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Fun fact: Sammy Sosa is the only player in MLB history with three 60+ home run seasons. Another fun fact: he did NOT lead the league in HR in either of those three seasons.
So dumb. The players and managers can’t bet on the games anyway. Pete rose was a degenerate who fixed games. And yes he would get on them to lose. Do you really think he barreled over Ray Fosse in the all star game because he “hustled” so much? The dude took out Fosse because he had a parlay for NATIONAL LEAGUE to win and the over.
The steroid era was not regrettable. Steroids saved baseball. The 1994 strike almost killed the sport. Bud Selig almost killed baseball then profited off the steroid era and is somehow in the HOF. Sosa, McGuire and Bonds all deserve to be in the HOF.
Can't just blame Sosa, you can't tell me someone in the Cubs organization didn't know this was going on and turned a blind eye as long as he was bringing in fans to Wrigley Field game after game.
and that's what's worse, this is a kids game, and with allowing these cheaters to prosper they are telling kids that it's ok to cheat as long as you are putting butts in the seats
The hypocrisy of MLB and these teams as it relates to their steroid era players is what really gets me. Everyone within MLB or simply possessing common sense was well aware of it while it was happening, and they didn't really seem to object to it when the various record races were driving TV ratings and ticket sales. And not inviting Sosa to any of their World Series stuff is unforgivable.
Sorry brodes but I don’t agree with you that this era was “regrettable” For a lot of us 90s kids it was amazing. Also let’s not act like MLB didn’t know what was going on. They turned the other way because their ratings went went up. I also can’t stand that people act like these are the first group of guys to use steroids or performance enhancing drugs. I have bad news for you, greats like Hank Aaron and even before that used stuff called “greenies” Bonds, Sosa, McGwire all belong in the hall.
I was never a Cubs fan, so I don’t know the details, but I think if there is anything Sammy has to apologize for, it was walking out on a team during a game in his last season with the Cubs. That is like giving up on his teammates that are still playing to win. I also think that shows how bad the relationship was between him and the Cubs at the time, and they never reconciled afterwards
1. A good apology involves a direct reference to what the player did wrong. Sosa didn’t include this. 2. Yes, rules were blurry back then, and I don’t necessarily agree with the dismissal of the talent that was present back then. However, I don’t agree that taking steroids doesn’t make you hit the ball further. I mean, it makes you stronger, and strength makes the ball go further provided you adapt to changes in your strength (squaring up the ball appropriately, adaptive changes in mechanics where needed, etc). 3. To anyone who romanticizes this era, please remember that the reason it’s regrettable is not just because it involved deception of fans, but because regular steroid use is bad for you, and often to others around you as well.
@@Youngstomata you’re forgetting (or are just apathetic) about the fact we’re talking about the health of actual human beings with families. Being entertained is an important thing, but it’s not the only thing.
Baseball should ditch the "Golden At Bat" idea and try the "Golden Syringe" instead. Once a game your best slugger can take an injection in the on deck circle!
Sammy didn't write that letter. A PR firm wrote it. Remember he pretended he couldn't speak English in that congressional hearing on steroids. He still doesn't admit he did anything "wrong".
Exactly! His foolish behavior during the congressional hearing was a good enough reason not to go near him again, until he showed the he could, at least, comprehend English!! 😡
It was Sosa, Maguire, & Bonds. I remember the local TV stations breaking in to their shows when they had one of their at bats to see if they were going to hit a home run and tie or break a record, or get closer to it. It was an AMAZING time to watch baseball!! They don’t need to apologize. The owners & Commissioner should thank them for bringing fans back into baseball after their ridiculous strike!!!
There is something to be said about say an FP Santangelo or a simliar marginal player, trying to hang on for another year or two to help recover from an injury. That to me is far different from already good players like Sammy, Bonds, Clemens or McGuire...who were good players before, but chasing records and millions of dollars. My opinion only...but both to me are cheating. One version just more forgivable.
It was sad because Sosa was a beloved figure at one point. He cheated as did others, in addition to the corked bats...and now he has asked for our forgiveness. I'm far from perfect and I accept and respect his words. I have been a SF Giants fan since the 70's and rooted for every Barry Bonds home run. He cheated too and in my mind should never be in the Hall of Fame. But the difference was, Bonds was and still is still honored by the team. Lets also not forget Sosa had other off the field issues.
The juice era was something else. Even if you don't like it, Bonds, Sosa and Mcgwire were the best. Today baseball feels no stars except Ohtani carrying the sport. Hope it changes and we see some resurgence( Maybe bias blinds)😢😢
Padres fan who grew up liking Greg Vaughn, Ken Caminiti, Trevor Hoffman, and Tony Gwynn here. I’m fine with how it went down. I don’t know if the administration in charge when he was shunned is no longer there for the Cubs; it’s possible the current leaders got enough flack from fans about Sammy that they decided this was the best way for both parties to handle it. I don’t think it’s a, “Cubs forgive Sammy Sosa,” thing as much as it’s a, “Millennial Cubs fans with money would like to meet Sammy Sosa,” thing.
You’re totally missing the point. This lawyered up letter means little to nothing. He was a selfish prick who walked out on everyone the last game of the 2004 season, plus the team got tired of his big loud boom box that he blasted with salsa music in the locker room. He never apologized for any of this, so the hell with him still
As a massive cubs/sammy fan, he has been in the loop for the last 6 months. He’s been to large cub fan outings and hasn’t asked for a dollar. He’s will make a nice comeback to wrigley next year
I really believe that if not for those fabulous HR races between McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds….and the great pitchers… baseball would have folded. I’m sure you are right that some of the hurlers were juiced too. This is what they were paid to do. In the long run, this wasn’t illegal when they did it…and they did it for us, the fans, the management. We have no legs to stand on and be holier than thou. We pretend there is no difference between Maris having 8 more games a season to hit 61, but give him an asterisk. We give Barry, Sammy, and Mark invisible asterisks because we didn’t see them juice up. And we ‘forget’ that Ruth’s record is tainted because he wasn’t facing the great pitchers who were forced to throw in the Negro Leagues. And we dump on Charlie Hustle for gambling, but we ignore all the money MLB makes off legal gambling now. Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays got their own Rose-ish suspensions for taking employment with an Atlantic City casino, but were eventually reinstated. Ruth was a big-time partier, drinking and womanizing, and Mantle was an alcoholic who destroyed his life and his family. It’s all bull crap. These players all deserve to be HOFers. Yes, they had moral failings. But it’s about how they played. It’s okay to recognize all their accomplishments, despite their moral issues. Give them the asterisks, note their mistakes and study them. They all deserve the Hall. We used them all to entertain us, but threw them all away after they hung up the gloves. We own their mistakes. They played for all of us. Without all of them, there would have been no Athletics or Rays or White Sox or Mets or Yankees or Dodgers last year, for good or bad. Our mistakes are less public than theirs, but there’s no reason to sweep them under the rug. These players all wanted to win. They didn’t throw games on purpose. They didn’t murder anybody. It’s time to stop pretending they are in the same levels of evil. Embrace them, warts and all.
I think it's kinda silly how the Cubs handled it. Take the Red Sox reconnect with Roger Clemens. Clemens has NOT been convicted of anything, yet he's not in the MLB HOF either. The Red Sox reconnected with Roger after he retired and he's been attending Red Sox fan events/club functions and even at Spring Training over the past 10+ years. He's a great resource and can teach a LOT of wisdom gained with 7 Cy Youngs, 2 World Series that I don't acknowledge...LOL Yankees...BLAH. Even more so, with the social media side...players can connect directly with fans about these questions/events, etc. Roger has played it smart avoiding the stupid things and being himself....damn he's funny! I don't know if Sammy has followed the social media side....but I know Sammy is also funny...and could play that as well as teach some of the Cubs players things. I hope Sammy is more involved with the Cubs and MLB soon!
Different organizations have handled their former PED stars in many different ways. It seemed like the Giants from early on felt it was in their best interest to keep Barry Bonds happy. The Dodgers went a looong time without having Eric Gagne return for any official events but thankfully recently he’s been back (he’s my all-time favorite pitcher). And of course the Astros and Roger Clemens seemed to have stayed friendly but I’m not really sure how the Red Sox have handled him.
As a Cubs fan, I think a lot of it has to do with how he left the team. It's been a long standing tradition for the players to go out on the field after the final home game to thank and acknowledge the fans. Sammy left Wrigley before the game was over and that didn't sit well. This was one of the mistakes that the team probably felt he needed to apologize for.
Brodie the Cubs need to take advantage of the turmoil in MLB Tampa Bay and the crazy A's and toss in Phoenix DBacks. Good for Sammy and Baseball. Sammy did what he thought would give him that little extra to keep playing at the level he was used to grinding out every season. It is a step in the right direction for both Sammy and the Cubs. It was a time that will forever be a question mark regarding the player ability vs chemical boost and organizational looking the other way. Glad to see something positive is happening.
I’ve said this for years. MLB clubs and the league itself raked in the cash on the backs of guys like Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire after the 94 strike damn near killed the game. They knew what was going on but they weren’t gonna kill the golden goose. Then when the game came back to the level it was before 94, the league and teams couldn’t wait to throw these guys under a steamroller when they weren’t needed anymore. The MLB and its clubs are just as complicit in this as much as the players are. Baseball is a dirty game and always has been, but some fans and the baseball writers have this rose tinted glasses holier than thou attitude about baseball. Like this game is this sacred and pure sport, there’s always been dirty stuff in baseball. If some fans don’t believe my statement, go read a book, open your eyes.
Yes. I as a Chicago Cubs fan, I wanted him to acknowledged he made a mistake. It WAS cheating, despite what you think / believe. This a great first step and I will welcome him back with open arms now.
Sammy never needed to apologize to us fans. We bleacher bums in right still loved watching him sprint out there. He'll get a massive ovation at the Cubs Convention. Cant wait.
Please don't try to justify this. The people you mentioned got punished because they got caught. Cheating is cheating. If it's a one off that's one thing. But it wasn't a one off.
Fans and media are to blame. We get all over athletes for "load management", but then when they take something that helps them get through a season we act like they are ruining the integrity of the game. Baseball's entire history is a celebration of different ways to cheat.
Steroids wont help me hit more home runs ir any home runs at all but a seasoned player who can hit the 100 mph fastballs, it will add more distance to land the ball over the fence
The steroid era saved baseball, owners knew what was going on and now they act like angels and place judgement on them while their pockets became full from that era.
Let’s not forget the ownership of the Cubs was different than the present ownership. I lived in or near Chicago all during that time period. The Tribune Corp got a “black eye” with the corked bat and the steroid use. It was not uncommon to hear a fan compare the Cubs teams of that period, once things were revealed, with the “Black Sox.” As a Cardinals fan all through that era, I have mixed thoughts about McGuire’s record, too. I think you’re correct, this is all together odd. I can’t help but wonder how much present ownership insisted on this in order for Sosa be invited back to Cubs events. Fans have been asking for Sosa to be invited back to these types of events. Make me scratch my head … lots of that in baseball right now.
Even if I wasn't old enough to have seen him play live, Hank Aaron was one of my baseball heroes. Just seeing him hit number 715 on video as a kid, it was just magical to me. Having that record taken away, having that moment become less significant because of someone's ego (someone who didn't even hit 50 HR hit 73 at age 36), not because of natural accomplishment, was so tough to experience. The worst part was we all knew he cheated, and we could only watch helplessly as the record was being taken down. There was nothing we could do about it. Not everyone in the era cheated (ex: Ken Griffey Jr). That's why I feel our only recompense for this is that they're not in the Hall of Fame. You can have all of these increased numbers, the records, you can have all that; but the one thing you can't have is recognition as a Hall of Famer. At least we have that.
I"m 44 but watching old footage of Aaron was amazing (I"m glad I grew up with the emergence of cable TV ESPN showed tons of old games back in the day), and Growing up in the 90's Griffey was something else. I wasn't a Mariners fan, but I was a Jr fan. I wished every trade deadline that he would be traded to the Cubs so we could see him do his thing at Wrigley when the winds were blowing out (I've been a Cubs fan since 1984, and lived in California a major majority of my life). I think Jr was all natural, he didn't look bulked up like the rest of them. I would be ok with Hall of Fame if they had a wing dedicated to the Steroid Era for kids to learn that while it might help in the shortrun cheating and using PED's isn't the answer, and all their records having Asterisks next to them, to show that those records aren't clean.
Not sure steroids were the issue with Sammy like they were with Barry Bonds. What was the issue IMHO was the corked bat incident. Had Sammy not broken his bat and saying (if my memory serves correctly) that he never used a corked bat in any MLB game but only during batting practices “for the fans entertainment” he probably would have made it into the HOF, or at least made it into the HOF ballot. Considering MLB’s recent bungling of the Astros cheating scandal (go ahead, get caught red handed cheating to win a WS title, we won’t do anything!) but don’t bet on sports or use a corked bat during batting practice cuz that gives baseball a bad reputation. Cubs, and MLB, can do so much better.
Apologize for what?? He never mentioned steriods in his statement. You would think that pitchers would benefit more with all the stress their pitching arms go through.
Anyone who was caught during this era should have been ejected from the game and banned for life. Period. No recourse. Everyone else who was doing the same thing should NOT be left off the hook.
This is a man who bashed in a boombox and also corked a bat. We all make mistakes. However, he left Chicago on a very bad note and for those of us that do remember Sosa as a player, I'm not sure we all agree that he should be let back into the fold.
I agree 100% with you!!! Everyone makes mistakes, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Your sins and mistakes dont define who you are. It's what you do and how you handle yourself afterward that define who you are.
Steroids don't make non talented people talented. It makes non talented people jealous. Case and study. Body building. Skinny dudes take steroids. They ain't getting big. It's just dumb. They should let all these guys keep a certain level of t.
Roided up players did more damage to MLB than any player who ever bet on baseball ever did. Yet betters get a lifetime ban, and 'roided cheaters get excused.
I miss this era!!! It was exciting and must watch tv in the 90s …. I guess we all forgot the Sosa-McGwire HR chase?? Bonds home runs to Mcovey Cove with Duane Kuiper’s epic calls? MLB baseball now is just blahhhhhh … it’s basically a sedative to put me to sleep 😴… sad, but I at least got to witness that great era 🤜🏼🤛🏼
I never hear would ruth have hit 900 hrs on steroids. Did steroids increase the stats. Please address this. If they going to hall of fame you must add adjusted hr tools to other players as though they were on steroids. The truth please.
Sosa definitely been treated like shit by the cubs for whatever reason, yeah he was most likely juiced at some point but they all were and you don't see bonds being disowned by the giants or McGwire with the cardinals.
Big time disagree on the assumption that every player in that era was "Juiced" is insulting to the entire game. Are you gonna say Cal Ripken jr only played all those games because of steroids? Sammy is a P.O.S. garbage human being on and off the field and Cubs fans won't forget that.
Sosa’s “apology” was so pathetic. He didn’t even mention the word steroids. His elusively worded “apology” was just another lie. Did he not use the word cause he thinks he might fool someone? When will these PED users just own what they did? I’m not feeling sorry for Sosa, I’m pretty sure he’s living in high luxury which he secured by cheating the fans, his fellow players and all of baseball.
I feel like MLB knew players were taking steroids. I say let him come back, and while we’re at it then let Pete Rose in the hall of fame. It’s beyond time that MLB gets forgiven
Are you OKAY with how this went down?
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Fun fact: Sammy Sosa is the only player in MLB history with three 60+ home run seasons. Another fun fact: he did NOT lead the league in HR in either of those three seasons.
EXACTLY.
Why couldn’t we do this for Pete Rose ;_;. MLB FULLY EMBRACES GAMBLING NOW.
Rose repeatedly lied. That’s why he will never be in the HOF.
So dumb. The players and managers can’t bet on the games anyway. Pete rose was a degenerate who fixed games. And yes he would get on them to lose. Do you really think he barreled over Ray Fosse in the all star game because he “hustled” so much? The dude took out Fosse because he had a parlay for NATIONAL LEAGUE to win and the over.
Some people not being old enough to watch Sammy made me feel old
THE FUTURE IS NOW OLD MAAAAAAAAAAAAN
The steroid era was not regrettable. Steroids saved baseball. The 1994 strike almost killed the sport. Bud Selig almost killed baseball then profited off the steroid era and is somehow in the HOF. Sosa, McGuire and Bonds all deserve to be in the HOF.
Can't just blame Sosa, you can't tell me someone in the Cubs organization didn't know this was going on and turned a blind eye as long as he was bringing in fans to Wrigley Field game after game.
and that's what's worse, this is a kids game, and with allowing these cheaters to prosper they are telling kids that it's ok to cheat as long as you are putting butts in the seats
The hypocrisy of MLB and these teams as it relates to their steroid era players is what really gets me. Everyone within MLB or simply possessing common sense was well aware of it while it was happening, and they didn't really seem to object to it when the various record races were driving TV ratings and ticket sales. And not inviting Sosa to any of their World Series stuff is unforgivable.
This is really disgusting, making Sosa beg like this. But I appreciate Brodie’s nuanced coverage
Sorry brodes but I don’t agree with you that this era was “regrettable”
For a lot of us 90s kids it was amazing. Also let’s not act like MLB didn’t know what was going on. They turned the other way because their ratings went went up.
I also can’t stand that people act like these are the first group of guys to use steroids or performance enhancing drugs. I have bad news for you, greats like Hank Aaron and even before that used stuff called “greenies”
Bonds, Sosa, McGwire all belong in the hall.
The Cubs certainly looked the other way when Sammy was belting one homer after another. Maybe they should apologize to Sammy.
I remember those home run chase seasons. It was a great time to be a baseball fan.
I was never a Cubs fan, so I don’t know the details, but I think if there is anything Sammy has to apologize for, it was walking out on a team during a game in his last season with the Cubs. That is like giving up on his teammates that are still playing to win.
I also think that shows how bad the relationship was between him and the Cubs at the time, and they never reconciled afterwards
1. A good apology involves a direct reference to what the player did wrong. Sosa didn’t include this.
2. Yes, rules were blurry back then, and I don’t necessarily agree with the dismissal of the talent that was present back then. However, I don’t agree that taking steroids doesn’t make you hit the ball further. I mean, it makes you stronger, and strength makes the ball go further provided you adapt to changes in your strength (squaring up the ball appropriately, adaptive changes in mechanics where needed, etc).
3. To anyone who romanticizes this era, please remember that the reason it’s regrettable is not just because it involved deception of fans, but because regular steroid use is bad for you, and often to others around you as well.
Baseball is entertainment. If juice was still legal it’d be way way more entertaining
@@Youngstomata you’re forgetting (or are just apathetic) about the fact we’re talking about the health of actual human beings with families. Being entertained is an important thing, but it’s not the only thing.
@@mrwhirly0358 you're technically both right.
Sosa, McGuire, Bonds, Giambi. What an era!
Baseball should ditch the "Golden At Bat" idea and try the "Golden Syringe" instead. Once a game your best slugger can take an injection in the on deck circle!
Sammy didn't write that letter. A PR firm wrote it. Remember he pretended he couldn't speak English in that congressional hearing on steroids. He still doesn't admit he did anything "wrong".
Exactly! His foolish behavior during the congressional hearing was a good enough reason not to go near him again, until he showed the he could, at least, comprehend English!! 😡
He didn’t pretend to not speak English, he was under oath, you try talking in front of congress in your second language
Like most things in life..there is blame on both sides. I always like to see reconciliation though so I was happy to see this.
It was Sosa, Maguire, & Bonds. I remember the local TV stations breaking in to their shows when they had one of their at bats to see if they were going to hit a home run and tie or break a record, or get closer to it. It was an AMAZING time to watch baseball!! They don’t need to apologize. The owners & Commissioner should thank them for bringing fans back into baseball after their ridiculous strike!!!
There is something to be said about say an FP Santangelo or a simliar marginal player, trying to hang on for another year or two to help recover from an injury. That to me is far different from already good players like Sammy, Bonds, Clemens or McGuire...who were good players before, but chasing records and millions of dollars. My opinion only...but both to me are cheating. One version just more forgivable.
It was sad because Sosa was a beloved figure at one point. He cheated as did others, in addition to the corked bats...and now he has asked for our forgiveness. I'm far from perfect and I accept and respect his words. I have been a SF Giants fan since the 70's and rooted for every Barry Bonds home run. He cheated too and in my mind should never be in the Hall of Fame. But the difference was, Bonds was and still is still honored by the team. Lets also not forget Sosa had other off the field issues.
Sosa's behaviour during the congressional hearing has a lot to do with why he was shunned the way he was before.
The juice era was something else. Even if you don't like it, Bonds, Sosa and Mcgwire were the best. Today baseball feels no stars except Ohtani carrying the sport. Hope it changes and we see some resurgence( Maybe bias blinds)😢😢
DEFINITELY BIAS BLINDS!!
I'll never understand why Pudge Rodriguez was different, why he got a free pass. So inconsistent.
same with Nolan Ryan, Pujols and Big Papi
Padres fan who grew up liking Greg Vaughn, Ken Caminiti, Trevor Hoffman, and Tony Gwynn here. I’m fine with how it went down. I don’t know if the administration in charge when he was shunned is no longer there for the Cubs; it’s possible the current leaders got enough flack from fans about Sammy that they decided this was the best way for both parties to handle it. I don’t think it’s a, “Cubs forgive Sammy Sosa,” thing as much as it’s a, “Millennial Cubs fans with money would like to meet Sammy Sosa,” thing.
Say what you want about the steroid era , but the facts are it saved the game of baseball that was dying at the time .
History won't reflect kindly on the Cubs' treatment of Sammy
You’re totally missing the point. This lawyered up letter means little to nothing. He was a selfish prick who walked out on everyone the last game of the 2004 season, plus the team got tired of his big loud boom box that he blasted with salsa music in the locker room. He never apologized for any of this, so the hell with him still
As a massive cubs/sammy fan, he has been in the loop for the last 6 months. He’s been to large cub fan outings and hasn’t asked for a dollar. He’s will make a nice comeback to wrigley next year
Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Clemens, A Rod, Manny Ramirez all deserve to get in
I really believe that if not for those fabulous HR races between McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds….and the great pitchers… baseball would have folded. I’m sure you are right that some of the hurlers were juiced too.
This is what they were paid to do. In the long run, this wasn’t illegal when they did it…and they did it for us, the fans, the management.
We have no legs to stand on and be holier than thou. We pretend there is no difference between Maris having 8 more games a season to hit 61, but give him an asterisk. We give
Barry, Sammy, and Mark invisible asterisks because we didn’t see them juice up. And we ‘forget’ that Ruth’s record is tainted because he wasn’t facing the great pitchers who were forced to throw in the Negro Leagues. And we dump on Charlie Hustle for gambling, but we ignore all the money MLB makes off legal gambling now.
Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays got their own Rose-ish suspensions for taking employment with an Atlantic City casino, but were eventually reinstated.
Ruth was a big-time partier, drinking and womanizing, and Mantle was an alcoholic who destroyed his life and his family.
It’s all bull crap. These players all deserve to be HOFers. Yes, they had moral failings. But it’s about how they played.
It’s okay to recognize all their accomplishments, despite their moral issues. Give them the asterisks, note their mistakes and study them. They all deserve the Hall.
We used them all to entertain us, but threw them all away after they hung up the gloves. We own their mistakes. They played for all of us. Without all of them, there would have been no Athletics or Rays or White Sox or Mets or Yankees or Dodgers last year, for good or bad.
Our mistakes are less public than theirs, but there’s no reason to sweep them under the rug. These players all wanted to win.
They didn’t throw games on purpose. They didn’t murder anybody. It’s time to stop pretending they are in the same levels of evil. Embrace them, warts and all.
That is classless. Can you imagine the Giants shunning Barry and waiting for an apology
I think it's kinda silly how the Cubs handled it. Take the Red Sox reconnect with Roger Clemens. Clemens has NOT been convicted of anything, yet he's not in the MLB HOF either. The Red Sox reconnected with Roger after he retired and he's been attending Red Sox fan events/club functions and even at Spring Training over the past 10+ years. He's a great resource and can teach a LOT of wisdom gained with 7 Cy Youngs, 2 World Series that I don't acknowledge...LOL Yankees...BLAH. Even more so, with the social media side...players can connect directly with fans about these questions/events, etc. Roger has played it smart avoiding the stupid things and being himself....damn he's funny! I don't know if Sammy has followed the social media side....but I know Sammy is also funny...and could play that as well as teach some of the Cubs players things. I hope Sammy is more involved with the Cubs and MLB soon!
Different organizations have handled their former PED stars in many different ways. It seemed like the Giants from early on felt it was in their best interest to keep Barry Bonds happy. The Dodgers went a looong time without having Eric Gagne return for any official events but thankfully recently he’s been back (he’s my all-time favorite pitcher). And of course the Astros and Roger Clemens seemed to have stayed friendly but I’m not really sure how the Red Sox have handled him.
The scrubs are treating Sammy Sosa similarly to how the New York Knicks did Charles Oakley a few years ago. Smh
As a Cubs fan, I think a lot of it has to do with how he left the team. It's been a long standing tradition for the players to go out on the field after the final home game to thank and acknowledge the fans. Sammy left Wrigley before the game was over and that didn't sit well. This was one of the mistakes that the team probably felt he needed to apologize for.
I remember that.
Brodie the Cubs need to take advantage of the turmoil in MLB Tampa Bay and the crazy A's and toss in Phoenix DBacks. Good for Sammy and Baseball. Sammy did what he thought would give him that little extra to keep playing at the level he was used to grinding out every season. It is a step in the right direction for both Sammy and the Cubs. It was a time that will forever be a question mark regarding the player ability vs chemical boost and organizational looking the other way. Glad to see something positive is happening.
That’s good to hear that he apologize
I’ve said this for years. MLB clubs and the league itself raked in the cash on the backs of guys like Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire after the 94 strike damn near killed the game. They knew what was going on but they weren’t gonna kill the golden goose. Then when the game came back to the level it was before 94, the league and teams couldn’t wait to throw these guys under a steamroller when they weren’t needed anymore. The MLB and its clubs are just as complicit in this as much as the players are. Baseball is a dirty game and always has been, but some fans and the baseball writers have this rose tinted glasses holier than thou attitude about baseball. Like this game is this sacred and pure sport, there’s always been dirty stuff in baseball. If some fans don’t believe my statement, go read a book, open your eyes.
Yes. I as a Chicago Cubs fan, I wanted him to acknowledged he made a mistake. It WAS cheating, despite what you think / believe.
This a great first step and I will welcome him back with open arms now.
I remember the half hop in Wrigley that went off the top of the ivy. Sosa was amazing to watch
McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds, at one point, all wore number 25. As did Rafael Palmeiro.
You should have mentioned Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez.
Facts. I only knew about Sammy Sosa was because of Backyard Baseball
Sammy never needed to apologize to us fans. We bleacher bums in right still loved watching him sprint out there. He'll get a massive ovation at the Cubs Convention. Cant wait.
Please don't try to justify this. The people you mentioned got punished because they got caught. Cheating is cheating. If it's a one off that's one thing. But it wasn't a one off.
SOSA WILL ALWAYS BE A CUBBIE !!!!! HOPE TOO SEE HIM AT THE CONVENTION
Wow Brodie now a bonds apologist 😅😅. Man you really became an orange turncoat bro
Ricketts had previously said Sammy had to apologize before the org would welcome him back
Baseball was way more fun for me before the infamous steroid era. With that said, I do forgive all of the players who cheated, including Mr. Sosa.
Fans and media are to blame. We get all over athletes for "load management", but then when they take something that helps them get through a season we act like they are ruining the integrity of the game. Baseball's entire history is a celebration of different ways to cheat.
Steroids wont help me hit more home runs ir any home runs at all but a seasoned player who can hit the 100 mph fastballs, it will add more distance to land the ball over the fence
Hey Brodie... let's just say that Sammy got the Michael Jackson treatment now....Sammy aint the Sammy in your OTS anymore
That doesn’t affect the game though.
The steroid era saved baseball, owners knew what was going on and now they act like angels and place judgement on them while their pockets became full from that era.
Let’s not forget the ownership of the Cubs was different than the present ownership. I lived in or near Chicago all during that time period. The Tribune Corp got a “black eye” with the corked bat and the steroid use. It was not uncommon to hear a fan compare the Cubs teams of that period, once things were revealed, with the “Black Sox.” As a Cardinals fan all through that era, I have mixed thoughts about McGuire’s record, too. I think you’re correct, this is all together odd. I can’t help but wonder how much present ownership insisted on this in order for Sosa be invited back to Cubs events. Fans have been asking for Sosa to be invited back to these types of events. Make me scratch my head … lots of that in baseball right now.
Even if I wasn't old enough to have seen him play live, Hank Aaron was one of my baseball heroes. Just seeing him hit number 715 on video as a kid, it was just magical to me. Having that record taken away, having that moment become less significant because of someone's ego (someone who didn't even hit 50 HR hit 73 at age 36), not because of natural accomplishment, was so tough to experience. The worst part was we all knew he cheated, and we could only watch helplessly as the record was being taken down. There was nothing we could do about it. Not everyone in the era cheated (ex: Ken Griffey Jr). That's why I feel our only recompense for this is that they're not in the Hall of Fame. You can have all of these increased numbers, the records, you can have all that; but the one thing you can't have is recognition as a Hall of Famer. At least we have that.
I"m 44 but watching old footage of Aaron was amazing (I"m glad I grew up with the emergence of cable TV ESPN showed tons of old games back in the day), and Growing up in the 90's Griffey was something else. I wasn't a Mariners fan, but I was a Jr fan. I wished every trade deadline that he would be traded to the Cubs so we could see him do his thing at Wrigley when the winds were blowing out (I've been a Cubs fan since 1984, and lived in California a major majority of my life).
I think Jr was all natural, he didn't look bulked up like the rest of them. I would be ok with Hall of Fame if they had a wing dedicated to the Steroid Era for kids to learn that while it might help in the shortrun cheating and using PED's isn't the answer, and all their records having Asterisks next to them, to show that those records aren't clean.
He left it all in the needle he meant. Stop excusing the roid heads
That was no apology.
Not sure steroids were the issue with Sammy like they were with Barry Bonds. What was the issue IMHO was the corked bat incident. Had Sammy not broken his bat and saying (if my memory serves correctly) that he never used a corked bat in any MLB game but only during batting practices “for the fans entertainment” he probably would have made it into the HOF, or at least made it into the HOF ballot. Considering MLB’s recent bungling of the Astros cheating scandal (go ahead, get caught red handed cheating to win a WS title, we won’t do anything!) but don’t bet on sports or use a corked bat during batting practice cuz that gives baseball a bad reputation. Cubs, and MLB, can do so much better.
For some reason, I dont recognize the guy in your thumbnail... if ya know what I'm sayin'...
So you've never heard of Roger Clemens? Wasn't he a pitcher?
Roids, corked bat. What a all-star.
Apologize for what?? He never mentioned steriods in his statement. You would think that pitchers would benefit more with all the stress their pitching arms go through.
What do you think he apologized for? I mean....He apologized for something.
Anyone who was caught during this era should have been ejected from the game and banned for life. Period. No recourse. Everyone else who was doing the same thing should NOT be left off the hook.
The league knew about it and let it happen due to ratings. Nit blaming the players fully.
@ The league folks with direct knowledge should be fired and banned for life too
We're not here to talk about the past ha ha! Let's build more and more stadiums at taxpayer expense.
This is a man who bashed in a boombox and also corked a bat. We all make mistakes. However, he left Chicago on a very bad note and for those of us that do remember Sosa as a player, I'm not sure we all agree that he should be let back into the fold.
I agree 100% with you!!! Everyone makes mistakes, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Your sins and mistakes dont define who you are. It's what you do and how you handle yourself afterward that define who you are.
I completley agree
Steroids don't make non talented people talented. It makes non talented people jealous. Case and study. Body building. Skinny dudes take steroids. They ain't getting big. It's just dumb. They should let all these guys keep a certain level of t.
And Sammy sosa also play in the minor league for the Vancouver Canadians
Steroid era was the best era.
Roided up players did more damage to MLB than any player who ever bet on baseball ever did. Yet betters get a lifetime ban, and 'roided cheaters get excused.
This seems weird and just a power trip by their ownership. The Cubs have honored other guys who were part of the steroid era
He still hasn’t come clean! Cheater for life. Never admitted he took PED’s.
Steroid era was exciting to watch!
I miss this era!!! It was exciting and must watch tv in the 90s …. I guess we all forgot the Sosa-McGwire HR chase?? Bonds home runs to Mcovey Cove with Duane Kuiper’s epic calls? MLB baseball now is just blahhhhhh … it’s basically a sedative to put me to sleep 😴… sad, but I at least got to witness that great era 🤜🏼🤛🏼
alot prayers take drug in that era. Baseball was fun there.
I never hear would ruth have hit 900 hrs on steroids. Did steroids increase the stats. Please address this. If they going to hall of fame you must add adjusted hr tools to other players as though they were on steroids. The truth please.
Sosa definitely been treated like shit by the cubs for whatever reason, yeah he was most likely juiced at some point but they all were and you don't see bonds being disowned by the giants or McGwire with the cardinals.
Sammy's new look is uh....interesting
Big time disagree on the assumption that every player in that era was "Juiced" is insulting to the entire game. Are you gonna say Cal Ripken jr only played all those games because of steroids? Sammy is a P.O.S. garbage human being on and off the field and Cubs fans won't forget that.
I can excuse the steroid usage - it was part of that era. What I WON'T excuse is the decades of lying about it.
and the corked bats he was using
what a joke, leave him alone
Drugs to “feel more like himself”? Sorry but that sounds like a junky’s rationalization. Apologies are part of the 12 steps.
Need to show a recent picture of Sosa. He bleached himself white.
Sosa’s “apology” was so pathetic. He didn’t even mention the word steroids. His elusively worded “apology” was just another lie. Did he not use the word cause he thinks he might fool someone? When will these PED users just own what they did? I’m not feeling sorry for Sosa, I’m pretty sure he’s living in high luxury which he secured by cheating the fans, his fellow players and all of baseball.
Javy Lopez
A Beautiful Story of Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
Boo Hoo, he shouldn't have cheated both with the Steroids and the Corked Bats. He should have been ostracized from the team and organization.
Why are you making excuses for him?
Who are you and what did you do to the real Brodie?
Yeah, I had a WTF moment
what do you mean?
Sammy's white now. 😂
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@brodiebrazil sympathizing with him rather than the ones who never had a career because they didn't follow in his footsteps seems a bit upside down.
He could have done it at any time post-retirement. It's all on him for cheating. That you try to excuse it is a minus in your book, Brodie.
Thank you for this. Gen-X should remember that Mac & Sosa took MLB off life support!
yeah I tried, but didn't probably explain that part enough... baseball needed them back then
What a shame for the Cubs organization. Sosa played in some bad teams and was always the one dependable player to give it all.
I feel like MLB knew players were taking steroids. I say let him come back, and while we’re at it then let Pete Rose in the hall of fame. It’s beyond time that MLB gets forgiven
Baseball in entertainment. Bring back steroids. I want to watch juiced monsters hit 500 foot dingers again