Baseball: Will Cubs find taker for Sosa?

The Sun-Times' Chris De Luca reports that the Mets and Orioles may still be interested in trading for Sammy Sosa. The Cubs could replace Sosa with Magglio Ordonez, Jeromy Burnitz, Cliff Floyd or Jerry Hairston Jr......

Sammy Sosa, Cubs

Pros: After taking so many hits from teammates, management, fans and media since the 2004 season ended, Sosa likely will try to prove his critics wrong in 2005. He is still a dangerous threat whenever he steps to the plate, and he did help keep Wrigley Field filled during some lean years.

Cons: Back and hip injuries forced Sosa, 36, to look lost at the plate at times last season. After the corked-bat fiasco in 2003 and a season full of controversy in 2004, the Cubs have had enough of Sosa's act. This is a team that showed it doesn't handle distractions very well, and above all else, Sosa will be a distraction.

Bottom line: Unless Hendry can swing a trade, the Cubs might be stuck with Sosa. Under that scenario, it would be time for manager Dusty Baker to start earning his $3.5 million annual salary. Baker is, after all, billed as a players' manager -- a man who balanced Barry Bonds' enormous ego in the Giants' clubhouse. Baker allowed his clubhouse to fray at the seams last season. If Sosa returns, he comes with his same assortment of baggage and boomboxes. Nothing in the last four months will change Sosa's personality, meaning more of the onus will be on Baker to make all of his pieces fit like a pretty puzzle.

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the braves should take a look at him since they need a right fielder with the trade of J.D. Drew, but i don't know that they'd be big fans of the huge price tag that went along with him, and he'd want to have a multi year contract and lately the braves have been doing one year deals with big name players and getting rid of them at the end of the season. i'd sure like to see him in Atlanta though.

The Sun-Times' Mike Kiley reports that the Nationals are still interested in acquiring Sammy Sosa. The Nationals may have to assume a portion of Sosa's $17 million salary for 2005 if they want to get a deal done.

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