Sammy Sosa is incredulous at being left off the list of five Cubs “Hometown Heroes.”
In a wide-ranging phone interview with the Tribune from his home in Miami, the former slugger reacted to the inclusion of Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Ron Santo for the Major League Baseball promotion.
“This is supposed to be the five best players?” said Sosa, the Cubs’ all-time leading home-run hitter and the only man to hit 60 or more in three seasons.
“Let me say all of the respect that I have for [the five]. I would like to know who was the one who made that decision of the five best. I just thought I should say something about that now.
“Maybe if I had played in another city most of my career, maybe this wouldn’t affect me,” said Sosa, who spent 13 seasons with the Cubs after three with the White Sox. “But I played all of those years in Chicago. All of those glorious years.”
Sosa, who broke in with Texas in 1989 and played for Baltimore last season, added with a sarcastic laugh, “I guess I will be in the second group.”
Sosa, who splits time between his homes in the Dominican Republic and Miami, said he wanted to emphasize his love for the Chicago fans who watched him belt 66 home runs in 1998.
“The city of Chicago knows about baseball; I am not a bad player–no way, Jose,” Sosa said with a laugh. “With all the respect for Mr. Cub, my numbers can compete with everybody. When I heard that I was not on the list, I said, ‘Oh, my God.’ I was shocked and surprised. The five best players? You have to calculate my numbers.”
Sosa said he was aware of the character issues–such as using a corked bat, blaring his boombox in the clubhouse and leaving the ballpark early on the last day of the 2004 season–that created questions about him.
“But you have to understand, no matter what happened outside the field doesn’t mean people are going to forget what happened on the field,” he said. “This is my house. Fans up there supported me. I am never going to forget that.”
Sosa said he received permission from manager Dusty Baker to leave the park early when he was told he would not play in the final game of the 2004 season.
“People said I left early,” Sosa said. “I will explain to you now. I didn’t leave because I wanted to leave. I spoke to my skipper and he said, ‘No problem.’ I picked up my stuff and left. You see people do more things that are worse. I did nothing criminal. People made that a big problem.
“I had a couple of people spying on me in the parking lot. It happened, and I am a mature guy. The decisions I am making now are better.”
Asked if he thought his career numbers of 588 homers, 1,575 RBIs, 234 stolen bases and a .274 batting average were worthy of Hall of Fame selection, Sosa replied: “Without a doubt. Don’t you think those kind of numbers belong in the Hall of Fame?”
Could Sosa be back?
Sammy Sosa, 37, says he is considering returning to baseball in 2007.
“I am not going to say right now that [returning] is going to happen,” he said Monday. “But I am always in shape.”
Asked if he would consider a free-agent offer from the Cubs, Sosa said: “If anybody comes with the right offer … anybody. I don’t leave anybody out. I am thinking about it, but [’07] is a long way off.”
Sosa has 588 homers, and while he said he would like to surpass 600 homers for his career, he isn’t consumed with the notion. He added that he’s enjoyed spending time with his family traveling throughout Europe.
“I feel very, very relaxed spending time with my family,” he said. “It is a chance to regroup. I am very happy. I am living the life of Sosa.”
