Sammy Sosa's corked bat excuse: Classic or Dud?

3. see above; drilling a bat can create tiny cracks along which it is likely to break.

4. The cork was hardly inconspicuous and the catcher picked up the broken piece to get it out of the way, as often happens. Besides, the opposing catcher noticing the cork is supposed to cast extra suspicion on Sammy how?

As Harold Reynolds pointed out, if he'd been aware that he'd used the corked bat he would've made an effort to pick up the shattered pieces as he walked off the field rather than just jog on by them unawares. Personally, I don't really care; if his other bats are corked he was lying, if not it's probably what he said it was. I'm not sure there are any other more convincing arguments.

Someone from the Cubs ran off with one piece of the bat and they can't find it.

Talk radio brings up a good point this afternoon too: if Sammy Sosa is willing to go onfield against Tampa Bay, facing some no-name pitcher, with a corked bat -- what are the odds he doesn't do this in a homerun race against Mark McGuire?

i never ever have liked mr. sosa and your whoe "I've always believed that there's a certain disingenuousness to his whole schtick, and now I have actual evidence of cheating to help bolster this argument" statement sums up my feelings en totale.

feel free to chime in on the latest incarnation of the fantasy baseball thread which is intended to cover our (*cough*) EXCITING fantasy league but actually covers most of the baseball universe in general.

3. see above; drilling a bat can create tiny cracks along which it is likely to break.

Yeah, but Sammy* said that these were bats he normally used for home run contests and batting practice. I've seen him hit in several All-Star HR contests and never once seen him shatter a bat.

4. The cork was hardly inconspicuous and the catcher picked up the broken piece to get it out of the way, as often happens. Besides, the opposing catcher noticing the cork is supposed to cast extra suspicion on Sammy how?

It's not supposed to cast extra suspicion; it's just one more thing that has to occur for this whole thing to come out. Bats are shattered routinely, but they don't often break in such a way as to expose the innards like Sammy*'s.

As Harold Reynolds pointed out, if he'd been aware that he'd used the corked bat he would've made an effort to pick up the shattered pieces as he walked off the field rather than just jog on by them unawares. Personally, I don't really care; if his other bats are corked he was lying, if not it's probably what he said it was. I'm not sure there are any other more convincing arguments.

If Sammy* ran out onto the field to grab pieces of his bat, it would be the first time in history he's deigned to do anything so beneath him, and would automatically arouse suspicion. His best bet was to act like nothing amiss was happening and hope that no one noticed. Unfortunately, the D-Rays' catcher did notice it and narced him out.

I haven't even brought up the point that Sammy* is a $15 million a year superstar who knows damn well what equipment to use. Rick Telander in a Sun-Times column today (http://www.suntimes.com/output/telander/cst-spt-rick04.html) says:

Is it worth noting that after returning from his recent toe injury, Sosa struck out eight times in two games, then dumped his blond bat and began using a black bat like this busted one?

Is it worth noting that he fanned five times Saturday against the Houston Astros, switched to a black bat late in the game, then singled home the winning run in the 16th inning?

Damn right. It's all worth noting now.

Sammy* is screwed if video of previous games reveals that he used the same tainted bat. I'm not so sure they won't find previous proof.

Who do you root for, anyway? You're in CA, right? Me, I'm a White Sox fan, so, uh, this Sosa story is about all I got to hang onto this year.

chester, what on earth are you talking about? Are you a Cubs fan?

He's guilty as sin. No question about it. Harold Reynolds?! Harold Reynolds is a kiss-ass, and of course as a former player he is going to stick up for a member of the "fraternity."

I was actually thinking of reviving J0hn's "your Chicago Cubs" thread to talk about this; actually the funny thing is I almost revived it last weekend because I wanted to talk about the sad spectacle of Corey Patterson being walked in order to bring up Sosa. I think BBT nailed it: I couldn't believe how much smaller Sammy looked during that post-game interview last night. I guess I just hadn't noticed before. I can only guess he ditched the 'roids in the off-season in an attempt to avoid further fallout from the Rick Reilly incident; I think the subsequent drop-off in power numbers, and his inability to quickly recover from his recent stint on the DL, drove him to try this.

The Cubs are noted mainly for their good starting pitching so their being in first is really not that ironic.

"It's not supposed to cast extra suspicion; it's just one more thing that has to occur for this whole thing to come out."

Circumstantial evidence! Has Law & Order taught you nothing???

Hope you're enjoying this as much as I am. It took the sting off of "Flash" Gordon's hand-delivering another victory to the opposing team last night.

Harold Reynolds rulez u r all Bobby Valentine's hairdresser.

I read that as 'help lobster this argument'. Someone PLEASE make 'lobster' a verb.)

Anyway, Sosa is a twat.... but then, it's not like MLB has more credibility than the WWF these days, so who cares?

But James, why on earth have a separate batting practice bat in the first place? For the fans' benefit? He's supposed to be working on his swing! Especially when playing as lousy as he had been! If anything, shouldn't he use a heavier bat in batting practice? That's why the excuse doesn't wash to me.

Also, the way he had his tail between his legs at that press conference was hilarious - all "yes, sir." "no, sir". LMAO! What happened to the 'roid-head who wanted to rip off Reilly's head last year? Sammy Sosa doesn't say "sir" to anybody!! He looked like the playground bully who acts contrite when the teacher comes around. If he had been more arrogant, more defensive, I might believe him!

Anyhow, I heart Sammy and all, but the Sammyless Cubs are as good as the Sammyful Cubs this year, so whatever. As long as the Cubs keep winning and the White Sox finish behind Detroit, I'm happy.

It's not "obsessing," btw. It's called laughing my ass off.

The White Sox will NOT finish behind the Tiggers, I can guarantee you that. They're 4th place material all the way, baby!

no, it's obsessing. I'm the psych nurse around here and what I say goes

Honestly though, I could have sworn the reason people went to ballparks was the food.

Not that I'm obsessing about this or anything... ;)

James wins.

Laughed out loud at this thinking of that Malvina Reynolds song where she typefies lefty guys as people who want to "sit around and talk about the White Sox." But the whole myth of the working class team is really ridiculous: historically, maybe, but the lowest-paid Sox infielder is still rich.

I like the Cubs 'cause they were the first team I liked! That's pretty much at the core of it. Also, listening to Tim actually try to make the case that Comiskey's better than Wrigley is worth supporting a losing team: even people who hate baseball feel something when they see Wrigley, architectually a thing of beauty. Hatin' on Wrigley is such advanced obsessiveness...it's like saying because everybody likes the Beatles and I don't, I'm going to argue that Abbey Road is a sucky studio.

Cubs rule, Sox drool, etc

Well, that and the fact that we could actually get tickets fifteen minutes before the game.

http://www.neonraven.com/images/phead%20grassy%20knoll.jpg

hahahahahahaha

Sammy's excuse ROOLS now

I have. Maybe it's more of a psycholigical monstrosity.

ok, this is asking for trouble, but: are you saying all places in Chicago are equally safe? and that describing parts of the south side as somewhat dangerous is necessarily racist? that seems, umm, hopeful. (mind you when I lived there I lived west of Western, not in Belmont or Wicker Park or any o' that, so no hatin' pleez)

But I don't care. He cheated, big deal. Cheating is a valid part of sports. Every football coach I ever had told us linemen to hold, just don't get caught. Why is it kind of funny/cute/endearing when a pitcher throws a spitter or has a reputation as a headhunter but Sammy's corked bat is the end of the world? That goes for some Hall of Famers - Whitey Ford, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Drysdale, et al.

kerry where are these cub fan/sox fan stereotypes evident? i'm not really privy to them, but i may not be looking in the "right" places.

At first I actually felt a little bad for Sammy; I mean, I can sort of understand why he did it. That mega-extra-inning game last weekend, when he struck out like five or six times, was the first time I think I've ever heard even a smattering of boos directed his way at Wrigley. For a guy accustomed to contant praise, I'm sure it must have touched him. And last night he did look genuinely contrite. But then I remembered all the pitchers he's shown up with his patented "trot", and all the money he makes, and schadenfreude took over. Anyway, it's not like he needs my sympathy - he just now came up to bat and received a standing ovation!

#1. Sosa gets ejected from the game, he goes to the locker room.
#2. At what point were his bats confiscated?

I guess what I'm trying to get at is whether he had an opportunity to clean out his corked bat cache and dump them into someone else's locker.

Diamond is right & right, I can feel my Sox-fan-that-wasn't inside myself when you guys get goin' about it. But my stepfather is a Sox fan, and is a very bad person indeed, so go Cubs

But as far as "hating on Wrigley," I am being completely forthright when I say that, as a person who tends to go to a fair amount of games each year (at least 10, sometimes 30-40), I would much rather have the experience of Comiskey than Wrigley on a day-to-day basis. The seats are more comfortable, sight lines are generally better, the park doesn't reek of piss, the food is better and of a bigger variety, and it's much less of a hassle getting in and out. I've been to Wrigley prolly 30 times in my life, and its charms have mostly worn off on me. I don't begrudge vacationers from choosing Wrigley over Comiskey -- I would too, if I only had time to go to one park and didn't have any particular affinity for either team.

Gygax, I heard an interview with Daily Southtown columnist Barry Rozner on the radio tonight, and he seemed to imply that the Cubs or Sosa would have had adequate time to clear out anything incriminating. Not that I think he had more than one corked bat (after all, how many do you need?).

A corked bat is generally only 1-2 oz. lighter than a regular bat, not "4+". Using a bat that much lighter than the weight you normally use would actually be counter-productive (assuming you haven't been using the corked bat for years or even weeks), since it would throw off the hitter's timing.

1. Was there a hushed atmosphere in the stadium when the offending bits of cork were revealed?

2. If the cork is added to make the bats lighter, why aren't all bats weighed to prevent cheating?

The rule against corking is pretty arbitrary anyway. It's accepted to be an "unfair advantage", meanwhile the sproinginess of the ball goes up and down from year to year, outfielders' gloves grow to gargantuan proportions, etc. So many of the regulations in baseball are just dictated by tradition. You could allow corking - but then games would be even longer, pitching staffs would have to be expanded, cherished records would lose their glow...

1. Pine tar -- it's just to get a good grip on the bat, yes? So why was George Brett tossed for having too much of it?

2. KY jelly -- supposed to give your ballz more break? But wouldn't it make the ball more slippery?

Anyways, according to the physics of baseball a corked bat makes the bat obviously lighter and in fact a detrement to a power hitter because it effects the overall dynamics of the bat resulting in a shorter distance traveled by the ball when hit. A corked bat would generally work better for a slap hitter such as Juan Pierre rather than a power guy. Guys who hit hr's with a corked bat got lucky.

2. any substance on the ball will affect the ball's motion unpredictably, like a knuckleball

3. hstencil i'm a life-long Red Sox fan and i've NEVER heard that rumor. it sounds bunk to me.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/deadspin/2009/11/sammywhite.jpg

ahhh wtf

ok this http://media.nbcphiladelphia.com/images/410*307/110709+Sammy+Sosa+split.jpg

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2009-11/50365141.jpg

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mr609sosa/

He has a Pinterest page with those same shots too, its hilar.

love soooosa

we should get sammy to post to ilx

Sammy Sosa. The real Sammy Sosa
Baseball Hall of Fame nominee

Mr. 609

http://i49.tinypic.com/2wfqvti.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/18p2u1.jpg

Absolutely fantastic. His hair is a first-ballot Hall of Famer itself.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DEl9Wn-XsAE5y2S.jpg

Glanced at the first line of the first post quickly and thought it read "Uber did it." Very disorienting.

suffering a relapse from his vampirism. poor guy.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DOAUdMqX4AARbjV.jpg

^^My initial reaction was "what does this picture have to do with Sammy Sosa". Yikes.

Oof

Eddie Munster?

he looks happy

he's on regent street

regent street is the street /
where all the dark and light sammys meet /
in london town, white or brown /
you'll never know how nice it seems /
or what the hell this photo means