Is Sosa “Enhancing” His Arms? And Other Sammy News
In the wake of the Sammy Sosa steroid scandal, many people around the majors have been chiming in about what they think regarding this topic. Ryne Sandberg does not approve, and he had this to say:
Appearing on the “Waddle & Silvy” show on ESPN 1000, Sandberg was asked whether Sosa belongs in the Hall of Fame. “I don’t think so,” he said.
…Sandberg and Sosa were Cubs teammates from 1992 to ‘94 and again in ‘96 and ‘97.
“I was around Sammy for about five years before I retired, and there wasn’t anything going on then,” Sandberg said. “I did admire the hard work he put in. He was one of the first guys down to the batting cage, hitting extra. I figured he was working out hard in the offseason to get bigger. It was just happening throughout the game, that even myself was blinded by what was really happening, maybe starting in the ‘98 season.
Ryno has a point and as some of these steroid guys become eligible for the hall, we’ll find out if that is the general sentiment among sportswriters (I’m pretty sure it is, sportswriters are old and like all old people, they think their childhood was “pure” and modern times are shitty).
Another weird, weird, weird story about Sosa has surfaced as well. Apparently he not only wanted to hit the ball better, but wanted people to know how strong he looked as well.
It turns out Sosa had his jerseys tapered around his arms for a period of years. A study of photo archives suggests Sosa’s jerseys were tailored with elastic inside the arms from 2002-2004, while he was playing with the Chicago Cubs.
Sosa’s custom ordering came to light thanks to pictures of an authentic Sosa jersey that is currently being auctioned off by Hunt Auctions. The jersey, advertised as being used by Sosa for the game he hit home run No. 470, was from the 2002 season.
CNBC confirmed through a source that Sosa did indeed ask for the elastic arm tapering for at least the 2002 season. The source said that he could not remember another player that asked for this specification.
“I don’t know why it would be tapered like that other than it being a purely cosmetic change so that people could see his muscles,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. “There doesn’t seem to be any other reason why he’d do it.”
What a douchebag, right? I mean am I the last one to realize that? (yes) It’s funny how when some players do things like this, its funny and endearing, and when others do it its just plain douchy. I still love the guy, but now that its a fact he did steroids, I like him less and less. No matter how much of this crap comes out though, he did save baseball in Chicago and across the country. Don’t forget. Just laugh at him, but don’t forget.
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Comments
Comment from Stormin’ Norman Disciple
Time June 24, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I don’t mean he prevented any Chicago team from moving, he just saved baseball for a generation of Chicago kids that were more enamored with the Jordan Bulls and anything else than the shitty post-strike major leagues
Comment from bitternutz
Time June 24, 2009 at 4:50 pm
if you consider attracting thousands of people who’s interest in the game was a fad to Wrigley field so the Tribune company could get rich without reinvesting in the team, then Sammy Sosa is a modern day William Wallace
Comment from Stormin’ Norman Disciple
Time June 24, 2009 at 4:53 pm
@Bitternutz: Wasn’t it just the other day you were ripping the Cubs for spending TOO MUCH money on the team (i.e. reinvesting in the team)? So what’s it gonna be?
And a fad? You mean like in 2005 when all of a sudden there were more people than empty seats on the south side and as soon as the team didnt win another world series the stadium (I use that word loosely) was empty night after night? I’d say that is a fad.
Comment from bitternutz
Time June 25, 2009 at 6:29 pm
To clarify: In the late 90s the Cubs spent too little money because they had Sosa too draw fans to the park. Even when the made the playoffs (and got swept by atlanta) they were more lucky and determined than talented. Now, the ownership is spending extraordinary amounts of $ and there are various theories for why such as trying to add value before the sale or maybe to appease the true fans.
Also, no one came watch the white Sox during the steroid era. Attendance sucked and the team sucked too. It didnt turn around until 2000. Unfortunately, the sox only invested in one big time juicer named Albert Belle who alienated fans. It is also really interesting that Belle somehow escaped the whole steroid controversy even though he was fucking huge, put up numbers that will never be replicated and should have raised red flags, feuded with the media, had a violent temper, has shown a propensity to cheat by corking his bat, and had an arthritic hip at the age of 32 that forced him to retire. He didn’t have the longevity to make the HOF, so its not worth the time to try and blackball him, but i’m saying it right now: Albert Belle was 100% on steroids
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Comment from Big Frank
Time June 24, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Attention Stormin Norman: Sammy Sosa did not save baseball in Chicago. At no time were both clubs at risk of leaving Chicago. I’m pretty sure the league would have quite a few other teams they’d contract before the two Chicago franchises.