Sammy Sosa - September, 2004 : Chicago, IL

Saturday was the day that Dave had been waiting for months to come - the day the Cubs announced they were trading Sammy Sosa. It's not 100% sure yet, but everyone here is going on like it's going to happen.

I have mixed feelings about this. Dave, however, knows it's time for him to leave. I feel bad that he's leaving on what I think are bad terms - the whole city wants him gone, and people are still sore that he left the last game of the season early because we had blown the wild card.

But as much as we loved Sammy in the years gone by, he just hasn't been producing for us. Sure, he had 35 homers last year, but how many of those where home runs that were needed? When people were on base to score? There were so many times that Sammy struck out when he could have saved the game. He became an over-hyped player.

He was supposed to end his career here. He was meant for that. This is a man who hit 66 home runs in 1998 and, along with St. Louis' Mark McGwire, helped save a game that was sinking from the 1994 strike. To alienate Cubs fans is a very difficult thing to do, but Sosa managed to pull it off. That's more amazing than anything the Amazing Mets did in 1969.

By degrees, it became apparent that, even though he played hard, Sammy was for whatever was best for Sammy. That didn't make him different than other athletes, but he started wearing his sense of entitlement like a crown. It went over in Chicago about as well as winter does.
The Chicago Tribune

Not only that, but rumors of Sammy not being a team player were everywhere. Once the trade was announced, his teammates didn't hold back when they said that this was good for the team. That for a team to go far, to really work together, they have to play as a team, not as a star and his backup.

"But not as bleak as another season with Sosa, who had turned into such a problem last year that an unidentified player took a bat to Sosa's boom box and went deep. It seems like a silly, insignificant thing, but Sosa had taken control of the team's music selection in the clubhouse, a privilege traditionally reserved for each game's starting pitcher. If Whitney Houston is your idea of adrenaline-releasing music, then Sosa was the deejay for you." The Chicago Tribune

"I'm not surprised. I don't think anyone's surprised," outfielder Todd Hollandsworth said. "I think it's going to provide everyone with the fresh start they were hoping for."
AP Newswire

It's sad. He should have had a grand goodbye. One last game at Wrigley where we all cheered him on, made banners, and all chanted 'Hall of Fame!' But it just wasn't meant to be. Things just didn't work out. Sure, he'll make the hall of fame someday, probably as a Cub. But can the city forgive him? We forgave him once for the corked bat. Can we forgive him again for disappointing us?

Goodbye Sammy. I'll remember you fondly - the kisses you threw to the bleacher seats, playing the 'how many outs?' game with the fans, the cocky homerun hop hop. Best wishes on where fate takes you, and I can't wait to see you at Wrigley again.

Posted by Yano at January 31, 2005 01:45 AM

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