note. Mark Prior went down early with an Achilles injury. After having a great 2003 season, leading the Cubs staff, he only started 21 games in 04, going 6-4 with a 4.00 ERA, a far cry from his dominant 2004 season.

The Cubs also had more pitching problems in 2004 than just Prior.

Kerry Wood endured more injury woes, only being able to pitch 22 games that year, going 8-9 with a 3.7 ERA.

Joe Borowski, who came out of obscurity to save 35 games for the Cubs and lead the bullpen in 2003, had problems early on with arm trouble, and then was out for the entire season.

His replacement, LaTroy Hawkins, while having a 2.63 ERA with 25 saves, went through the motions with most of his saves, and blew some of them. He clearly wasn't a closer, if a team wanted to win.

Kyle Farnsworth, the talented, fireballing set up man, had what was thought of as a breakout year in 2003, pitching in 77 games, 76 innings a 3.30 ERA, and 92 strikeouts. He went downhill in 2004, having a 4.73 ERA in 72 games (66 innings), and only 78 strikeouts.

Sammy Sosa's 2004 season, his final year in Chicago, wasn't much better than the pitcher's season.

Sosa started slow, but he has usually had a slow start to any of his seasons. However, on May 16th, he missed his first game, due to back spasms. The common belief on those back spasms were that he got them from sneezing. Three days later on the 19th, the Cubs placed him on the DL.

He returned nearly a month later on June 17th. He continued to be a hot and cold hitter for much of the summer. Then the problems started, and Sosa's ego was exposed for all to see.

On August 19th, manager Dusty Baker dropped Sosa to fifth in the order, out of his customary cleanup spot. The previous game, he went 0-5 with two strikeouts, and with the 12 games before that, Sosa hit 6-47 (a .128 average) with 18 strikeouts.

He continued to struggle, and on September 11th, Baker dropped Sosa to sixth in the lineup, a place where he hadn't hit since 1994.

Then, the crowning moment, and something that would likely define his whole career as a Cub, throwing away all of his past accomplishments and respect. He walked out of the stadium during the final game of the year. Many players had that as the last straw, and Baker was extremely mad. Sosa, while one year remained on his contract, was done as a Chicago Cub. His final stats in 2004: .253, 45 homers, 80 RBIs.

The offseason came. GM Jim Hendry was busy all offseason, trying to work out a trade for Sosa. The hottest rumor was the Mets, where new GM Omar Minaya was reshaping the image of the Mets, and had added many Dominicans to the team. Many thought Sosa would be a great fit in New York with the Mets, where he would be in a comfort zone, and around his own people.

However, it would be the Orioles, criticized all offseason by their fans and media, that would be the ones to step up and trade for Sosa. It didn't take much. The Cubs accepted an offer of oft-injured utilityman Jerry Hairston, second base prospect Mike Fontenot, and pitching prospect David Crouthers (who incidentally, never played for the Cubs, and quit baseball) and even sent $11 million to the Orioles to cover for Sosa.

He came to the Orioles as a savior. Many thought he would be the crowning glory to a competitive team, and hitting in Oriole Park, and with Terry Crowley, would be great for Sosa. The Orioles would not be his team, as they were led by Miguel Tejada. He would not be the primary focus in Baltimore, a mild baseball town, and could just play ball.

Sosa came in, and said all of the right things. He said this was Tejada's team, and that he wouldn't do anything to disrupt the Orioles. He was hailed to be great. Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro would be the first active teammates with 500 home runs each, and both had a great shot at reaching 600 home runs in 2005. Sosa did not even get mad about his Training Camp initiation, something usually reserved for rookies. He started off a baserunning drill, and manager Lee Mazzilli did not make the other players start it, and Sosa did not notice until he was at second. He laughed about it.

However, the season would not be starting on this good note. He and Palmeiro, along with other premier sluggers, including the now retired Mark McGwire, showed up to testify at a Congressional hearing on steroids. Many people were suspect of Sosa before this, as he had noticably lost muscle mass, and it seemed as though he had shrunk. While teammate Palmeiro was adamant about never using steroids, Sosa brought a translator with him, to read a statement, and converse between the Congressman with. Sosa has a great knowledge of the English language, and can speak it very well, so the topic of question after the hearing- why did he need a translator?

The Orioles started off April with a bang. They were atop the AL East, a tremendous accomplishment. The Yankees were struggling. The Red Sox lost ace Curt Schilling, and were themselves struggling. Sosa had his traditional slow April, but was still a dangerous threat in the lineup, providing protection to Miguel Tejada, allowing him to have a blistering start.

On May 11th, the Orioles placed Sosa on the DL with a staph infection in his foot. Sosa was originally projected out a month, but returned on May 24th as DH.

Over the next few months, Sosa continued to struggle. He did tie Mark McGwire in home runs, and then went ahead of him, but a prolonged slump took his average from about .280 all the way to .239 at the end of June. The Orioles had started to slid as well, the slide claiming manager Lee Mazzilli, and upcoming was the shocking revelation that Rafael Palmeiro was caught using a powerful steroid, something he still emphatically denies taking today.

In the middle of July, it looked like Sosa was finally beginning to turn around. During this time, he tied Frank Robinson in Home Runs, and looked healthy.

However, the slump came back, and on August 15th, Sosa was dropped by interim manager Sam Perlozzo to seventh in the order, even lower than where Baker put him last year.

Another injury hit, this time, it was a lesion on his right big toe nail. He was put on the DL August 28th. On September 8th, the Orioles sent him to their rehab facility in Florida to start rehabbing. After spending only a few days there, the Orioles decided he should head home to continue rehab. On September 26th, his extremely disappointing season with the Orioles ended, as they shut him down for the year. His final stats: .221, 14 homers, 45 RBI, in 330 ABs.

On November 1st, Sammy Sosa filed for free agency after his debacle in Baltimore. He expressed interest in returning to the Orioles, but Mike Flanagan said he would not be re-signed, as the Orioles were heading in a different direction.

It seemed as though Sosa's career was finished. However, Omar Minaya remained interested in Sosa, in the rumors swirled in the beginning of December that Sosa could be offered a contract by the Mets, probably to platoon in right field with either Victor Diaz or Xavier Nady. However, these rumors never came to fruition

During December and January, there was little to no interest in Sosa. Some Japan teams were interested, but Sosa reiterated his desire to stay in Major League Baseball, and to have a guaranteed contract with an MLB team. For a guy that wrecked the chemistry of two teams in two years, is now an injury risk, and a shell of his former self, thats too high a price.

However, at the end of January, the Washington Nations received news that slugger Jose Guillen could miss the first month of the season. They moved quickly, signing Darrell Ward to a minor league contract, and also contacted Sosa. He was certainly interested in playing for the Nats. Sosa and his agent wanted a one year contract worth 500,000, not much, but still guaranteed money. The Nats countered with only a Minor League contract, which would force Sosa to make the squad in Spring Training, and would only receive the veterans minimum. So far, that proposal has been rejected.

It remains to be seen where Sosa will go. Rumor has it two Japanese teams are offering him guaranteed money to play overseas, and probably start. Only one Major League team has interest right now, but its only in a minor league contract, with no guarantees. Sosa can also retire, and fade out of the limelight. If he is searching for guaranteed money, he won't get it. He is an injury risk, and a shell of his former self. A disruptive clubhouse presence, and a player who never knew his place after years of being #1 on a losing team. And, a player that will be forever tainted by the steroid scandal, unexplicably losing a lot of muscle mass, and needing a translator in front of a Congressional Committee. Good luck in finding a job Sammy, your actions have ruined any chance of even the Devil Rays bringing you in as a crowd drawer and a mentor.

[General]

That was a good read. You're a pretty good writer.

[Providence A's]

I'm got an internship with a writer at a local newspaper

comment: proofread

j/k

I just skimmed it to be honest...pretty good though

[Dry1313]

Daryle Ward is the player mentioned at the end, and Washington Nations? I'm guessing you forgot Sosa's cork incident, because I didn't see it there. It looks like you wrote it in a hurry. But otherwise, I found it very good, a lot of info I didn't know was in there, definetly a great start.

[ThomasTomasz]

Daryle Ward is the player mentioned at the end, and Washington Nations? I'm guessing you forgot Sosa's cork incident, because I didn't see it there. It looks like you wrote it in a hurry. But otherwise, I found it very good, a lot of info I didn't know was in there, definetly a great start.

I wanted to focus on the decline in his performance, and how he could go from a hero, to a villain. The corked bat incident, I could put it in, but I decided not to, because many people in Chicago defended him, from what I remember hearing.

[General]

Thomas, Daryle Ward is a full-time DH who butchers 1B, let alone the OF. Doesn't really seem like a replacement for Guillen.

[redsrbetter]

Hey Thomas,

Great read man. I like how you shared some of the history of Sammy's days with the Cubs and his start with the O's. You explained his actions to be unsatisfactory to the game.

I agree with you and I understand why Sammy Sosa is not being proclaimed as the big time slugger he once was.

Thanks for the read. I have recently decided to change my major and am pursuing a career in writing for a baseball team one day. Would be nice to see how you gained your internship and how you plan to kick start your career.

[Dry1313]

Oh OK. I guess your angle didnt come across right to me I thought that you were showing how Sosa's career took a turn for the worse, immediately. Not to mention I thought that the corked bat incident marred his time in Chicago, not leaving early. Because they did fine him $87,500 for leaving right? Nothing happened to him for the bat, at least by the Cubs.

[ThomasTomasz]

Thomas, Daryle Ward is a full-time DH who butchers 1B, let alone the OF. Doesn't really seem like a replacement for Guillen.

He still plays the outfield, and when you receive word that your best offensive player from last year could miss most of the season, you have to move quickly to do something. The Nats traded their outfield depth to get Soriano, and unless he moves to the outfield, we could very well see Ward in the outfield.

[General]

Jose Guillen could miss the first month of the season.

Not exactly most of the season.

[Dry1313]

They can just call someone up from AAA.

[BoSox34]

Definately a good read... I also liked how you threw some of Sammy's past into the article, great job!

[love_that_reefer]

Good but no mention of the corked bat or when he got drilled in the head which is a main factor for his decline that season. Plus I think Michael Tucker or even Marlon Anderson have a better shot at playing right field than Daryle Ward.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Nice article, although I did notice a few grammatical and structural type issues, along with a few phrases that could ve re-worked or even deleted.

Also, if this is something you want someone from a newspaper to see, make sure you change dates and other things like that so they are written in AP Style. (For example, November 1 becomes Nov. 1 in AP Style).

[Geki Ace]

The writing itself seems a bit dry, but it's well-written. Try to loosen up a bit.