Special to the Tribune
October 31, 2004, 12:20 AM CDT
Upon returning to his winter home in the Dominican Republic, Sammy Sosa said he was humiliated when Cubs manager Dusty Baker dropped him to sixth in the batting order last season, even though he didn't protest at the time.
He also said he wants to play "at least another five or six seasons" so he can hit more than 700 home runs.
"I'm not a sixth batter," Sosa told Hoy newspaper Saturday in Santo Domingo. "I'm a cleanup hitter, or third, because I've earned that right with almost 600 career home runs (574)."
However, when Sosa was dropped to sixth?for the first time since June 10, 1994?in the lineup before a Sept. 11 game against Florida, he said, "I don't have a problem with it. If it helps the ballclub, it's OK with me. It doesn't matter where I hit."
He responded that day by going 2-for-4 with a game-tying single. Sosa was in a prolonged slump at the time after returning from bursitis in his hip and a stint on the disabled list with a bad back caused by sneezing.
Baker had criticized him for not changing his batting stance, he was being booed late in the season at Wrigley Field and he finished batting sixth.
On the final day he arrived late at the ballpark and left just a few minutes after the start of the game, for which he was fined a day's pay ($87,500).
"I know I screwed up and I can assure you that I've asked for forgiveness," Sosa told Hoy. "But I also need to say that I felt poorly treated.
"So many things happened I was in shock. I needed to rest that day because I wasn't going to be able to give it my best."
As the season drew to a close, Sosa had gone into a shell and looked emotionally spent, although he never said he had been "poorly treated."
On the day he hit his 30th home run for a 10th straight season?something only two other players have done?Sosa talked cryptically about not only the physical pain of the season but the emotional one as well.
"If they let me play, I'm going to produce," he said then. "Let me play and I will do the job I always do. Sometimes it's hard to play with so many distractions. ? About the only way you can produce and help the team is if you play without distractions."
At 35 he played in only 126 games. He had his lowest batting average since 1997 at .253, hit only 35 homers and drove in 80 runs, which ended a run of nine straight seasons of 100 or more RBIs.
Sosa's brooding during the season and his early exit from the finale has left the Cubs reportedly seeking a trade. And while they decline to comment, reports from New York have the Mets interested. But any trade is complicated because Sosa would be guaranteed $18 million for 2006 if he were dealt.
The Cubs also may be surprised to hear he plans on playing longer than that, although most likely not for them.
"I'm going to play at least another five or six seasons, hitting 35 home runs a year," he told Hoy. "That would allow me to finish with 700 home runs."
Copyright ? 2004, The Chicago Tribune
October 31, 2004, 12:20 AM CDT
Upon returning to his winter home in the Dominican Republic, Sammy Sosa said he was humiliated when Cubs manager Dusty Baker dropped him to sixth in the batting order last season, even though he didn't protest at the time.
He also said he wants to play "at least another five or six seasons" so he can hit more than 700 home runs.
"I'm not a sixth batter," Sosa told Hoy newspaper Saturday in Santo Domingo. "I'm a cleanup hitter, or third, because I've earned that right with almost 600 career home runs (574)."
However, when Sosa was dropped to sixth?for the first time since June 10, 1994?in the lineup before a Sept. 11 game against Florida, he said, "I don't have a problem with it. If it helps the ballclub, it's OK with me. It doesn't matter where I hit."
He responded that day by going 2-for-4 with a game-tying single. Sosa was in a prolonged slump at the time after returning from bursitis in his hip and a stint on the disabled list with a bad back caused by sneezing.
Baker had criticized him for not changing his batting stance, he was being booed late in the season at Wrigley Field and he finished batting sixth.
On the final day he arrived late at the ballpark and left just a few minutes after the start of the game, for which he was fined a day's pay ($87,500).
"I know I screwed up and I can assure you that I've asked for forgiveness," Sosa told Hoy. "But I also need to say that I felt poorly treated.
"So many things happened I was in shock. I needed to rest that day because I wasn't going to be able to give it my best."
As the season drew to a close, Sosa had gone into a shell and looked emotionally spent, although he never said he had been "poorly treated."
On the day he hit his 30th home run for a 10th straight season?something only two other players have done?Sosa talked cryptically about not only the physical pain of the season but the emotional one as well.
"If they let me play, I'm going to produce," he said then. "Let me play and I will do the job I always do. Sometimes it's hard to play with so many distractions. ? About the only way you can produce and help the team is if you play without distractions."
At 35 he played in only 126 games. He had his lowest batting average since 1997 at .253, hit only 35 homers and drove in 80 runs, which ended a run of nine straight seasons of 100 or more RBIs.
Sosa's brooding during the season and his early exit from the finale has left the Cubs reportedly seeking a trade. And while they decline to comment, reports from New York have the Mets interested. But any trade is complicated because Sosa would be guaranteed $18 million for 2006 if he were dealt.
The Cubs also may be surprised to hear he plans on playing longer than that, although most likely not for them.
"I'm going to play at least another five or six seasons, hitting 35 home runs a year," he told Hoy. "That would allow me to finish with 700 home runs."
Copyright ? 2004, The Chicago Tribune
