Sammy Sosa has some things to say about the Cubs

[UMFan83]

Apparently Sammy Sosa had an exclusive interview with Chicago Magazine and had some critical things to say about the Cubs organization. All I can find is an excerpt of the article on the magazine's website, but the full interview is in this month's magazine, on newsstands right now. Here is the excerpt:

 

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2010/Sammy-Sosa-Speaks-Out-Against-the-Chicago-Cubs/

 

Nearly six years after his acrimonious departure from the Chicago Cubs, Sammy Sosa remains bitter over the way his relationship with the team ended. “[The Cubs] threw me into the fire,” he says in an exclusive interview with Chicago magazine. “They made [people] think I’m a monster.”

 

Sosa, who last played baseball in 2007 and now lives for much of the year in Miami, has largely been quiet since a report surfaced last year alleging he had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. In his interview with Chicago, he addresses the steroid issue only indirectly, albeit defiantly, saying, “My numbers don’t lie.” Sosa finished his career with 609 home runs, sixth on baseball’s all-time list, and is the only player ever to have hit more than 60 home runs in a season three times. Those records, he declares, “are going to stay there forever.”

 

Sosa also claims that the Cubs continue to shun him, saying, for example, that the team refused last year to let him announce his retirement from baseball at Wrigley Field.

 

The article, “Sammy Agonistes,” traces Sosa’s rise to superstardom in Chicago and his subsequent fall from grace—and explores why the once-iconic slugger remains a pariah in the city whose affection he once owned. The story appears in the September issue of Chicago magazine, on newsstands Thursday, August 19th.

 

Interesting stuff. I figured enough time had passed where the inevitable reconciliation between Sosa and the Cubs would start to materialize, but I guess that's not gonna happen anytime soon.

[rocket]

give em hell sammy

[EhDubya]

Actually Sammy, yes, your numbers do lie. You had more juice in you than a watermelon patch and on top of that got caught with cork.

 

Amazes me to no end how stubborn these guys are. Take a page from Pettite's book, be honest and most will understand, forgive, and move on. I have no sympathy for those who lie in the face of obviousness.

[bcl412]

I fell in love with the Cubs because of Sammy. Because of that I don't know if I love him or hate him.

[Magnetic Curses]

Nearly six years after his acrimonious departure from the Chicago Cubs, Sammy Sosa remains bitter over the way his relationship with the team ended. “[The Cubs] threw me into the fire, they made [people] think I’m a monster.” stated Sosa, as his steroid bloated, white-faced semi-corpse ripped the other arm off of the still-living body of a petrified villager in its underwater lair.

[SouthSideRyan]

Anything that shines the light on the embarrassing way the Cubs have handled Sosa since mid-'04 is fine by me.

[JimSorgi]

Hey guys do you think Sammy used steroids? Let's discuss this in detail plz

[Sosa21MVP]

Anything that shines the light on the embarrassing way the Cubs have handled Sosa since mid-'04 is fine by me.

 

This

[XZero771679666304]

Anything that shines the light on the embarrassing way the Cubs have handled Sosa since mid-'04 is fine by me.

 

This

[Jon]

Sorry, Sammy, but I think the Cubs belief that the wins will follow if you just do what the media and fans want is working just fine.

[erik316wttn]

Number 21 ought to be flying high on a flagpole in right field. The fact that it isn't yet is an embarrassment.

 

Way to use up a guy then spit him out and shun him once you no longer need him. He was the only guy putting butts in the seats in 1999, 2000, 2002 and now you treat him like this. Stay classy, Cubs.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I LOVED Sammy Sosa, but excuse me if I decline to bash on the Cubs for not celebrating the feats of a steroid abusing, selfish cheater by flying a retired number on the flag pole in his honor.

 

Had Sosa not started juicing, he never would have put up the numbers to have his jersey number retired. Did we use him to put fans in the seats? Sure. He used the team to get millions of extra dollars by juicing. I'm saying they are even.

[PackLandVA]

Poor decisions is a two-way street in this story.

[Old Style]

I LOVED Sammy Sosa, but excuse me if I decline to bash on the Cubs for not celebrating the feats of a steroid abusing, selfish cheater by flying a retired number on the flag pole in his honor.

 

Had Sosa not started juicing, he never would have put up the numbers to have his jersey number retired. Did we use him to put fans in the seats? Sure. He used the team to get millions of extra dollars by juicing. I'm saying they are even.

I tend to agree with you, but you're barking up the wrong tree around here. The cool people love Sammy and hate Ryno on NSBB.

[rocket]

I LOVED Sammy Sosa, but excuse me if I decline to bash on the Cubs for not celebrating the feats of a steroid abusing, selfish cheater by flying a retired number on the flag pole in his honor.

 

Had Sosa not started juicing, he never would have put up the numbers to have his jersey number retired. Did we use him to put fans in the seats? Sure. He used the team to get millions of extra dollars by juicing. I'm saying they are even.

I tend to agree with you, but you're barking up the wrong tree around here. The cool people love Sammy and hate Ryno on NSBB.

 

groupthink imo

[Guest]

I LOVED Sammy Sosa, but excuse me if I decline to bash on the Cubs for not celebrating the feats of a steroid abusing, selfish cheater by flying a retired number on the flag pole in his honor.

 

Had Sosa not started juicing, he never would have put up the numbers to have his jersey number retired. Did we use him to put fans in the seats? Sure. He used the team to get millions of extra dollars by juicing. I'm saying they are even.

I tend to agree with you, but you're barking up the wrong tree around here. The cool people love Sammy and hate Ryno on NSBB.

I think you're a bit off on your assessment of the feelings of the "cool people".

 

First off, if Sammy were angling for the manager's job, you'd see a lot more criticism there.

 

Second, you have to separate people's feelings about Sandberg the player from Sandberg the potential-manager-who-loves-talking-old-timey-baseball guy.

 

Third, you have to separate people's feelings about Sammy the ballplayer from Sammy the oddball after retirement.

 

I think it's safe to say that the majority of people here (including most of the "cool people") loved Sandberg the player, loved Sammy the player and aren't particularly fond of either post-retirement guys. But one of them draws more frequent criticism because only one of them might be manager next year.

[JimSorgi]

Number 21 ought to be flying high on a flagpole in right field. The fact that it isn't yet is an embarrassment.

Jason Marquis had some good games with us, but come on

[CubmanPi]

Number 21 ought to be flying high on a flagpole in right field. The fact that it isn't yet is an embarrassment.

Jason Marquis had some good games with us, but come on

Colvin's a lock. I think he has earned it already.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I feel like Sammy and the Cubs won't fully make up until most of the bigwigs in the front office from that time frame are gone. The Trib, McDonough and MacPhail are all gone. I'm sure Hendry is the main reason there hasn't been any reconciliation between Sammy and the organization.

[SpongeWorthy]

Is Sammy really a pariah in Chicago? If he showed up somewhere in Chicago not looking like a zombie I feel like he'd be warmly received, for the most part.

[OleMissCub]

Is Sammy really a pariah in Chicago? If he showed up somewhere in Chicago not looking like a zombie I feel like he'd be warmly received, for the most part.

 

I agree. He's still a superstar.

[shnsajax]

Is Sammy really a pariah in Chicago? If he showed up somewhere in Chicago not looking like a zombie I feel like he'd be warmly received, for the most part.

 

I agree. He's still a superstar.

 

Exactly, is there anyone on this board that would not love the chance to met him in person today?

[hardcorecubfan]

Wonder what we would think if things were different and he continued 40 homerun years when he was traded to Baltimore?

[erik316wttn]

Wonder what we would think if things were different and he continued 40 homerun years when he was traded to Baltimore?

 

I would have been happy for him. I, for one, was happy he hit his 600th home run against the Cubs. It just seemed very fitting that the Cubs were involved.

[davearm2]

I feel like Sammy and the Cubs won't fully make up until most of the bigwigs in the front office from that time frame are gone. The Trib, McDonough and MacPhail are all gone. I'm sure Hendry is the main reason there hasn't been any reconciliation between Sammy and the organization.

That doesn't fit Hendry's reputation at all.

 

Pretty much universally, players have great things to say about him and how he treats/treated them.