Places inhabited by Rusyns and Sammy Sosa: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox MLB player|
[[Image:Русинские субэтносы.jpg|thumb|right|270px|'''Subethnoses of the [[Rusyns]].''' ''Бойки'' = [[Boyko|Boykos]], ''Гуцулы'' = [[Hucul|Hutsuls]], ''Долиняне'' = Dolinyans, ''Лемки'' = [[Lemko|Lemkos]]. Note that whole the territory of ''Boykos'' and ''Hutsuls'' is not on the map.]]
image=Sosa swinging4.png|
'''The contemporary administrative entities roughly corresponding the traditional territory of settlement of the [[Rusyns]]'''. Following areas have been included which still are or up to the [[World War II]] were inhabited by each of the Rusyn sub-ethnicities mentioned below: <ref>[http://haidamaka.org.ua/obr/maps/mapa2.jpg Карта говорiв украïнськоï мови], 10.10.2008.</ref> <ref>[http://www.booksite.ru/fulltext/1/001/007/088/88994.htm Энциклопедический словарь: В 86 томах с иллюстрациями и дополнительными материалами. Edited by Андреевский, И.Е. − Арсеньев, К.К. − Петрушевский, Ф.Ф. − Шевяков, В.Т., s.v. ''Русины''. Online version. Вологда, Russia: Вологодская областная универсальная научная библиотека, 2001 (1890−1907)], 10.10.2008.</ref> <ref>[http://www.ethnologue.org/show_language.asp?code=rue Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Edited by Gordon, Raymond G., Jr., s.v. ''Rusyn''. Fifteenth edition. Online version. Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.: SIL International, 2008 (2005)], 10.10.2008.</ref> <ref>[http://www.eurominority.org/version/eng/minority-detail.asp?id_minorities=208 Eurominority: Peoples in search of freedom. Edited by Bodlore-Penlaez, Mikael, s.v. ''Ruthenians''. Quimper, France: Organization for the European Minorities, 1999–2008], 10.10.2008.</ref>
caption=Sosa swinging at a pitch while with the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in 2005|
width=200|
name=Sammy Sosa|
number=21|
position=Right fielder|
team=Free Agent|
bats=Right|
throws=Right|
birthdate={{birth date and age|1968|11|12}}<br>{{city-state|San Pedro de Macorís|Dominican Republic}}|
debutdate=June 16|
debutyear=1989|
debutteam=Texas Rangers|
statyear=2008|
stat1label=[[Batting average]]|
stat1value=.273|
stat2label=[[Home run]]s|
stat2value=609|
stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]|
stat3value=1667|
teams=<nowiki></nowiki>
*[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{by|1989}})
*[[Chicago White Sox]] ({{by|1990}}-{{by|1991}})
*[[Chicago Cubs]] ({{by|1992}}-{{by|2004}})
*[[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{by|2005}})
*[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{by|2007}})
}}


'''Samuel Peralta Sosa ''' (born [[November 12]], [[1968]] in [[San Pedro de Macorís]], [[Dominican Republic]]) is a [[right fielder]] who is currently a free agent in [[Major League Baseball]].


Sosa's Major League career began when he broke in with the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] in {{by|1989}}. In the intervening years, he has played for the [[Chicago White Sox]], [[Chicago Cubs]] and [[Baltimore Orioles]].<ref name="BBREF.com">[http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sosasa01.shtml Sammy Sosa career stats.] Baseball-reference.com. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> He ended the {{by|2005}} season with 588 career [[home run]]s, placing him fifth on the [[list of lifetime home run leaders through history|all-time home run list]]. After sitting out the {{by|2006}} season, Sosa signed with the Rangers in a comeback attempt in early {{by|2007}}, and he made the team as a designated hitter. While playing for the Rangers on [[June 20]], [[2007]], against the Cubs, his former team, Sosa hit his [[600 home run club|600th home run]], becoming the 5th player in professional baseball to achieve that mark. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born Major League Baseball players.
Dolinyans:


Sosa's alleged involvement in the era of Major League Baseball's [[History of baseball in the United States#The BALCO steroids scandal|steroid scandal]] has harmed his reputation. The 2007 [[Mitchell Report (baseball)|Mitchell Report]] did not name Sosa in its list of players identified in the course of the investigation, although Sosa was mentioned in a related affidavit by Federal Agent [[Jeff Novitzky]] dealing with the use of [[amphetamines]].<ref>See e.g. {{cite news|title=Missing From Mitchell Report, Sosa Is Included in Grimsley Affidavit|author=Duff Wilson and Michael S. Schmidt|date=December 21, 2007|publisher=[[New York Times]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/sports/baseball/21mitchell.html}}</ref>
* [[Ukraine]]: [[Zakarpattia Oblast]] excluding Rakhivskyi Raion, see [[Hucul|Hutsuls]];


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 I would be Mikey."<ref>''Sosa: An Autobiography'', Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.16</ref>
[[Boyko|Boykos]]:


Although his officially registered birthplace is San Pedro de Macorís, Sosa was actually born in [[Consuelo, Dominican Republic|Consuelo]]. San Pedro de Macorís was "the largest town nearby." Both Consuelo and San Pedro de Macorís are in [[San Pedro de Macorís Province]].<ref>''Sosa: An Autobiography'', Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.23.</ref>
* [[Poland]]: [[Subcarpathian Voivodship]]: [[Bieszczady County]], [[Lesko County]]; also see the Wikipedia article [[Operation Wisła]];


==Major League career==
* Ukraine: [[Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast]]: [[Bohorodchanskyi Raion]], [[Bolekhiv|Bolekhiv City]], [[Dolynskyi Raion (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast)|Dolynskyi Raion]], [[Rozhniativskyi Raion]]; [[Lviv Oblast]]: [[Staryi Sambir|Starosambirskyi Raion]], [[Skole|Skolivskyi Raion]], [[Turka, Ukraine|Turkivskyi Raion]];
===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 (outfielder)|George Bell]] before the {{by|1992}} season.


===Chicago Cubs (1992-2004)===
[[Hucul|Hutsuls]]:
After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the {{by|1998}} as one of baseball's greatest. It was in this season that both Sosa and [[Mark McGwire]] passed [[Roger Maris]]'s single season home run mark of 61 home runs that had stood since {{by|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 {{by|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 [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|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, Missouri|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 [[1998 National League Division Series#Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs|NLDS]].
* [[Romania]]: [[Maramureş County]], [[Suceava County]];


[[Image:Sosa cubs jersey.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Sosa wore the iconic #21 with the Cubs in honor of his childhood idol [[Roberto Clemente]]<ref>{{cite news | last = Cunniff | first = Bill | title = Sosa plays host at party at his island mansion | page = 3 | work = Chicago Sun-Times | date = [[1999-11-26]] | url = 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 | accessdate = 2008-10-04 }} </ref>]]
* Ukraine: [[Chernivtsi Oblast]]: [[Hlybotskyi Raion]], [[Chernivtsi Oblast|Putylskyi Raion]], [[Storozhynetskyi Raion]], [[Vyzhnytsia|Vyzhnytskyi Raion]]; [[Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast]]: [[Kosivskyi Raion]], [[Nadvirnianskyi Raion]], [[Verkhovynskyi Raion]], [[Yaremche|Yaremche City]]; [[Zakarpattia Oblast]]: [[Rakhiv|Rakhivskyi Raion]];


In the {{by|1999}} season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65. In the {{by|2000}} season, Sammy finally led the league by hitting 50 home runs.
[[Lemko|Lemkos]]:


In {{by|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 [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored (146), [[Run batted in|RBI]] (160), [[Base on balls|walks]] (116), [[on base percentage]] (.437), [[slugging percentage]] (.737), and [[batting average]] (.328).<ref name="BBREF.com" /> 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 [[Hit (baseball)|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 {{by|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 {{by|1995}} and in 1998 through 2002.<ref name="BBREF.com" />
* Poland: [[Lesser Poland Voivodeship]]: [[Gorlice County]], [[Nowy Sącz County]], [[Nowy Targ County]], [[Tatra County]]; [[Subcarpathian Voivodship]]: [[Jasło County]], [[Krosno County]], [[Sanok County]]; also see the Wikipedia article [[Operation Wisła]];


[[Image:Howmanyout.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Sammy tells the bleacher bums "Two Outs!!" in 2003]]
* [[Slovakia]]: [[Košice Region]]: [[Michalovce District]], [[Sobrance District]], [[Trebišov District]]; [[Prešov Region]]: [[Bardejov District]], [[Humenné District]], [[Kežmarok District]], [[Medzilaborce District]], [[Poprad District]], [[Snina District]], [[Stará Ľubovňa District]], [[Stropkov District]], [[Svidník District]]; [[Žilina Region]]: [[Námestovo District]], [[Tvrdošín District]].


In {{by|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 {{by|1996}} after having an injured toenail removed. On [[June 3]], 2003, Sosa was ejected from a Chicago Cubs-[[Tampa Bay Rays|Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] game in the first inning when umpires discovered he had been using a [[corked bat]].<ref>[http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0603/1562772.html Sosa ejected after cork is found in shattered bat.] (June 4, 2003) ESPN.com. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> 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.<ref>[http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0604/1563115.html Seventy-six Sosa bats found to be clean.] (June 5, 2003). ESPN.com. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> 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 head coach, who said that any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On [[June 6]], Sosa was suspended for eight games.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2970198.stm Sosa banned over bat.] (6 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on [[June 11]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2983350.stm Sosa has ban reduced.] (12 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the [[National League Championship Series]] against the [[Florida Marlins]].


In May {{by|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 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 finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years.
[[Image:Vojvodina ethnic2002.jpg|thumb|right|270px|The tiny '''''[[Rusyn]]''-dominated area in [[Vojvodina]], [[Serbia]]''' according to the census results of 2002 shown in brown.]]
There are [[Pannonian Rusyns]], too, in [[Serbia]] (most notably in [[Vojvodina]]), and in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Croatia]] and [[Hungary]].


===Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005-2006)===
[[Image:Sosa Spring training.jpg|thumb|140px|Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005.]]


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. 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 [[sports agent|agent]] agreed to waive the clause that guaranteed his 2006 salary, and the [[Major League Baseball Players Association|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).
For the ''Rusyn diaspora'' see the Wikipedia articles [[Rusyns]] and [[Rusyn American]]. Also see the article [[Gorals]] for a group of related [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathian]] microethnoses.


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.<ref name="BBREF.com" />
==References==
{{reflist}}


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."<ref>Jayson Stark (February 16, 2006). [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2332063 Sosa passes on Nats; likely to end career.] ESPN.com. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref>


During this year, Sosa accompanied [[Leonel Fernández|President Fernandez]] of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the [[United States]], [[Japan]], and [[Taiwan]].


===Return to Texas and retirement (2007-2008)===
[[Image:Ua rue.PNG|left]]
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 (outfielder)|Nelson Cruz]], [[Jason Botts]], and other rookies/prospects.<ref>T. R. Sullivan (January 17, 2007). [http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780982&vkey=news_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex Sosa, Rangers agree in principle to deal.] MLB.com. Accessed [[2007-06-05]].</ref> 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.

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 park that had a regular season series between the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2007.

On [[June 20]], 2007, Sammy homered in the 5th inning on a pitch from [[Jason Marquis]] in an inter-league game against his old team, the 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.

Sosa became a free agent after the season.

On [[May 28]], {{by|2008}}, Sosa announced that he is planning to retire from Major League Baseball. Sosa also instructed his agent not to offer his services to any Major League team for the 2008 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3415614|title=Sosa not pursuing MLB job, says he intends to retire in 2009|accessdate=2008-10-03 |work=ESPN.com|publisher= |date= }}</ref>　He might play some games for a Dominican Republic national team.

==Statistics==
<center>
{| class="wikitable"
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Year
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|Team
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Games Played|G]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[At Bat|AB]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Hit (baseball)|H]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Double (baseball)|2B]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Triple|3B]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Home Run|HR]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Runs Batted In|RBI]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Runs|R]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Stolen Bases|SB]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Base on Balls|BB]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Strikeouts|K]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Batting Average|AVG]]
!style="background: #e3e3e3;"|[[Errors|E]]
|-align=center
|{{by|1989}} || Rangers/White Sox || 58 || 183 || 47 || 8 || 0 || 4 || 13 || 27 || 7 || 11 || 47 || .257 || 4
|-align=center
|{{by|1990}} || [[Chicago White Sox]] || 153 || 532 || 124 || 26 || 10 || 15 || 70 || 72 || 32 || 33 || 150 || .233 || 13
|-align=center
|{{by|1991}} || [[Chicago White Sox]] || 116 || 316 || 64 || 10 || 1 || 10 || 33 || 39 || 13 || 14 || 98 || .203 || 6
|-align=center
|{{by|1992}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 67 || 262 || 68 || 7 || 2 || 8 || 25 || 41 || 15 || 19 || 63 || .260 || 6
|-align=center
|{{by|1993}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 159 || 598 || 156 || 25 || 5 || 33 || 93 || 92 || 36 || 38 || 135 || .261 || 9
|-align=center
|{{by|1994}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 105 || 426 || 128 || 17 || 6 || 25 || 70 || 59 || 22 || 25 || 92 || .300 || 7
|-align=center
|{{by|1995}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 144 || 564 || 151 || 17 || 3 || 36 || 119 || 89 || 34 || 58 || 134 || .268 || 13
|-align=center
|{{by|1996}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 124 || 498 || 136 || 21 || 2 || 40 || 100 || 84 || 18 || 34 || 134 || .273 || 10
|-align=center
|{{by|1997}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 162 || 642 || 161 || 31 || 4 || 36 || 119 || 90 || 22 || 35 || 174 || .251 || 8
|-align=center
|{{by|1998}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 159 || 643 || 198 || 20 || 0 || 66 || 158 || 134 || 18 || 73 || 171 || .308 || 9
|-align=center
|{{by|1999}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 162 || 625 || 180 || 24 || 2 || 63 || 141 || 114 || 7 || 78 || 171 || .288 || 9
|-align=center
|{{by|2000}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 156 || 604 || 193 || 38 || 1 || 50 || 138 || 106 || 7 || 91 || 168 || .320 || 10
|-align=center
|{{by|2001}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 160 || 577 || 189 || 34 || 5 || 64 || 160 || 146 || 0 || 116 || 153 || .328 || 6
|-align=center
|{{by|2002}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 150 || 566 || 160 || 19 || 2 || 49 || 108 || 122 || 2 || 103 || 144 || .288 || 6
|-align=center
|{{by|2003}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 137 || 517 || 144 || 22 || 0 || 40 || 103 || 99 || 0 || 62 || 143 || .279 || 5
|-align=center
|{{by|2004}} || [[Chicago Cubs]] || 126 || 478 || 121 || 21 || 0 || 35 || 80 || 69 || 0 || 56 || 133 || .253 || 4
|-align=center
|{{by|2005}} || [[Baltimore Orioles]] || 102 || 380 || 84 || 15 || 1 || 14 || 45 || 39 || 1 || 39 || 84 || .221 || 3
|-align=center
|{{by|2006}} || DNP || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || .000 || 0
|-align=center
|{{by|2007}} || [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] || 114 || 412 || 104 || 24 || 1 || 21 || 92 || 53 || 0 || 34 || 112 || .252 || 0
|-align=center style="background: #ffdead;"
|colspan=2|'''TOTALS''' || '''2354''' || '''8813''' || '''2408''' || '''379''' || '''45''' || '''609''' || '''1667''' || '''1475''' || '''234''' || '''929''' || '''2306''' || '''.273''' || '''128'''
|-
|}</center>

==References==
{{reflist}}
http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mlb&playerID=122544


==See also==
{{Commonscat}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Afro-Latin American|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 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]]


==External links==
* {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn=2187 |br=s/sosasa01 |fangraphs= 302|cube=s/sammy-sosa}}
* [http://www.latinosportslegends.com/sosa.htm Latino Sports Legends] - extended biography and photos
* [http://www.sammysosa.info/ sammysosa.info] fansite with baseball card images and information


{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-ach}}}}
[[Category:Geography of Europe]]
{{succession box | before = [[Dante Bichette]]<br>[[Mark McGwire]]<br>[[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]]<br>[[Jeff Kent]]<br>[[Jeff Bagwell]] | title = [[Player of the Month|National League Player of the Month]]| years = July 1996<br>June 1998<br>May 1999<br>July 2000<br>August 2001 | after = [[Ken Caminiti]]<br>[[Vladimir Guerrero]]<br>[[Jeromy Burnitz]]<br>[[Todd Helton]]<br>[[Barry Bonds]]}}
[[Category:Ruthenia]]
{{succession box | title=[[List of Major League Baseball home run champions|National League Home Run Champion]] | before=[[Mark McGwire]]<br>[[Barry Bonds]] | years={{by|2000}}<br>{{by|2002}}| after=[[Barry Bonds]]<br>[[Jim Thome]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of Major League Baseball RBI champions|National League RBI Champion]] | before= [[Andres Galarraga]]<br>[[Todd Helton]]| years={{by|1998}}<br>{{by|2001}} | after= [[Mark McGwire]]<br>[[Lance Berkman]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Larry Walker]] | title = [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|National League Most Valuable Player]]| years = 1998 | after = [[Chipper Jones]]}}
{{succession box | before = None | title = [[Hank Aaron Award|National League Hank Aaron Award]]| years = {{by|1999}} | after = [[Todd Helton]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Ken Griffey, Jr.]] | title = [[Home Run Derby|Home Run Derby Champion]]| years = 2000 | after = [[Luis Gonzalez (baseball outfielder)|Luis Gonzalez]]}}
{{end box}}
{{NL MVPs}}
{{Roberto Clemente Award}}
{{NL Hank Aaron Award Winners}}
{{Home Run Derby champions}}
{{500 home run club}}
{{SI Sportsman of the Year}}
{{Chicago Cubs}}
{{Lifetime|1968|LIVING|Sosa, Sammy}}
[[Category:Dominican Republic baseball players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs players]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox players]]
[[Category:Texas Rangers players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball right fielders]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:National League home run champions]]
[[Category:National League RBI champions]]
[[Category:Hank Aaron Award]]
[[Category:500 home run club]]
[[Category:Sports scandals]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:Iowa Cubs players]]


[[de:Samuel Sosa Peralta]]
[[fr:Lieux habités par les Ruthènes]]
[[es:Sammy Sosa]]
[[fr:Sammy Sosa]]
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[[ja:サミー・ソーサ]]
[[ru:Соса, Самми]]
[[fi:Sammy Sosa]]
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[[zh:萨米·索萨]]

Revision as of 18:34, 10 October 2008

Sammy Sosa
Sosa swinging at a pitch while with the Baltimore Orioles in 2005
Free Agent – No. 21
Right fielder
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
debut
June 16, 1989, for the Texas Rangers
Career statistics
(through 2008)
Batting average.273
Home runs609
Runs batted in1667
Teams

Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a right fielder who is currently a free agent in Major League Baseball.

Sosa's Major League career began when he broke in with the Texas Rangers in 1989. In the intervening years, he has played for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.[1] He ended the 2005 season with 588 career home runs, placing him fifth on the all-time home run list. After sitting out the 2006 season, Sosa signed with the Rangers in a comeback attempt in early 2007, and he made the team as a designated hitter. While playing for the Rangers on June 20, 2007, against the Cubs, his former team, Sosa hit his 600th home run, becoming the 5th player in professional baseball to achieve that mark. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born Major League Baseball players.

Sosa's alleged involvement in the era of Major League Baseball's steroid scandal has harmed his reputation. The 2007 Mitchell Report did not name Sosa in its list of players identified in the course of the investigation, although Sosa was mentioned in a related affidavit by Federal Agent Jeff Novitzky dealing with the use of amphetamines.[2]

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 I would be Mikey."[3]

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]

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 passed 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.

Sosa wore the iconic #21 with the Cubs in honor of his childhood idol Roberto Clemente[5]

In the 1999 season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65. 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]

Sammy tells the bleacher bums "Two Outs!!" in 2003

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.[6] 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.[7] 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 head coach, who said that any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.[8] However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.[9] Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins.

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 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 finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years.

Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005-2006)

Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005.

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. 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."[10]

During this year, Sosa accompanied President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the United States, Japan, and Taiwan.

Return to Texas and retirement (2007-2008)

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.[11] 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.

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 park that had a regular season series between the Rangers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2007.

On June 20, 2007, Sammy homered in the 5th inning on a pitch from Jason Marquis in an inter-league game against his old team, the 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.

Sosa became a free agent after the season.

On May 28, 2008, Sosa announced that he is planning to retire from Major League Baseball. Sosa also instructed his agent not to offer his services to any Major League team for the 2008 season.[12]　He might play some games for a Dominican Republic national team.

Statistics

Year Team G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI R SB BB K AVG E
1989 Rangers/White Sox 58 183 47 8 0 4 13 27 7 11 47 .257 4
1990 Chicago White Sox 153 532 124 26 10 15 70 72 32 33 150 .233 13
1991 Chicago White Sox 116 316 64 10 1 10 33 39 13 14 98 .203 6
1992 Chicago Cubs 67 262 68 7 2 8 25 41 15 19 63 .260 6
1993 Chicago Cubs 159 598 156 25 5 33 93 92 36 38 135 .261 9
1994 Chicago Cubs 105 426 128 17 6 25 70 59 22 25 92 .300 7
1995 Chicago Cubs 144 564 151 17 3 36 119 89 34 58 134 .268 13
1996 Chicago Cubs 124 498 136 21 2 40 100 84 18 34 134 .273 10
1997 Chicago Cubs 162 642 161 31 4 36 119 90 22 35 174 .251 8
1998 Chicago Cubs 159 643 198 20 0 66 158 134 18 73 171 .308 9
1999 Chicago Cubs 162 625 180 24 2 63 141 114 7 78 171 .288 9
2000 Chicago Cubs 156 604 193 38 1 50 138 106 7 91 168 .320 10
2001 Chicago Cubs 160 577 189 34 5 64 160 146 0 116 153 .328 6
2002 Chicago Cubs 150 566 160 19 2 49 108 122 2 103 144 .288 6
2003 Chicago Cubs 137 517 144 22 0 40 103 99 0 62 143 .279 5
2004 Chicago Cubs 126 478 121 21 0 35 80 69 0 56 133 .253 4
2005 Baltimore Orioles 102 380 84 15 1 14 45 39 1 39 84 .221 3
2006 DNP 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0
2007 Texas Rangers 114 412 104 24 1 21 92 53 0 34 112 .252 0
TOTALS 2354 8813 2408 379 45 609 1667 1475 234 929 2306 .273 128

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sammy Sosa career stats. Baseball-reference.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  2. ^ See e.g. Duff Wilson and Michael S. Schmidt (December 21, 2007). "Missing From Mitchell Report, Sosa Is Included in Grimsley Affidavit". New York Times.
  3. ^ Sosa: An Autobiography, Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.16
  4. ^ Sosa: An Autobiography, Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.23.
  5. ^ Cunniff, Bill (1999-11-26). "Sosa plays host at party at his island mansion". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-10-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Sosa ejected after cork is found in shattered bat. (June 4, 2003) ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  7. ^ Seventy-six Sosa bats found to be clean. (June 5, 2003). ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  8. ^ Sosa banned over bat. (6 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  9. ^ Sosa has ban reduced. (12 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  10. ^ Jayson Stark (February 16, 2006). Sosa passes on Nats; likely to end career. ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  11. ^ T. R. Sullivan (January 17, 2007). Sosa, Rangers agree in principle to deal. MLB.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  12. ^ "Sosa not pursuing MLB job, says he intends to retire in 2009". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-10-03.

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mlb&playerID=122544

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sammy Sosa.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Sammy Sosa.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by National League Player of the Month
July 1996
June 1998
May 1999
July 2000
August 2001 		Succeeded by
Preceded by National League Home Run Champion
2000
2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by National League RBI Champion
1998
2001 		Succeeded by
Preceded by National League Most Valuable Player
1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
None
 National League Hank Aaron Award
1999 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Home Run Derby Champion
2000 		Succeeded by

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| #default = 1968 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}} 

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default =

}}

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