Sammy Sosa

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Sammy Sosa
Free Agent – No. 21
Designated Hitter
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
debut
June 16, 1989, for the Texas Rangers
Career statistics
(through October 14, 2007)
AVG.273
HR609
RBI1667
Teams

Samuel Sosa Peralta (born November 12 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a designated hitter and right fielder in Major League Baseball and is currently a free agent. Caught up in the alleged steroid era, his reputation has taken a hit. The mitchell report stated numerous contacts with a well known steroid dealer by the name of Chris Matrisciano. His 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. In early 2007, however, he signed with the Rangers in a comeback attempt and made the team as its designated hitter. While playing for the Rangers on June 20th, 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 wears number 21 in honor of his childhood hero, Roberto Clemente.

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." (Sosa: An Autobiography, Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.16)

In his autobiography (p.23), Sosa states that although his officially registered birthplace is San Pedro de Macorís, he was actually born in Consuelo, and that San Pedro de Macorís was "the largest town nearby." Both Consuelo and San Pedro de Macorís are in San Pedro de Macorís Province.

Early Major League career

Sosa made his major league debut on June 16, 1989 with the Texas Rangers, and he hit first career home run off of 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.

Career with the Chicago Cubs

After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the 1998 season 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. His 416 total bases were the most in a single season since Stan Musial's 429 in 1948. 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.

The following season Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire who hit 65. Sosa, already a home run legend, finally led the league by hitting 50 home runs in the 2000 season.

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

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 HR record set by McGwire in 1998 (70). In the same season he set personal records in runs scored (146), RBIs (160), walks (116), on base percentage (.437), slugging percentage (.737), and batting average (.328).[1] He led the majors in runs and RBIs, was 2nd in home runs, 2nd in slugging percentage, 3rd in walks, 4th in on base percentage, 12th in batting average, and 15th in hits. He also surpassed his 1998 numbers in total bases, compiling 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 an easy strikeout candidate, Sosa became an effective hitter for average. He owns numerous team records for the Cubs, and 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 Silver Slugger awards (an award for offensive output voted on by managers and coaches) in 1995 and 1998-2002.[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 time on the disabled list since 1996 after having a toenail removed. Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs and hit two more in the NLCS against the Florida Marlins.

In May 2004, Sosa suffered a freak 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.[2][3] 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 in the last week of the season. He finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years.

Sosa was the only player in Major League Baseball whose batting average, home runs, and RBI all declined in each year following 2001.[4] Many noted that Sosa's production went into a tailspin immediately after he was hit in the head by a Salomon Torres pitch in April 2003, and never recovered to former levels.

Corked bat incident

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.[5] 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.[6] Sosa stated that he had accidentally used the corked bat, which he claimed he only used during batting practice. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.[7] However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.[8]

Career after the Chicago Cubs

2005

Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005.

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. Sosa had worn out his welcome in Chicago after requesting to sit out the final game vs. Atlanta in 2004, and then was caught by security cameras leaving Wrigley Field early in the game. Sosa then attempted to deny this had taken place, and thus began a fiasco that was a huge topic in the Chicago media, until Sosa was finally dealt. 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, with 500 home run hitter Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa and Palmeiro became the first 500 home run club members in history to play together on the same team after reaching his 500 home run marks.

Sosa had a modest start to the season, which was followed by slumps during mid-season. His trademark home run hop (which once signaled a sure home run) was now followed by mostly a lot of long fly ball outs. The slumps caused then Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli to drop Sosa as low as the 7th spot in the lineup. When Sosa's slump continued, Sosa was benched

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, and RBI. On December 7, 2005, the Orioles decided not to offer him arbitration, 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. Sosa had 9 consecutive years with 35+ home runs and 100+ RBIs, all with the Chicago Cubs.[1]

2006

At the end of January 2006, the Washington Nationals offered Sosa two different minor-league offers, both of which he turned down, seeming to settle into retirement. 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."[9] In 2006 Sosa accompanied President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic to several diplomatic trips including U.S., Japan and Taiwan.

2007

File:Sammy Sosa Texas Rangers.jpg
Warming up at a 2007 Cincinnati Reds/Texas Rangers game.

On January 30, 2007 the Texas Rangers, Sosa's original team, signed him to a minor league deal worth $500,000, 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.[10] Sosa had a great 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 44th Major League park. Sosa also homered in The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, a minor league park that hosted a regular season series between the Rangers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May of 2007.

On July 21, 2007, Sosa was hit in the head with a pitch by Cliff Lee on 'Sosa Celebration Night'.

Sosa became a free agent after the season.

600 Homers

On June 20, 2007, Sosa homered in the 5th inning off of a pitch by Jason Marquis in a game against the Chicago Cubs. Marquis also happens to wear the number 21 jersey formerly worn by Sosa himself. Sammy became only the fifth man in history, after Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, and Willie Mays, to hit 600 home runs. The Cubs remained the only team Sosa had not hit a home run against in his career prior to his 600th. Sosa is the Cubs all-time home run leader with 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform. When Sosa hit his 600th homer off of Jason Marquis of the Cubs, he became the first player in history to have a home run against every baseball team.

Sammy Sosa’s 66 Home Runs

File:Sammyhomers.jpg
During his famous "Home Run Race" with Mark McGwire in '98, Sammy celebrates one of his 66 with a trademark hop.
Number Date Pitcher Length
1 04-04-1998 Marc Valdes 371'
2 04-11-1998 Anthony Telford 350'
3 04-15-1998 Dennis Cook 430'
4 04-23-1998 Dan Miceli 420'
5 04-24-1998 Ismael Valdez 430'
6 04-27-1998 Joey Hamilton 434'
7 05-03-1998 Cliff Politte 370'
8 05-16-1998 Scott Sullivan 441'
9 05-22-1998 Greg Maddux 440'
10 05-25-1998 Kevin Millwood 410'
11 05-25-1998 Mike Cather 420'
12 05-27-1998 Darrin Winston 460'
13 05-27-1998 Wayne Gomes 400'
14 06-01-1998 Ryan Dempster 430'
15 06-01-1998 Oscar Henriquez 410'
16 06-03-1998 Liván Hernández 370'
17 06-05-1998 Jim Parque 370'
18 06-06-1998 Carlos Castillo 410'
19 06-07-1998 James Baldwin 380'
20 06-08-1998 LaTroy Hawkins 340'
21 06-13-1998 Mark Portugal 410'
22 06-15-1998 Cal Eldred 420'
23 06-15-1998 Cal Eldred 410'
24 06-15-1998 Cal Eldred 415'
25 06-17-1998 Bronswell Patrick 430'
26 06-19-1998 Carlton Loewer 380'
27 06-19-1998 Carlton Loewer 380'
28 06-20-1998 Matt Beech 366'
29 06-20-1998 Toby Borland 500'
30 06-21-1998 Tyler Green 380'
31 06-24-1998 Seth Greisinger 390'
32 06-25-1998 Brian Moehler 400'
33 06-30-1998 Alan Embree 364'
34 07-09-1998 Jeff Juden 432'
35 07-10-1998 Scott Karl 428'
36 07-17-1998 Kirt Ojala 440'
37 07-22-1998 Miguel Batista 365'
38 07-26-1998 Rick Reed 420'
39 07-27-1998 Willie Blair 347'
40 07-27-1998 Alan Embree 438'
41 07-28-1998 Bob Wolcott 390'
42 07-31-1998 Jamey Wright 375'
43 08-05-1998 Andy Benes 374'
44 08-08-1998 Rich Croushore 400'
45 08-10-1998 Russ Ortiz 361'
46 08-10-1998 Chris Brock 480'
47 08-16-1998 Sean Bergman 360'
48 08-19-1998 Kent Bottenfield 368'
49 08-21-1998 Orel Hershiser 430'
50 08-23-1998 Jose Lima 440'
51 08-23-1998 Jose Lima 380'
52 08-26-1998 Brett Tomko 438'
53 08-28-1998 John Thomson 414'
54 08-30-1998 Darryl Kile 482'
55 08-31-1998 Brett Tomko 364'
56 09-02-1998 Jason Bere 363'
57 09-04-1998 Jason Schmidt 374'
58 09-05-1998 Sean Lawrence 417'
59 09-11-1998 Bill Pulsipher 464'
60 09-12-1998 Valerio de los Santos 430'
61 09-13-1998 Bronswell Patrick 480'
62 09-13-1998 Eric Plunk 480'
63 09-16-1998 Brian Boehringer 434'
64 09-23-1998 Rafael Roque 344'
65 09-23-1998 Rod Henderson 410'
66 09-25-1998 Jose Lima 462'

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sammy Sosa career stats. Baseball-reference.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bizarre was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference sosas sneeze was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sammy Sosa Stats. ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  5. ^ Sosa ejected after cork is found in shattered bat. (June 4, 2003) ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  6. ^ Seventy-six Sosa bats found to be clean. (June 5, 2003). ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  7. ^ Sosa banned over bat. (6 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  8. ^ Sosa has ban reduced. (12 June, 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  9. ^ Jayson Stark (February 16, 2006). Sosa passes on Nats; likely to end career. ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.
  10. ^ T. R. Sullivan (January 17, 2007). Sosa, Rangers agree in principle to deal. MLB.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sammy Sosa.
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External links

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