ESPN.com reports:
The Texas Rangers have offered Sammy Sosa a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, where the veteran slugger would have the chance to make the major league club.
Now to be fair to Jon Daniels, the Rangers are taking a chance without much risk. If Sosa is able to make a comeback and earn a paycheck, he provides a sorely needed righthanded bat. If he falls flat and confirms the commonly held belief; Sammy Sosa is done in baseball.
No harm here right? I mean win-win right?
Wrong.
Allow me to express this from a fan’s perspective.
Cheater:
It’s a fact that Sammy corked his bat. It was on tape; no one can argue otherwise. Except Sammy of course. Sammy’s excuse, he corked that bat to give the fans a show in batting practice. As if a hitter that can put up 50 plus dingers during regular play needed to give the few fans that actually showed up for batting practice an extra thrill. Gee thanks Sammy.
I can’t point to proof, that Sammy had juiced, though one can’t help remember Sammy’s performance on Capitol Hill. A man with countless commercials and appearances where he spoke conversational English suddenly forgot the language. Make your own judgment.
Laughing Stock:
Might Sammy put a few extra butts in the seats in Arlington. No doubt that John Rocker and Jose Canseco did. The Rangers were also a joke employing two individuals with little character and helped the team in no noticeable way. Canseco’s head did give up a home run. Oh, and, according to his book, pumped steroids into himself and teammates. Rocker, Canseco and Sammy Sosa: fitting isn’t it? The Rangers need to start putting an elite team on the field, not a freak show.
Spite:
This one is just my feelings: I hate Sammy Sosa. I hate that show he put on during the “Summer of Love” with Mark McGuire. I hate the way he carries himself, he comes off as false and phony. I hate the stupid hop after his big hits and I hate the pointing and kissing of his hands. I just find no redeemable features in Sammy Sosa whatsoever.
Milestone:
That’s right, Sammy’s homerun count stands at 588. Sammy needs only 12 homeruns to get to 600. If Sammy can hit those 12 dingers and achieve the feat of 600 home runs, he will be taken seriously by HOF voters when he is eligible. No Ranger fan wants to see this disgrace accomplish that achievement in Ranger duds.
Despite the need for a big right-handed bat, I hope he has little or no success in spring training and cut from the team or banished to AAA to fade into obscurity.
