So, the Cubs retired number 31 yesterday, worn by Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux. As the flags were raised on the left field foul poul, I pondered the same question I’ve been pondering for the past few years: will I ever see Sammy Sosa’s jersey number (21) flying from one of Wrigley’s foul poles?
A long-standing Cubs tradition is to fly the team’s retired jersey numbers from the foul poles in left and right field. The Cubs have retired the numbers of Ernie Banks (14), Billy Williams (26), Ron Santo (10), Ryne Sandberg (23) and, after this Sunday, Greg Maddux and Ferguson Jenkins (31).
I wonder: will Sosa, my childhood hero, ever be among this group of Cubs greats? And (perhaps more importantly) does he deserve to be?
Ten years ago, these questions would be easy to answer.
Ten years ago, all Cub fans (myself included) idolized Sosa. With good reason.
Ten years ago, we knew Sammy as the happy-go-lucky right fielder who belted long- balls and loved baseball, his fans, and his mama.
Ten years ago, Slammin’ Sammy carried the Cubs’ offense. While the Cubs continued to lose, Sosa continued to put up monstrous numbers.
A seven-time all-star, six-time silver slugger and NL MVP who hit over 60 home runs in three seasons, Sammy quickly entered the Cubs’ record books and the hearts of Cubs faithful.
However, today is not ten years ago.
In just a few years, Sammy went from loved to hated.
First, in 2003, Sosa was suspended seven games when umpires discovered cork in one of his bats. In 2004, he injured himself sneezing. The monstrous numbers he posted began to steadily decline. During the last game of the season, Sammy left the game early and abandoned his teammates. This left Cubs fans with a sour taste in their mouths.
Then, to cap it off, in 2005, despite no concrete evidence, Sosa’s name became associated with the one word in baseball that every player tries to avoid. The word that starts with “S” and rhymes with "Schmeroids." He was labeled a “cheater” and a “disgrace to the game” by fans and media around the country.
Sosa’s career in Chicago ended like a bad breakup. We were so hurt that he cheated that we wanted nothing to do with him. It was like we used a Shamwow on our brains, wiping away the stains he left on our hearts. His name practically became Voldemort– he who shall not be named. The Sosa jerseys, which were once seen everyday disappeared to the backs of our closets.
Now, why would we retire a jersey number that we've tried so hard to forget? Why would we possibly honor a guy that shattered our hearts?
If you ask me, it’s about time we get over it.
In no way do I condone the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), but I will say that I am tired of hearing about them. The baseball community needs to stop looking back at the steroid era and move forward, finding new ways to prevent the use of PEDs. The Mitchell Report (a 20-month investigation into the use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone in Major League Baseball), published in 2007, was supposed to end the steroid talks, yet I still hear a new steroid story three times a week on ESPN.
Sosa excelled during a time period in which steroids were easily attainable. No, this fact does not mean that using steroids is justified, but it does mean that, even if Sosa did use steroids, his achievements were still exceptional. Steroids don’t help your hand-eye coordination or your reaction time, steroids don’t help you read a pitch, and steroids don’t give you 609 career home runs. I’m sure Phil Hiatt, Mike Bell, Cody McKay and all the other no-names listed in the Mitchell Report would agree.
Sammy Sosa had natural baseball talent and worked hard. That’s how he went from being a poor kid playing baseball with sticks, milk cartons and rolled-up socks in the Dominican Republic to one of the greatest sluggers in MLB history. Steroids or not, Sosa would have been great.
Yes, it wasn't just steroids that tarnished Sosa's reputation. Yes, some of his actions between 2003 and 2004 were a bit questionable, but I believe his contributions to the Cubs organization and community heavily outweigh any mistakes he may have made.
Right now, Cub Nation is not ready to see Sosa's jersey retired, but twenty years from now, when I take my kids to a Cubs game, I hope that I’ll see number 21 flying with the rest of the Cubs heroes. Right where he belongs.
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