He'd certainly be a nice addition to the lineup...I wonder if the Cubs would be so desperate to trade him to us. I don't think the Cubs would demand pitching back since they have a better rotation than we do at this point anyway...maybe Lane and a prospect or two with the Cubs paying a chunk of the salary http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/3354874 The Cubs' party line is that they would be comfortable opening the season with Sammy Sosa in right field. The Mets' interest in Sosa is waning, according to published reports out of New York. But Tom Reich, one of Sosa's agents, says he still believes that Sosa will be traded — and that the team that acquires him will be getting a highly motivated player. "I think he will be traded, and I think Sammy will be one of the best pickups of the entire off-season," Reich told the Sporting News on Wednesday. "He deserves better than this. He's determined, absolutely determined — determined to remind people that he has a lot of productive time left. "People will look around and realize that this will be a helluva play. Everyone is dwelling on everything (from last season). Everyone has forgotten about everything this man has accomplished. Everyone also is living on this idea that, 'If it's Tuesday, it must be steroids.' "In my opinion, Sammy Sosa will be a very productive player, in 2005 and beyond." While Reich stopped short of saying that Sosa wants to play elsewhere, a rival general manager says that Sosa's desire for a trade is even greater than the Cubs'. The question is which team will want Sosa if the Mets are indeed out of the picture. The Tigers, Angels, Orioles, Rangers and Nationals are among the clubs that could use Sosa. The Orioles and Rangers have consistently denied interest. The Nationals would need the Cubs to pay all of Sosa's salary. But as the free-agent options dwindle — Magglio Ordonez and Jeromy Burnitz are the only remaining available sluggers — the interest in Sosa could grow. Likewise, the Cubs' motivation to trade Sosa figures to intensify as spring training draws near. Sosa feuded with manager Dusty Baker last season and walked out on the team on the season's final day. The Cubs could use the money it saved by trading Sosa to sign Ordonez or Burnitz, and perhaps acquire another bat and bullpen help in a trade. Sosa, 36, missed more than a month last season with strained ligaments in his lower back, and his .849 on-base/slugging percentage was his lowest since 1997. That figure, however, was equal to the percentages of Jose Guillen and Brian Giles, and higher than those of Chipper Jones, Jeff Bagwell, Andruw Jones and Steve Finley. For all of Sosa's troubles, his home-run rate of one every 13.7 at-bats was the seventh-best in the NL. Sosa can facilitate a deal by waiving his no-trade clause and stipulations that guarantee him additional money and security if he is sent to another team. Judging from past precedent and the nature of Sosa's contract, the Major League Baseball Players Association probably would not stand in his way if he received a contract extension in return. A deal of such complexity would require the cooperation of three parties — Sosa, the Cubs and the team that acquires him. Sosa's contract guarantees him an $18 million salary for 2006 if he is traded. It also includes a $19 million club option or $4.5 million buyout for 2007. The MLBPA generally frowns on "givebacks," but the extension would be Sosa's compensation for agreeing to the change in his contract. By waiving the '06 guarantee, he would simply be removing trade leverage that he created. If Sosa wasn't coming off a down season, a team might view the additional year on his contract as an inducement to acquire him. Sosa currently is owed a minimum of $25 million by the Cubs — $17 million for next season, a $3.5 million severance payment and a $4.5 million buyout if the club does not exercise his $18 million option for 2006. Because that $18 million becomes guaranteed only if he is traded, he probably would welcome a restructuring if he indeed wants out.
I think he's on the decline. I don't mean the normal decline of a player getting older, I mean no more steroids decline.
If we could get the Cubs to pay him 5 million of the 17 he makes this year, (where we pay 12), its a no brainer..depending on what it would take to land him. Of course, sammy would have to waive the no trade as well...you know...the all important no trade clause
Actually, he's not really a pull-hitter. A lot of his HR's end up in deep LCF, CF, or RCF (which are not gimmies at MMP). He'll be productive... but by that I mean a .268 avg. with 30+ HR's, close to a 100 RBIs, and in the top 3 in the league in strikeouts (of course, only if he stays healthy... and that's a big if). He is what he is... a 36 year old Dave Kingman-like hitter at this point.
Are you guys kidding me...This guy is still a great ball player and would be dominate in MMP... HOwever, major restructuring would have to be done...And besides, I'm sure they dont' want to tarde him to a division rival...
I think both. Please no Sosa. Temporary solution with an attitude. Actually, no way Drayton allows this to go down..thank goodness. He doesn't fit with Houston's personality. I don't want him in the clubhouse
guys, for the love of God, I think we're forgetting here that the CUBS SUCK and that Sammy So-SUCKS. No thank you, I don't want any cheaters on my team. First it's the steroids, and then the corked bat? That's ridiculous, and then he wasn't even hitting too well with the corked bat, so he can take his cheating ways elsewhere, and leave it to the GOOD GUYS! Aside from my hate, you have to consider his age, his stats have been steadily declining the past couple of seasons, he's been having more injuries (a side effect of all the steroids), and he strikes out way too much. Yea to me it is a no brainer, NO WAY do we even think about getting this clown.
Sosa's career has been in a downward spiral. In the last 4 years, his numbers have dipped big time in all the major categories. # of games played: 160, 150, 137, 126 BA: .328, .288, .279, .253 HR: 64, 49, 40, 35 RBI: 160, 108, 103, 80 OPS: 1.174, .993, .911, .849 The guy still has power, but no longer has the strike-zone judgement he once had in laying off bad pitches. He's also no longer as healthy as he used to be. His rate of decline recently has been very sharp, with no signs of a possible bounce-back year. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Lane has a better year next season than Sosa.
Rather have Burnitz at this point. Sosa (post steroids) and Burnitz are not all that different and Burnitz will play for about 12 million less.
It'll never happen. But I'd prefer him to our current opening day RF option, which appears to be Orlando Palmeiro.
i think we should have a prayer vigil for this. kinda like the guy who showed up at Union Station with a candle the night of the Beltran deal. we just pray non-stop that Sosa does not end up in an Astros uniform.
No Thanks. He appears to be in decline and still commands big dollars. I would like to see where we stand around the All Star break and if a bat is needed (which it will be) Drayton goes out and gets one. Sosa was a great talent, until they found out that part of his talent was corking his bat.
I'd take the cheater for 5 mil a year but not a penny more. No way would I give up a top prospect or even a day to day player to get him though.
A 36-yr old with a me-first attitude making $16 mil whose numbers are in a steep steep decline? Good luck with that one.
