Sosa to Play in Japan?

[Mark Priors Calves]

I know there's been more than a fair share of Sosa threads this season but there's been discussion what will Sosa do after this season in Baltimore. Here's some speculation from Mike Kiley's in today's Sun-Times.

 

Keep your ears open around baseball, and you can hear some people speculating that former Cubs star Sammy Sosa will be lucky to get minor-league contract offers in the offseason after the poor season he has had in Baltimore. Any club offering him even $1 million to $2 million for 2006 seems a stretch.

 

So what will Sosa do? Some believe he will sign a contract to play next year in Japan, where he is still a bona fide celebrity.

 

As far as money is concerned, it appears Japan would be more lucrative for Sosa than any deal he might muster up in the majors. It could be sayonara to Sosa in the big leagues.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-kiley05.html

[UMFan83]

Wow, do they test for steroids there?

 

(Just asking...)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

wow, a player whose stock fell faster than Nomar's. :shock:

[AC036198]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Slider]

Sammy and Rickey Henderson could start a "past expiration date" league...

[AC036198]

Sammy and Rickey Henderson could start a "past expiration date" league...

Wouldn't Julio Franco belong in that group as well?

[WrigleyField 22]

Sammy and Rickey Henderson could start a "past expiration date" league...

Wouldn't Julio Franco belong in that group as well?

 

No Julio has a pretty long expiration date. He's not milk, he's more like cereal, or honey for that matter, which never spoils.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Sammy and Rickey Henderson could start a "past expiration date" league...

Wouldn't Julio Franco belong in that group as well?

 

No.

 

.287/ 9 hr/ 41 rbi/ .350 obp/ .480 slg/ .830 ops in 202 ABs.

 

He can still play.

[erik316wttn]

Let the Sammy bashing begin. :roll:

 

Personally, I wish him well in Japan. He gave me some of the best Cubs memories I ever had, and I am still thankful to him for that.

[BigbadB]

Colorado would probably be a good fit. They will be out of just about every bad contract by then, and could afford to throw a few million at Sosa. They have some talent in a semi talentless division.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Quick quiz, who was the better defensive RF, '04 Sosa or '05 Burnitz?

 

Answer: They're basically the same, Rates of 105 to 106.

[AC036198]

Colorado would probably be a good fit. They will be out of just about every bad contract by then, and could afford to throw a few million at Sosa. They have some talent in a semi talentless division.

They're completly free of Mike Hampton's and Danny Neagle's contracts after this year, but they still got this:

 

Todd Helton: 9-Year worth 141.5M- will make in 2003- 10.6M, in 2004- 11.6M, in 2005-12.6M, in 2006- 16.6M, in 2007-16.6M, in 2>008- 16.6M. in 2009-16.6M, in 2010-16.6M, in 2011- 19.1M and in 2012- Team option 23M or 4.6M buyout- + has ability to void deal after 2007 and become a Free Agent, if he notifies the team of his decision by Nov. 15, 2006- + he has a complete NO-TRADE clause- + BONUSES he has received: 25K bonus for 2004 All-Star, 25K for 2004 Gold Glove Agent: Michael Moye Service Time: 7.059

Edited September 5, 2005 by AC036198

[AC036198]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Quick quiz, who was the better defensive RF, '04 Sosa or '05 Burnitz?

 

Answer: They're basically the same, Rates of 105 to 106.

HELL NO! Burnitz is a much better fielder. He has gotten to a lot of balls that would've gotten by Sosa, and he can actually hit the cut-off man. Got to look beyond the box score, man.

[mhuber92211]

I, and probably few else, wouldn't mind Sosa returning to Chicago in '06. Imagine that homecoming and then he wins all the fans back with a monster year. It would be a nice storybook end and be a great movie.

[rocket]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Quick quiz, who was the better defensive RF, '04 Sosa or '05 Burnitz?

 

Answer: They're basically the same, Rates of 105 to 106.

HELL NO! Burnitz is a much better fielder. He has gotten to a lot of balls that would've gotten by Sosa, and he can actually hit the cut-off man. Got to look beyond the box score, man.

 

agreed, i trust your judgement instead of statistics.

[wekse]

I, and probably few else, wouldn't mind Sosa returning to Chicago in '06. Imagine that homecoming and then he wins all the fans back with a monster year. It would be a nice storybook end and be a great movie.

 

roast may be the only other person to agree with you here.

[Illini Iceman]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Quick quiz, who was the better defensive RF, '04 Sosa or '05 Burnitz?

 

Answer: They're basically the same, Rates of 105 to 106.

HELL NO! Burnitz is a much better fielder. He has gotten to a lot of balls that would've gotten by Sosa, and he can actually hit the cut-off man. Got to look beyond the box score, man.

 

agreed, i trust your judgement instead of statistics.

 

Admitedly I do not know what goes into the "Rates" that are mentioned above but it does seem to me that generally speaking the fielding stats are not nearly as reliable as the hitting or pitching stats in measuring value. I do know that I would be very surprised if anyone that watched a significant amount of Sammy last year and Burnitz this year would come to the conclusion that they are about equal defensively.

[erik316wttn]

I, and probably few else, wouldn't mind Sosa returning to Chicago in '06. Imagine that homecoming and then he wins all the fans back with a monster year. It would be a nice storybook end and be a great movie.

 

roast may be the only other person to agree with you here.

 

I'd love to see him back too. However, he's not the player he once was, and management would never have it. But I'd love to see a Sammy Sosa "farewell" tour.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I think he'll join the Rockies where he can rejuvinate his career in the thin air. Oh wait, he'd have to play OF to do so, and a big one at that, something he sucks at. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Quick quiz, who was the better defensive RF, '04 Sosa or '05 Burnitz?

 

Answer: They're basically the same, Rates of 105 to 106.

HELL NO! Burnitz is a much better fielder. He has gotten to a lot of balls that would've gotten by Sosa, and he can actually hit the cut-off man. Got to look beyond the box score, man.

 

agreed, i trust your judgement instead of statistics.

 

Admitedly I do not know what goes into the "Rates" that are mentioned above but it does seem to me that generally speaking the fielding stats are not nearly as reliable as the hitting or pitching stats in measuring value. I do know that I would be very surprised if anyone that watched a significant amount of Sammy last year and Burnitz this year would come to the conclusion that they are about equal defensively.

 

While I agree that fielding metrics are not as reliable as pitching or hitting(by nature they will always be), I'd say that I trust them more than other people's, or even my own, impressions. Different people are predisposed to certain players differently, and remember different plays differently. For example, I was surprised to find Macias was hitting nearly .300 at one juncture this year, but wasn't as surprised to find that he had only walked 3 or so times.

[AC036198]

W/ everything, you've got to look beyond the box score. The players do things that don't show up in the box score, like hustle to a ball, back up a play, hit the cutoff-masn, etc. Got to look beyond the box score.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

W/ everything, you've got to look beyond the box score. The players do things that don't show up in the box score, like hustle to a ball, back up a play, hit the cutoff-masn, etc. Got to look beyond the box score.

 

So what you're saying in a nutshell is "trust your eyes over the stats". I doubt you find Rate in any boxscore, and it's more reliable than the pliable perceptions of the individual.

[AC036198]

W/ everything, you've got to look beyond the box score. The players do things that don't show up in the box score, like hustle to a ball, back up a play, hit the cutoff-masn, etc. Got to look beyond the box score.

 

So what you're saying in a nutshell is "trust your eyes over the stats". I doubt you find Rate in any boxscore, and it's more reliable than the pliable perceptions of the individual.

Stats should be looked at, but it's not the only thing to look at.

[imb]

I, and probably few else, wouldn't mind Sosa returning to Chicago in '06. Imagine that homecoming and then he wins all the fans back with a monster year. It would be a nice storybook end and be a great movie.

 

roast may be the only other person to agree with you here.

 

I'd love to see him back too. However, he's not the player he once was, and management would never have it. But I'd love to see a Sammy Sosa "farewell" tour.

 

Me too, as long as it was more "farewell" than "tour".