Sosa used corked bat

[Bond]

CHICAGO -- An embarrassed Sammy Sosa apologized for using a corked bat, admitting he let down many of his fans with what he claimed was an honest mistake.

But how can one of the game's foremost power hitters repair his reputation or silence the doubters?

"It's going to be tough. Some fans are probably not too happy about it," Sosa said. "I've got to deal with that. ... I know that I lost the fans and they have been great to me. It's a mistake, and I take the blame for it."

Sosa's stunning ejection came early in the Cubs' game Tuesday night. His bat sheared in half when he hit a ground ball to second in the first inning of a 3-2 interleague victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Umpire crew chief Tim McClelland, who was working the plate, said he spotted the cork after Tampa Bay catcher Toby Hall flipped the part containing the handle at his feet.

Sosa claimed the bat that shattered and contained cork was one he uses to put on home run displays in batting practice.

"Just to put on a show for the fans. I like to make people happy and I do that in batting practice," he said.

"I was just trying to get ready and go out there and get ready for the game, and I just picked the wrong bat. I feel sorry. I just apologize to everybody."

Sosa, who gained national prominence in 1998 during his home-run race with Mark McGwire, apologized to fans, teammates and commissioner Bud Selig. Sosa's other bats were confiscated by security personnel and turned over to Major League Baseball, which has not released any statement on the incident.

Sandy Alderson, executive vice president for baseball operations, was headed to Chicago on Wednesday afternoon as were Bob Watson, vice president of on-field operations, and Rich Levin, senior vice president for public relations.

But how much will this tarnish Sosa's accomplishments?

He is No. 17 on the all-time list with 505 homers. And in a five-year stretch from 1998-2002, Sosa hit an almost mind-boggling 292 home runs.

Sosa has the most 60-homer seasons in major league history, hitting 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999 and 64 in 2001.

"Deep down in my heart, I truly believe Sammy didn't know that was in there," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "But I just hope that this event, whatever it was, doesn't tarnish his career or take away all that Sammy Sosa's done. For baseball and for Chicago."

The Cubs had runners at second and third when Sosa broke his bat with a grounder that at first appeared to drive in a run.

McClelland gathered with the other three umpires to examine the handle area of the bat. Baker came out and the umpires showed what was left of the bat to him.

Mark Grudzielanek was sent back to third base, the run was wiped off the board and Sosa was ejected as he stood in the dugout.

Cork inside a wooden bat is thought to help players hit the ball farther and is against baseball rules. Several players have been caught using altered bats in the past, including Albert Belle, Wilton Guerrero, Chris Sabo, Billy Hatcher and Graig Nettles.

All were suspended, but none had Sosa's credentials.

Umpires initially took part of the corked bat into the Cubs' dugout and down the runway toward their clubhouse before security came and took it away about an inning later, McClelland said.

McClelland said he wasn't sure what happened to the other part of the bat that was split away and landed between third and shortstop. But he said a batboy may have picked it up and took it to the dugout, or it may have been tossed into the stands.

McClelland also was the umpire who took away a home run from Kansas City's George Brett in 1983 because of excessive pine tar, a decision later reversed by AL president Lee MacPhail.

The umpire said the cork in Sosa's was clearly visible.

"I turned it over and there was a small, probably half-dollar size piece of cork in the bat right about halfway down the barrel head, I guess," he said. "It was notched in there. I felt it, and it obviously was cork, so I called the crew together. It was reminiscent of what happened about 20 years ago with me."

Sosa's bat immediately became a big topic around the major leagues.

"Unfortunately, it's a dirty mark, when you consider all he's accomplished," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "It's really unfortunate for the game. Everybody's scratching their heads right now. ... It's embarrassing. He's too good of a player. It's too bad."

Sosa just came off the disabled Friday after having the nail taken off his big right toe and missing 17 games.

Entering Tuesday, he was just 2-for-15 in his three games since coming off the DL, including one five-strikeout game in which he also had the game-winning single against Houston.

"I just hope it doesn't taint what he's done," Seattle second baseman Bret Boone said. "Corked, not corked, he's got as much power as anyone in baseball. He's probably got as much power, outside Mark McGwire, as anyone in history."

Source: ESPN

[Jason1]

Nobody but Cub fans are going to buy that ''it was my batting practice bat'' bull****. You got caught Sosa, deal with it. Sure, your probably not the only one, but dont lie to us.

[Stonecutter]

Yeah, and it would take a cardinal fan (or a white sox fan) to ignore the whole story.

Sosa had just come off of the DL. There were rumors that he would be rehabing in AAA. Sosa didn't want to go to AAA and he took BP when the cubs were in houston memorial day weekend. Sosa absolutly CRUSHED the BP balls hitting one of them off of the train tracks in left field (a HUGE shot, even in ten-run.)

So Sosa used a corked bat in BP to impress the cubs staff and to let him back on the major league club. If that was the case it was stupid not to get rid of the bat.

Now, all 76 of his bats were inspected and they were clean (of course they were clean, you don't need more than one corked bat, if it breaks you're screwed anyway) but they checked the bats in the hall (they sawed open his 498th home run bat) and that was clean too.

Is sosa guilty: Yes
Did he mean to use a corked bat in the game: Probably

Sosa had been booed after striking out 6 times before getting the game winning hit in the 16 inning astros game on sunday. He probably felt he needed something to pick him up in the short term.

Sosa is a showmen, if there's anyone who would use a bat like that in BP for the fans it would be him. If anyone could have an honest mistake like this it's him. That being said he most likely knew what he was doing. It shouldn't affect his past and I'm glad he got caught when he did.

[TheGame]

Sosa has shatterd many bats before, none of which are corked... but, he is guilty of using it now. Should we question his HR stats? Nah... but shold we question that he used it on purpose that game? Yes.

If records start getting questioned it's the end of Baseball.

[GameMaster]

Sosa is innocent. Mistakes happen to the best of us.

[The Germanator]

Sosa is gulity, but some say that corked bats really don't do all that much anyway.

[Professor S]

The issue isn't with Sosa, its with the league itself. The theory behind corked bats are that they are lighter, and therefore you can produce more bat speed and hit the ball harder (never mind the whole less-weight-behind-the-bat-therefore-it-gets-cancelled-out philosophy). Question: Exactly how hard is it to weigh all game bats before each game? Not much at all. What point is a rule if you can onlt enforce it if a bat happens to EXPLODE?

Everyone cheats, and the leaugue knows it. Thats why I laughed whan the leaugue confoscated all those bats. There was no way ANY of them would come back corked, even if they were. The league is corrupt and Bud Selig is a puppet of the players union.

When you look at the problems facing baseball, corked bats are the least of their worries

1) Steroid abuse - Some players gain 50 pounds of muscle during their careers. Not too normal.

2) Corked bats, spitters, scuffed balls, etc. They are all commonly used, thats why you rarely see anyone check on them.

And the biggest problem...

3) The UNION - Far too powerful. Salaries have escalated to the point where only the top 6 - 8 basball markets in the country can afford to be competetive. 80% of the league knows that they'll stink bfore the season even begins, so why would their fans watch or care?

Solution: Enforce the regulations in place, instead of creatign new ones that won't be enforced either and install 2 things: A salary cap and a profit sharing plan between markets like they have in the NFL. You know how much fun it is to watch the NFL because of the parity in the league? There is a reason for that.

[TheGame]

I agree, there should be a firm salary Cap like the NFL and NBA. NFL is set up were all players fit under one salary. The NBA is a very complecated system and it only allows teams to over-pay 1-2 players (and even then those players fall under a second salary cap)

Players won't stand for it, so I say let them bitch and retire. Eventually Baseball would come back around and be a much better sport.

[Jason1]

We've discussed this before, and I think everyone agrees they need a salary cap, ect.

[Professor S]

Sorry we bored you, Jason

[gekko]

Sosa's excuse doesn't pass the common sense test. You can't just magically cork a bat, you need to cut it open, which is easily noticed. And since his bat looked normal, it means he tried to hide that. You wouldn't hide it if you only used it for batting practice. In fact, if you knew what it could do for your career if you accidently used it in the game, you would probably mark it in a way so that it stands out, and you don't use it in a game.

But then again, why would you want to swing lighter bat in batting practice? You want to be used to the bat you will actually use in the game. It would be like practicing with one set of golf clubs, and playing with another.

I say fine him $50,000,000 and cut his salary in half.

And I agree, baseball would be better if the whiners left. Hell, the Twins sucked for many years, and finally did good with a team of no-names. These big name guys can go and retire, they will be replaced in time.

[Jason1]

And then theres the fact that they still havent suspended Sosa. Why? Because they want him to play when the Cubs play the Yankees this weekend on FOX, because its a big seires and all. Thats just plain stupid. I've even had Cub fans tell me that sucks that they didnt suspend him right away. And did anybody see Jimmy Kimmel live last night? They showed a clip of Jose Consaco(sp?), and he claimed that the media is targeting Sosa because he is black, and latin and that if this was an American player all this fus wouldnt be happening. Yea. Then Kimmel quickly pointed out that thats why Pete Rose is in the hall of fame.

[NYGiant]

Man the reason everybody keeps talking so much sh*t is because he's black and Dominican. How do you know it wasn't a mistake? So that means that nobody ever makes mistakes?

[Bond]

Originally posted by NYGiant
Man the reason everybody keeps talking so much sh*t is because he's black and Dominican.

[gekko]

Yep, everyone is the world is racist. You are perfect, everyone is against you. Keep telling yourself that, you'll go far in life.