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Sammy Sosa
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baseball player
Personal Information
Born Samuel Sosa (Peralta) on November 12, 1968, in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic; married Sonia; children: Keysha, Kenia, Sammy Jr., and Michael.
Career
Texas Rangers, professional baseball player, 1986-89; Chicago White Sox, professional baseball player, 1989-92; Chicago Cubs, professional baseball player, 1992-2005; Baltimore Orioles, professional baseball player, 2005; free agent, 2005.
Life's Work
Sammy Sosa, the Chicago Cubs outfielder who was involved in the most dramatic home run race in baseball history in 1998, evolved into one of the most well-rounded and best-loved players of the early 2000s. Early in his career, Sosa was an offensive force with weak defensive and base-running skills. But following his epic 1998 chase of the single-season, home-run record--in which his 66 home runs placed second to slugger Mark McGwire's 70--Sosa determined to become better at every part of the game. In 2003 Sosa recovered from a bat-corking incident to lead the Chicago Cubs deep into the playoffs. Cubs fans, long accustomed to having their team lose, hope that Swingin' Sammy Sosa will some day lead the Cubs to a World Series victory.
Flipped Between Majors and Minors
Samuel Sosa was born on November 12, 1968, in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Sosa and his five brothers and sisters grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in an abandoned hospital. His father, Juan Montero, died of a brain aneurysm when Sammy was seven. His mother Lucrecia and her children were left to fend for themselves. To help his family financially, Sosa sold oranges, shined shoes, and worked as a janitor in a shoe factory. He began playing organized baseball at the age of 14 and was signed to a contract by the Philadelphia Phillies one year later. However, the contract was voided because Sosa was only 15 years old. He signed another contract the following year, this time with the Texas Rangers. He gave his $3,500 signing bonus to his mother and bought his first bicycle.
In 1986 Sosa left the Dominican Republic and arrived in Sarasota, Florida. At the age of 18, he led the Gulf Coast League in doubles. The following year, as a member of Gastonia, North Carolina's Class A team, he was selected as a South Atlantic League All-Star. In 1988 Sosa spent the entire season with Port Charlotte in the Florida State League. He was then promoted to the Rangers' Double A club in Tulsa in 1989. After compiling a .297 batting average, seven home runs, and 31 runs batted in (RBIs) in 66 games with Tulsa, Sosa was promoted to the major leagues. In his major league debut with the Texas Rangers on June 16, 1989, he had two hits against the New York Yankees. Following this impressive start, Sosa hit only .238 in 25 games, compiled no walks, and struck out 20 times. The Rangers sent him back to their Triple A team on July 20, 1989. Nine days later, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. After three weeks in the minors, Sosa was called up to the White Sox on August 22nd. In his first game with the White Sox, Sosa had three hits, including a home run.
The 1990 season was Sosa's first full season in the major leagues. Although he only had a .233 batting average, Sosa was the only American League player to reach double figures in doubles (26), triples (10), homers (15), and stolen bases (32). In 1991 Sosa struggled to find the success and consistency that he had enjoyed the previous season. On July 19, 1991, the White Sox demoted him to the minors. Although he finished the season in Chicago, Sosa compiled a dismal .203 batting average and struck out 98 times in 116 games.
Joined the Cubs
In 1992 the White Sox traded Sosa to the Chicago Cubs. He suffered injuries throughout the season and played in only 67 games. From June 13th to June 27th, Sosa was on the disabled list with a broken right hand. Ten days after returning to action, he fractured his ankle and was forced to miss the rest of the season.
Sosa enjoyed a spectacular season in 1993, becoming the first player in Cubs history to record 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. He finished the year with a .261 batting average, 33 home runs, 93 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases. In 1994 Sosa led the Cubs in batting average (.300), home runs (25), and RBIs (70). He also stole 22 bases. During the 1995 season, he was named to the National League All-Star team for the first time. He also hit 36 home runs, compiled 119 RBIs, and stole 34 bases. In 1995, Sosa won the Silver Slugger Award and The Sporting News named him to its National League All-Star team.
During another outstanding season in 1996, Sosa was hit by a pitch and broke a bone in his right hand on August 20th. He was placed on the disabled list and missed the rest of the season. Although Sosa's season was ended prematurely, he had compiled an impressive .273 batting average, hit 40 home runs, and knocked in 100 RBIs. During July of 1996, he was named the National League Player of the Month for his .358 batting average, 10 home runs, and 29 RBIs.
In 1997 Sosa proved again that he had become one of the finest power hitters in the National League. He finished near the top of the National League in home runs (36), RBIs (119), doubles (31), total bases (303), extra-base hits (71), and at-bats (642). Sosa also achieved two career milestones by getting his 1,000th major league hit and hitting his 200th major league home run.
Signed a Controversial Contract
Midway through the 1997 season, Cubs general manager Ed Lynch signed Sosa to a four-year contract extension worth $42.5 million. The $10 million-per-year contract was a great source of controversy. Although Sosa had enjoyed several fine seasons with the Cubs, many fans and sportswriters did not feel that he was worth the money. Some fans called him Sammy So So and he was viewed by many as a selfish player who was more concerned with personal statistics than team goals.
Sosa's behavior, at times, seemed to support these claims. After he hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in 1993, Sosa commissioned an enormous, diamond-encrusted 30-30 gold pendant, which he had to put in a safe before games. His license plate read SS 30-30 and a shopping mall he owned in the Dominican Republic was also christened 30-30. Although he had hit 36 home runs and collected 119 RBIs in 1997, he also led the National League in strikeouts and was undisciplined on the base paths. Omar Minaya, the scout who signed Sosa, offered Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated a reason for Sosa's lack of discipline, "You've got to understand something about Latin players when they're young--or really any players from low economic backgrounds. They know the only way to make money is by putting up offensive numbers. Only now is Sammy at a mature stage. Only now is he becoming the player he always could have been." Sosa's teammate, Mark Grace, told Verducci that Sosa had made so many mistakes because he did not have a firm grasp of baseball fundamentals, "When he first got here (in 1992), you could see he had great physical skills, but he was so raw. He didn't know how to play the game. He didn't understand the concept of hitting behind runners. So many little things he just didn't know."
A Historic Season
Sosa's 1998 season would make Ed Lynch look like a genius. During the off-season Sosa worked hard to become more patient at the plate, improve his bat speed, and hit the ball to all fields more consistently. In an interview with Wendy Cole of Time, Sosa spoke of his desire to become a better player, "A few years ago I was trying to do too much. I'd go to home plate with no idea and swing at everything."
In 1998 Sosa and Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals thrilled baseball fans with their quest to break the record of 61 home runs in a season set by Roger Maris in 1961. Both men eventually broke Maris's record and, at one point in the season, were tied with 63 home runs apiece. McGwire went on to hit 70 home runs, while Sosa finished the season with 66. During their home run race, both men showed tremendous class and excellent sportsmanship. They were also credited with baseball's resurgence as America's national pastime. For their achievements, Sports Illustrated named Sosa and McGwire Co-Sportsmen of the Year.
In addition to hitting 66 home runs, Sosa also knocked in 158 RBIs and batted .307 for the season. During June of 1998 he hit a major league record 20 home runs and batted in 40 runs. In a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he hit back-to-back grand slams. Sosa also led the Cubs to their first playoff berth in many years. He was named to the National League All-Star team and earned the National League's Most Valuable Player Award.
Enduring Stardom and Corked Bats
Sosa did not rest on his laurels following his 1998 season. Instead, he went back to the drawing board to improve himself as a baseball player, working hard on his fielding and his base running. The results were nothing less than breathtaking, as Sosa went on to enjoy a five-year stretch of baseball that is among the best in history. In the years 1999 through 2003, he hit .288, .320, .328, .294, and .279; averaged 173 RBIs per game; and averaged 53 home runs per year. In two of those years he hit more than 60 home runs, taking him over the 500 home run barrier in 2003 and making him the only player in major league history to hit more than 60 home runs three times. Describing what it was like to play alongside someone playing at Sosa's level, teammate Eric Young told the Sporting News: "It was very exciting to see. Other guys would say, 'Hey, when we've got a superstar busting his butt like that, then the rest of us have to do the same.'"
Though Sosa was piling up the statistics at a feverish pace, the Cubs remained an inconsistent team, dogged by failure and the entire city's fear that the team could never make the playoffs, let alone the World Series. But all that changed with the 2003 season. In their first season under manager Dusty Baker, the Cubs went 88-74, won the National League East title, and were five outs from progressing to the World Series when the eventual champion Florida Marlins staged a come from behind victory.
The year 2003 was a tough one for Sosa, however. On April 20 he was beaned in the head by a pitch from Pittsburgh Pirates righthander Salomon Torres that shattered his helmet. Then he missed nearly a month with a painful right toe that would not allow him to push off his back foot. Just four days after returning from this injury, Sosa had the most humiliating moment of his career. He hit a pitch and broke his bat, and an umpire who picked up the bat found that it was filled with cork. The baseball world was outraged. Many wondered how many of Sosa's homeruns had been hit with a corked bat, which lightens the weight of the bat and increases its speed. Around the league, people argued over whether Sosa was a fraud and whether corking really changed anything anyway. In the end Sosa's sincere apologies--he claimed that the bat was one he used for batting practice only, and that it got mixed in with his game bats--and his and his team's stellar performance following his seven-game suspension helped everyone temporarily forget all about Sosa's mistake.
However, Sosa was not out of trouble. He drew heavy fire from the media for leaving Wrigley Field during the Cubs final game in 2004, after the Cubs had been eliminated from playoff contention. Trade talks revolved around Sosa during the offseason and his departure from Chicago loomed. "Sosa's once-lovable image has been severely tarnished by both the corked-bat incident and the way he's reacted to suspicions of steroid use, not to mention a mysterious dip in his offensive numbers," Chris Jenkins wrote in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Sosa was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in early 2005. Although Sosa hit his 587th home run and moved past Frank Robinson into fifth place on the all-time list, this feat was overshadowed by speculations about the validity of his record, given widespread allegations, which he denied before a Congressional panel, that he had used performance-enhancing steroids. The Orioles did not renew his contract, and in November of 2005, Sosa announced his status as a free agent.
Awards
National League All-Star Team member, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002; Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002; Gene Autry Courage Award, 1998; National League Most Valuable Player, 1998; Roberto Clemente Award, 1998; Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year with Mark McGwire, 1998; Hank Aaron Award, 1999.
Works
Selected writings
- (With Marcos Breton) Sosa: An Autobiography, Warner Books, 2000.
Further Reading
Books
- Bayless, Skip, Sammy's Season, Contemporary Books, 1998.
- Christopher, Matt, At the Plate with--Sammy Sosa, Little, Brown, 1999.
- Duncan, Patricia J., Sosa! Baseball's Home Run Hero, Simon & Schuster, 1998.
- Gutman, Bill, Sammy Sosa: A Biography/Sammy Sosa, la biografia, Pocket Books, 1998.
- San Diego Union-Tribune, December 20, 2004.
- Sporting News, April 1, 2002; February 11, 2005, p. 49.
- Sports Illustrated, June 29, 1998; September 14, 1998; September 28 1998; December 21, 1998; June 26, 2000; June 16, 2003; August 25, 2003; February 7, 2005, p. 18.
- Time, July 27, 1998; September 28, 1998; June 16, 2003.
- "Player Bio: Sammy Sosa," Chicago Cubs, http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/team/chc_player_bio.jsp?club_context=chc&playerid=122544 (February 11, 2004).
- "Sammy Sosa," ESPN, http://espn.go.com/mlb/profiles/profile/4344.html (April 10, 2004).
- ESPN.com, http://www.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2222870 (November 21, 2005).
— Michael J. Watkins and Tom Pendergast
| Columbia Encyclopedia: Sammy Sosa |
Sosa, Sammy (Samuel Kevin Sosa Peralta) (sämwĕl' sō'sä pĕräl'tä), 1968-, Dominican baseball player. An outfielder and designated hitter, he broke into the major leagues with the Texas Rangers and then the Chicago White Sox (both American League; AL) in 1989, moving to the Chicago Cubs (National League; NL) in 1992 and the Baltimore Orioles (AL), for one season, in 2005. In 2007 he returned to the majors for a season with the Texas Rangers. Long regarded as a powerful hitter and prolific base stealer, but prone to striking out, Sosa engaged in 1998 in a highly publicized race with Mark McGwire to break the single-season home-run record (61) held by Roger Maris. McGwire finished with 70 home runs, Sosa with 66, and their good-natured competition was widely hailed; Sosa won the NL's Most Valuable Player award. In 1999, Sosa became the first player ever to reach the 60-homer plateau in two seasons but was overtaken by McGwire, finishing with 63 home runs to the Cardinal slugger's 65. Sosa led the NL in homers in 2000, with 50, and hit 64 in 2001, finishing second to Barry Bonds record-breaking performance (73) and becoming the first player to hit 60 home runs in three seasons. Sosa's image was hurt in 2003 when he was caught using an illegal, corked bat; suspicion that he has used anabolic steroids has also tarnished his reputation. He hit more than 600 career home runs.
| Wikipedia: Sammy Sosa |
| Sammy Sosa | |
|---|---|
 Sosa while with the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 |
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| Right fielder | |
| Born: November 12, 1968 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic |
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| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| June 16, 1989 for the Texas Rangers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 2007 for the Texas Rangers | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .273 |
| Home runs | 609 |
| Runs batted in | 1,667 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a retired Major League Baseball right fielder.
Sosa's Major League career began with the Texas Rangers in 1989. After a stint with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa became a member of the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and subsequently became one of the league's best hitters. In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' home run record. Although a fan favorite, Sosa fell out of favor in Chicago after he was caught using a corked bat in a 2003 game and later left the team during the final game of the 2004 season. Sosa finished his career with brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers.[1] With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born MLB players. Furthermore, Sosa is one of only two National League Players to ever reach 160 RBI, a milestone he reached in 2001. The other was Cubs player and RBI Champion Hack Wilson during his record setting 1930 season in which he hit 191 RBI.
Sosa has long been the subject of speculation about suspected anabolic steroid use during his playing career. On June 16, 2009, The New York Times reported that Sammy failed a test for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.[2]
Contents |
Personal life
Sosa is known to family and friends as "Mikey." His maternal grandmother, who had suggested his birth name of Samuel, also came up with his nickname: "[She] heard the name on a soap opera she liked and decided from that moment on he would be Mikey."[3]
Sosa was born in the Dominican Republic. Although his officially registered birthplace is San Pedro de Macorís, Sosa was actually born in Consuelo. San Pedro de Macorís was "the largest town nearby." Both Consuelo and San Pedro de Macorís are in San Pedro de Macorís Province.[4] Sosa is married to Sonia Sosa.[5] In 2009, Sosa was accused by many in the media of bleaching his skin after showing up to an appearance with noticeably whiter skin. Sosa has since admitted to using a bleaching cream from Europe in his effort to "soften his skin."[6] The Chicago Tribune reported Sosa used the European skin lightening cream created by Abdul Alim & Nurjahan Begum named "nur76".[7] The cream which contains Bearberry and Licorice among other natural ingredients has been the center of much controversy in the UK where Anita Rani looked into the world of skin lightening cosmetics.[8] Pictures of Sosa, before and after, his skin-lightening have surfaced on the internet.[9]
Major league career
Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox (1989–1991)
Sosa made his major league debut on June 16, 1989, with the Texas Rangers, and he hit first career home run off Roger Clemens. Later in the season, the Rangers traded Sammy to the Chicago White Sox. He played two full seasons for the White Sox and was traded, along with pitcher Ken Patterson, to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder George Bell before the 1992 season.
Chicago Cubs (1992–2004)
After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the 1998 as one of baseball's greatest. It was in this season that both Sosa and Mark McGwire were involved in the "home run record chase," when both players' prowess for hitting home runs drew national attention as they attempted to pass Roger Maris's single season home run mark of 61 home runs that had stood since 1961. Sosa ended the season with 66, behind McGwire's 70. However, Sammy had become the first Major League batter ever to hit 65 homers in a season. Then, McGwire passed him late in the season to become the first ever to hit 70.
Also in 1998, Sosa's 416 total bases were the most in a single season since Stan Musial's 429 in 1948. Sosa's performance in the month of June, during which Sosa belted 20 home runs, knocked in 47 runs, and posted an .842 slugging percentage, was one of the greatest offensive outbursts in major league history. Sosa won the National League Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Cubs into the playoffs in 1998, earning every first-place vote except for the two cast by St. Louis writers, who voted for McGwire. He and McGwire shared Sports Illustrated magazine's 1998 "Sportsman of the Year" award. Sosa was honored with a ticker-tape parade in his honor in New York City, and he was invited to be a guest at US President Bill Clinton's 1999 State of the Union Address. 1998 was also the first time the Cubs made the post-season since 1989. The Cubs qualified as the NL Wild Card team, but were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.
In the 1999 season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65, however, Sosa became the first major leaguer to hit 60 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons. In the 2000 season, Sammy finally led the league by hitting 50 home runs.
In 2001, he hit 64 home runs, becoming the first player to hit 60 home runs in three seasons in his career. However, he did not lead the league in any of those seasons; in 2001, he finished behind Barry Bonds, who hit 73 homers, breaking the single-season home run record set by McGwire in 1998 (70). In the same season he set personal records in runs scored (146), RBI (160), walks (116), on base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.737), and batting average (.328).[1] He led the majors in runs and RBI, was 2nd in home runs, 2nd in slugging percentage, 1st in total bases, 3rd in walks, 4th in on base percentage, 12th in batting average, and 15th in hits. He also surpassed his 1998 number in total bases, racking up 425. Sosa once again led the league in home runs with 49 in 2002. Known as a free-swinger in his early years, and as a good strikeout candidate, Sammy became an effective hitter for average. He owns numerous team records for the Cubs, and he holds the major-league record for the most home runs hit in a month (20, in June 1998). In recognition of his accomplishments as a hitter, Sosa won the Silver Slugger award (an award for offensive output, voted on by managers and coaches) in 1995 and in 1998 through 2002.[1]
In 2003, the Cubs won the National League Central Division title. The year was not all good news for Sosa, however. In May, he spent his first period on the disabled list since 1996 after having an injured toenail removed. On June 3, 2003, Sosa was ejected from a Chicago Cubs-Tampa Bay Devil Rays game in the first inning when umpires discovered he had been using a corked bat.[11] Major League Baseball confiscated and tested 76 of Sosa's other bats after his ejection; all were found to be clean, with no cork. Five bats he had sent to the Hall of Fame in past years were also tested, and were all clean as well.[12] Sosa stated that he had accidentally used the corked bat, which he claimed he only used during batting practice. But they soon interviewed the Cubs' manager, who said that any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.[13] However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.[14] Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins, but overall, the Cubs lost the series in seven games. According to the New York Times of June 16, 2009, Sosa had also tested positive for steroids at some point during the season.
In May 2004, Sosa suffered an odd injury while sitting next to his locker chatting with reporters before a game in San Diego's PETCO Park. He sneezed very violently, causing severe back pain. He was diagnosed with back spasms and placed on the disabled list. Later, he fell into one of the worst slumps of his career, only snapping out of it during the last week of the season. He was greatly depressed when the officials told him he couldn't play. He finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years. The final straw for the Cubs seemed to be an incident in late 2004. Sosa requested to sit out the last game of the season, which was at home against the Atlanta Braves, and he left Wrigley Field early in the game. It was his last time he would be in a Cubs uniform.
Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005–2006)
On January 28, 2005, the Cubs traded Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston, Jr., infielder Mike Fontenot, and RHP Dave Crouthers. To facilitate the deal, Sosa and his agent agreed to waive the clause that guaranteed his 2006 salary, and the players' union indicated it would not object to that agreement. Under the deal, Sosa earned $17,875,000 for the 2005 season, with the Cubs paying $7 million of his salary. By playing for the 2005 Orioles alongside fellow 500-home-run batter Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa and Palmeiro became the first 500 home run club members in history to play together on the same team after reaching the 500 home run plateau (Hank Aaron reached 500 homers shortly after his teammate Eddie Matthews (512 homers) retired. Willie McCovey reached 500 shortly after his teammate Willie Mays had left the Giants).
Sosa finished the 2005 season batting .221 with 14 home runs, his worst performance since 1992, and continuing his post-2001 trend of declines in batting average, homers, total bases, and RBI. On December 7, 2005, the Orioles decided not to offer him an arbitration contract, effectively ending his Baltimore Orioles tenure and making him a free agent.
In 2005, The Sporting News published an update of their 1999 book Baseball's 100 Greatest Players. Sosa did not make the original edition, but for the 2005 update, with his career totals considerably higher, he was ranked at Number 95. During a stretch of nine consecutive years, Sosa hit 35+ home runs and 100+ RBIs, all with the Chicago Cubs.[1]
At the end of January 2006, the Washington Nationals offered Sosa two different minor-league offers, both of which he turned down. On February 15, 2006, Sosa's agent Adam Katz stated: "We're not going to put him on the retirement list. We decided that [not putting him on that list] was the best thing to do. But I can say, with reasonable certainty, that we've seen Sammy in a baseball uniform for the last time."[15]
During this year, Sosa accompanied President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the United States, Japan, and Taiwan.
Recent years (2007-2009)
The Texas Rangers, Sosa's original team, signed him to a minor league deal worth $500,000 on January 30, 2007. This was the same contract that Sosa turned down the previous year from the Nationals. The contract included an invitation to spring training, where Sosa competed for a spot in the lineup with Nelson Cruz, Jason Botts, and other rookies/prospects.[16] Sosa was successful during spring training and was added to the team's 25-man roster. He started the 2007 season as the Rangers' designated hitter and occasional right fielder.
At the same time, the Chicago Cubs awarded Sosa's # 21 to new Cub Jason Marquis, despite the fact that it was formerly worn Sosa, who coincidentally later hit his 600th home run against Marquis. This caused some concern, due to Sosa's accomplishments with the Cubs, including his status as the Cubs' all-time home run leader.[17]
On April 26, 2007, Sosa made history by hitting a home run in his 45th major league ballpark. He has also homered in The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports, near Orlando, Florida, a usually minor-league and Spring Training park that hosted a regular season series between the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2007, although he did not hit a homer at the two regular season games the Cubs played at the Tokyo Dome in 2000 vs. the Mets.
On June 20, 2007, Sosa hit a home run off of Jason Marquis during an inter-league game against Chicago Cubs. Sammy became only the fifth man in history, following Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds, to hit 600 regular season home runs.
The home run was the first one that Sosa had recorded against the Cubs, and as a result he has hit a home run against every active MLB team. Sosa is the Cubs all-time home run leader with 545 home runs with that team.
On May 28, 2008, Sosa announced that he instructed his agent not to offer his services to any Major League team for the 2008 season, and planned on filing for retirement, but never did.[18]
On December 25, 2008, Sosa announced he intended to unretire and play in the World Baseball Classic and once again test the free agent market in hopes of signing for a Major League ballclub in 2009. Sosa said that he had been keeping in shape at his home, and was hoping that after a strong World Baseball Classic he would prove to major-league teams that he was still capable of playing in the MLB. However, he was not selected as part of the Dominican Republic's roster. He remained a free agent and did not actively look for a team.
On June 3, 2009, Sosa announced his intention to retire from Major League Baseball. He made the announcement in the Dominican Republic and said that he was calmly looking forward to his induction within the Baseball Hall of Fame since his statistics were up to par.[19]
Drug test controversy
On June 16, 2009 the New York Times reported Sosa was on a list of 103 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. The paper did not identify the drug.[20] Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, told The Associated Press he had no comment on the report. Rich Levin, commissioner Bud Selig's office spokesman, declined to comment on the situation, claiming that the MLB did not have a copy of the test results. Michael Weiner, the union general counsel, also declined comment. The union, while fighting to get the list back from the government, has mostly refused to discuss reports about the list because it does not want to confirm or deny who is on it.
Previously, Sosa sat alongside Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire at a 2005 hearing before Congress. His attorney testified on his behalf,[21] stating "To be clear, I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything. I have not broken the laws of the United States or the laws of the Dominican Republic. I have been tested as recently as 2004, and I am clean."[22]
In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Sosa, 40, said he would "calmly wait" for his induction into baseball's Hall of Fame, for which he will become eligible for induction in 2013. His comment angered many people and again brought up the argument of positive drug testing players being accepted into the Hall of Fame.[23]
Statistics
| Major League Baseball | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Team | G | BA. | HR | RBI | SB | AB | H | SO | R | BB | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | OWn% | FldR/yr |
| 1989 | 20 | TEX/CWS | 58 | .257 | 4 | 13 | 7 | 183 | 47 | 47 | 27 | 11 | .303 | .366 | .669 | 89 | 40.0 | -15.0 |
| 1990 | 21 | CWS | 153 | .233 | 15 | 70 | 32 | 532 | 124 | 150 | 72 | 33 | .283 | .404 | .687 | 92 | 40.0 | 1.2 |
| 1991 | 22 | CWS | 116 | .203 | 10 | 33 | 13 | 316 | 64 | 98 | 39 | 14 | .241 | .335 | .576 | 59 | 23.7 | 23.3 |
| 1992 | 23 | CHC | 67 | .260 | 8 | 25 | 15 | 262 | 68 | 63 | 41 | 19 | .317 | .393 | .710 | 99 | 51.0 | -6.5 |
| 1993 | 24 | CHC | 159 | .261 | 33 | 93 | 36 | 598 | 156 | 135 | 92 | 38 | .309 | .485 | .794 | 111 | 52.7 | 15.7 |
| 1994 | 25 | CHC | 105 | .300 | 25 | 70 | 22 | 426 | 128 | 92 | 59 | 25 | .339 | .545 | .884 | 127 | 60.6 | 18.7 |
| 1995 | 26 | CHC | 144 | .268 | 36 | 119 | 34 | 564 | 151 | 134 | 89 | 58 | .340 | .500 | .840 | 121 | 61.0 | 21.3 |
| 1996 | 27 | CHC | 124 | .273 | 40 | 100 | 18 | 498 | 136 | 134 | 84 | 34 | .323 | .565 | .888 | 126 | 60.1 | 30.0 |
| 1997 | 28 | CHC | 162 | .251 | 36 | 119 | 22 | 642 | 161 | 174 | 90 | 45 | .300 | .480 | .780 | 99 | 46.2 | 14.3 |
| 1998 | 29 | CHC | 159 | .308 | 66 | 158 | 18 | 643 | 198 | 171 | 134 | 73 | .377 | .647 | 1.024 | 160 | 72.9 | 2.2 |
| 1999 | 30 | CHC | 162 | .288 | 63 | 141 | 7 | 625 | 180 | 171 | 114 | 78 | .367 | .635 | 1.002 | 151 | 67.3 | -0.7 |
| 2000 | 31 | CHC | 156 | .320 | 50 | 138 | 7 | 604 | 193 | 168 | 106 | 91 | .406 | .634 | 1.040 | 161 | 74.8 | -4.8 |
| 2001 | 32 | CHC | 160 | .328 | 64 | 160 | 0 | 577 | 189 | 153 | 146 | 116 | .437 | .737 | 1.174 | 203 | 84.4 | 5.5 |
| 2002 | 33 | CHC | 150 | .288 | 49 | 103 | 2 | 556 | 160 | 144 | 122 | 103 | .399 | .594 | .993 | 160 | 74.9 | -7.8 |
| 2003 | 34 | CHC | 137 | .279 | 40 | 103 | 0 | 517 | 144 | 143 | 99 | 62 | .358 | .553 | .911 | 133 | 64.8 | -0.4 |
| 2004 | 35 | CHC | 126 | .253 | 35 | 80 | 0 | 478 | 121 | 133 | 69 | 56 | .332 | .517 | .849 | 113 | 58.2 | 6.0 |
| 2005 | 36 | BAL | 102 | .221 | 14 | 45 | 1 | 380 | 84 | 84 | 39 | 39 | .295 | .376 | .671 | 78 | 33.8 | -5.8 |
| 2007 | 38 | TEX | 114 | .252 | 21 | 92 | 0 | 412 | 104 | 112 | 53 | 34 | .311 | .468 | .779 | 102 | 48.2 | -4.6 |
| Career | 2354 | .273 | 609 | 1667 | 234 | 8813 | 2408 | 2306 | 1475 | 929 | .344 | .534 | .878 | 128 | 62.2 | 6.5 | ||
Bold indicates league leader.
See also
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sammy Sosa |
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Sammy Sosa |
- Afro-Latinos
- 30-30 club
- 50 home run club
- 500 home run club
- MLB players who have hit 30 or more home runs before the All-Star break
- Maris-McGwire-Sosa pair
- List of Major League Baseball Home Run Records
- Top 500 home run hitters of all time
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game
- 1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase
- List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups
References
- ^ a b c d Sammy Sosa career stats. Baseball-reference.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/sports/baseball/17doping.html?_r=1&hp
- ^ Sosa: An Autobiography, Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.16
- ^ Sosa: An Autobiography, Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.23.
- ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Not-to-worry-Sammy-Sosa-is-just-rejuvenating-hi?urn=mlb,201086
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4642952
- ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-12-haugh-sammy-sosa-nov12,0,2007784.column
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nkpmm/Make_Me_White/
- ^ "Sammy Sosa Face Before and After Pictures". Ralphie Boy Blog. 2009-11-13. http://ralphie-boy.blogspot.com/2009/11/sammy-sosa-face-before-and-after.html. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- ^ Cunniff, Bill (1999-11-26). "Sosa plays host at party at his island mansion". Chicago Sun-Times: p. 3. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB424463A5BF794&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Sosa ejected after cork is found in shattered bat. (June 4, 2003) ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ Seventy-six Sosa bats found to be clean. (June 5, 2003). ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ Sosa banned over bat. (6 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ Sosa has ban reduced. (12 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ Jayson Stark (February 16, 2006). Sosa passes on Nats; likely to end career. ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ T. R. Sullivan (January 17, 2007). Sosa, Rangers agree in principle to deal. MLB.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
- ^ De Luca, Chris, "Sosa's 21 a long-distance number," Chicago Sun-Times, accessed 6/6/07
- ^ "Sosa not pursuing MLB job, says he intends to retire in 2009". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3415614. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4229022
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/sports/baseball/17doping.html
- ^ McCann, Michael (2009-06-16). "Will steroids report lead to perjury investigation of Sammy Sosa?". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/michael_mccann/06/16/sammy.sosa/index.html. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4264062
- ^ "Sosa a reason to re-examine PED blame game". ESPN. 2009-06-17. http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4265535&name=olney_buster&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d4265535%26name%3dolney_buster. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
- Latino Sports Legends - extended biography and photos
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dante Bichette Mark McGwire Matt Williams Jeff Kent Jeff Bagwell |
National League Player of the Month July 1996 June 1998 May 1999 July 2000 August 2001 |
Succeeded by Ken Caminiti Vladimir Guerrero Jeromy Burnitz Todd Helton Barry Bonds |
| Preceded by Mark McGwire Barry Bonds |
National League Home Run Champion 2000 2002 |
Succeeded by Barry Bonds Jim Thome |
| Preceded by Andrés Galarraga Todd Helton |
National League RBI Champion 1998 2001 |
Succeeded by Mark McGwire Lance Berkman |
| Preceded by Larry Walker |
National League Most Valuable Player 1998 |
Succeeded by Chipper Jones |
| Preceded by None |
National League Hank Aaron Award 1999 |
Succeeded by Todd Helton |
| Preceded by Ken Griffey, Jr. |
Home Run Derby Champion 2000 |
Succeeded by Luis Gonzalez |
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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Mentioned in
- McGwire, Mark David (American baseball player)
- MLB: Race for the Record (1998 History Film)
- The Unnatural: Frasier (TV Episode) (1997 Comedy TV Episode)
- Slammin' Sammy: The Sammy Sosa Story (2002 Children's/Family Film)
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- MLB: 1999 - A Season of Heroes (2000 Sports & Recreation Film)
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- TRICOM, S.A. (Private Company)
- Roger Eugene Maris (American baseball player)
- MLB: MLB '98 - The Record Breakers (Sports & Recreation Film)
- Sammy Sosa: Making History (1999 Sports & Recreation Film)
- Mark David McGwire (American baseball player)
- Babe Ruth (Baseball Player)
- The Caribbean Coast (travel guide)
