Baseball: orioles to land sosa?

AP NewsBreak: Cubs, Orioles close on Sosa deal

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
January 28, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Chicago Cubs were close to agreement on a trade to send unhappy slugger Sammy Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles, several high-ranking baseball officials told The Associated Press.

Medical tests and approval from commissioner Bud Selig and the players' association remain unresolved, the officials said Friday night, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Cubs would pay a substantial part of Sosa's $17 million salary this season, the executives said. Sosa would agree to void his salary in 2006, they also said.


In exchange, Chicago would receive second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. and at least two prospects.

Sosa's contract gives the Cubs an $18 million option in 2006 with a $4.5 million buyout. But the contract says that if he is traded, his 2006 salary would become guaranteed and a 2007 club option would be added at $19 million with a $4.5 million buyout.

The players' association had told Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, several weeks ago that voiding the option would not be a problem.

The teams had not finalized a deal, all the executives said. Selig's approval is necessary because the trade would involve the transfer of $1 million or more.

Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie and vice president Mike Flanagan could not be reached for comment. Cubs spokesman Sharon Panazzo also could not be reached for comment and Katz declined to comment.

The Cubs have been looking for a taker for Sosa since the end of the season, when he skipped out on the finale at Wrigley Field. Sosa initially claimed he didn't leave until the seventh inning, but the Cubs produced videotapes showing him leaving shortly after the game began and fined him $87,500 -- one day's salary.

The New York Mets were initially thought to be the best bet because general manager Omar Minaya signed Sosa when he was a teenager in the Dominican Republic. But the Mets won the bidding for Carlos Beltran two weeks ago, and two Mets officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were not involved with Sosa trade talks this week.

The Orioles' interest apparently heated up after they lost out on Carlos Delgado earlier this week. Baltimore offered Delgado $48 million over four years, but the slugger took a $52 million, four-year deal from the Florida Marlins instead.

Sosa has 574 home runs, seventh on the career list, and his home run race with Mark McGwire in 1998 made him one of the game's most popular players. With an infectious smile, home run hops and heart taps, he became Chicago's favorite athlete after Michael Jordan retired. In all those dark years when the Cubs struggled, Sosa and his jaw-dropping homers were the lone bright spots.

But Sosa's relations with the Cubs -- and the fans -- soured in recent years. Hampered by injuries, he's batted just .266 the last two seasons and his homer totals have dropped. Last season, Sosa batted only .253 -- his lowest average since 1997 -- and hit 35 homers and 80 RBIs in 126 games, ending his run of 100-RBI seasons at nine.

The breaking point came when he skipped out on the final game of last season. He criticized manager Dusty Baker the next day, with Sosa saying all the blame was put on him for the Cubs' failures. In a later interview, Sosa said he was humiliated by being dropped to sixth in the batting order.

While Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, Baker and Cubs players insisted at last week's Cubs convention that Sosa's presence wouldn't be a disruption to the team, fans weren't buying it. When his image appeared on a video, there was a loud chorus of boos

A good friend of mine is a huge O's fan, and she was not happpy at all to hear about this last night...her arguement is that the O's are more of a team, not huge egos, but I don't share her opinion.

i think that sosa is on the downhill side of his career, the cubs should be glad they found someone to take him off their hands, not a good deal for the O's

He's on the downhill side, but still better than most players out there...

he wasn't happy in chicago, if he can get a new attitude he may be able to contribute for the orioles. or he may pout all season

Good point, but i think the media got to himi in Chitown. That shouldn't happen so much in 'Balmer

Sammy Sosa is expected to be introduced as the newest member of the Baltimore Orioles during a 6 p.m. (et) news conference this evening. Sosa has been in Baltimore since Tuesday night to complete a physical as a precursor to his being traded from the Chicago Cubs. If Sosa should pass the exam, he would be dealt to Baltimore for second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr., minor league second baseman Mike Fontenot and right-handed pitcher David Crouthers.

Major League commissioner Bud Selig was expected to sign off on the trade since more than $1 million was to be exchanged between teams.

LINK

it's official now...

i didn't think the orioles were going to be able to keep up, but it seems as though they are trying to fit in with the yankees and red sox. do you think the blue jays and devil rays are next? i mean, sosa, tejada, ponson, oh my!

The Orioles are pretty stacked now.

Think they can compete in the AL East with Boston and NY?

Pretty good lineup on paper....

S Sosa
M Tejada
J Lopez
R Palmeiro
M Mora
J Gibbons

[Edited on 3-2-2005 by TheEnforcer]

yeah but palmeiro and gibbons are kind of hitting the twilight of their careers. although i have to admit i'm impressed with what the orioles have put together. i think hairston could be really good some day, but sosa is a huge pickup.

The Orioles have had some injury problems this season, but Sosa has been awefull. His numbers have gone into decline over the last few season but this has to be his worse. The ol' toenail episode has started again like last season, as he is on the DL with a Right great toe lesion. Is this the end for Sosa?