Posted on 06/04/2003 1:47:31 PM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Baseball slugger Sammy Sosa's love affair with his fans splintered like his corked bat as former loyalists wondered if the effervescent outfielder's apology -- and his brawn -- were as phony as his stick.
"It's not just the cork in his bats, it's the steroids in his veins," Ryan Snitkowsky, a doctor sitting outside the firehouse across from storied Wrigley Field, home of Sosa's Chicago Cubs (news), said on Wednesday.
"It throws a question mark over all those home runs," pitched in firefighter Lee Yankowski.
Said fellow firefighter Neal Johnson: "The jury's still out -- what's going on with the rest of his bats?"
A pile of Sosa's bats were confiscated following the Cub's game Tuesday night to see if they were tampered with, after Sosa's shattered his bat in a first-inning groundout and umpires discovered it was hollowed out and filled with cork. They then ejected Sosa from the game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, which the Cubs went on to win by a 3-2 score.
Major League Baseball officials were almost certain to penalize the 34-year-old slugger for the serious infraction by suspending him for several games.
BIG WEEKEND SERIES
Sosa's likely suspension could dim anticipation for the coming three-game weekend series against the New York Yankees (news) that was scheduled to feature a Saturday matchup of Texas-bred pitching aces Kerry Wood of the Cubs and Roger Clemens (news) of the Yankees. Clemens is making his third start in search of his 300th career win, a feat matched by only 20 other pitchers, and prime seats were being sold by ticket brokers for upward of $1,500.
After Tuesday's game, Sosa admitted to reporters he made a "mistake" by picking up the corked bat that he has used to swat home runs in batting practice to impress the fans and provide a few souvenirs.
"I feel really bad," Sosa said. "I don't need to use this. I'm a really strong guy."
Experts say coring out a wooden bat and inserting cork or rubber lightens it, enabling the player to whip it around faster. Sosa joins an embarrassing cheater's row that haunts the careers of former players Albert Belle and Graig Nettles, who also were caught with tampered bats.
SAMMY STRIKES OUT
Guilty or not, the mighty Sosa has struck out as far as many of his fans were concerned.
"His responses to the press were a cop-out," said Scott Anna, out walking his two dogs along a tree-lined street within sight of the ballpark. "I don't know if it'll tarnish the season, but it'll hurt Sammy career."
Two former players, Ken Caminiti and Jose Canseco, charged that use of illegal steroid is rampant in the league, and Sosa's critics charge that his muscle bulk may have come from the illegal substance -- a charge Sosa has denied.
"I think it's poor sportsmanship," said Otis Anderson, a transit worker at the nearby Addison Street train stop. "He's struggling to get out of it, but hey, everybody's struggling."
Sosa is a prolific home run hitter -- he is the only player to hit 60 or more home runs in three seasons and has 505 homers so far in his career. Yet Slammin' Sammy has been stuck at six homers for the season for weeks.
Sosa, a national hero in his native Dominican Republic, may have also hurt himself as a marketing tool.
"My boss is worried ... We have thousands of dollars worth of Sosa-related merchandise in stock, and he just ordered bobble-heads (dolls) and he might be stuck with them," said Ryan Serrano at the counter at Wrigleyville Sports, where versions of Sosa's No. 21 jersey were prominently displayed.
"Dumb-ass"
If Sammy had been caught cross-dressing, smoking crack, and cheating on his wife with a 14 year-old boy, I'll bet they'd find a way to forgive him.
Fans torqued!!
So9
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