Examine individual changes

'{{Spanish name|Peralta|Sosa}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Sammy Sosa |image=File:Sosa_swinging4.png| caption=Sosa with the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 |position=[[Right fielder]] |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1968|11|12}} |birth_place=[[San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic]] |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=June 16 |debutyear=1989 |debutteam=Texas Rangers |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 29 |finalyear=2007 |finalteam=Texas Rangers |statleague = MLB |stat1label=[[Batting average]] |stat1value=.273 |stat3label=[[Home run]]s |stat3value=609 |stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]] |stat2value=2,408 |stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]] |stat4value=1,667 |teams= * [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{mlby|1989}}) * [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1991}}) * [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{mlby|1992}}–{{mlby|2004}}) * [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|2005}}) * [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ({{mlby|2007}}) |highlights= * 7× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1995]], [[1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1998]]–[[2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2002]], [[2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2004]]) * [[NL MVP]] (1998) * 6× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1995, 1998–2002) * [[NL Hank Aaron Award]] (1999) * [[Roberto Clemente Award]] (1998) * 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|NL home run leader]] (2000, 2002) * 2× [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders|NL RBI leader]] (1998, 2001) }} '''Samuel Kelvin Peralta Sosa''' (born November 12, 1968) is a [[People of the Dominican Republic|Dominican]] [[United States|American]] former professional [[baseball]] [[right fielder]]. Starting his career with the Texas Rangers, Sosa became a member of the [[Chicago Cubs]] in 1992 and became one of the game's best hitters. Sosa hit his 400th home run in his 1,354th game and his 5,273rd at-bat, reaching this milestone more quickly than any player in [[National League]] history. He is one of nine players in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=mlb#elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1529343009753&sortColumn=hr&sortOrder='desc'&extended=0&split=&season=2018&game_type='R'&playerType=ALL&timeframe=&season_type=ALL&league_code='MLB'|title=Sortable Player Stats|website=Major League Baseball|language=en|access-date=2018-06-18}}</ref> In 1998, Sosa and [[Mark McGwire]] achieved national fame for their [[home run]]-hitting prowess in pursuit of [[1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase|Roger Maris' home run record]]. Sosa is best known for his time with the Cubs where he became a 7-time [[MLB All-Star|All-Star]] while holding numerous [[List of Chicago Cubs team records|team records]]. He finished his career with stints with the [[Baltimore Orioles]] and the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]].<ref name="BBREF.com">[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sosasa01.shtml Sammy Sosa career stats.] Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed June 5, 2007.</ref> With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. Sosa is second all-time in home runs among foreign-born MLB players and is one of only three National League players since 1900 to reach 160 [[RBI]]s in a season (2001). Sosa is also the only player to have hit 60 or more home runs in a single season three times. In a 2005 congressional hearing, Sosa--through his attorney--denied having used performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career. ==Early life== Sosa was born in the [[Dominican Republic]]. Though born in a [[Batey (sugar workers' town)|Batey community]] in [[Consuelo, Dominican Republic|Consuelo]],<ref>{{cite news|title=ACTA IMPACTA El dirigente de Cleveland trabaja con niños en Ingenio Consuelo|ref=http://hoy.com.do/acta-impactael-dirigente-de-cleveland-trabajacon-ninos-en-ingenio-consuelo/}}</ref> his officially registered birthplace is [[San Pedro de Macorís]], which was "the largest town nearby.<ref>''Sosa: An Autobiography'', Sammy Sosa and Marcos Bretón, Time Warner, 2000, p.23</ref> Sosa is known to family and friends as "Mikey". His maternal grandmother, who had suggested his birth name of Samuel, also came up with his nickname: "[She] heard the name on a [[soap opera]] she liked and decided from that moment on he would be Mikey."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dbER1aNH-2oC&pg=PT16 |title=Sosa: An Autobiography |editor1= Sosa, Sammy|editor2=Bretón, Marcos |page=16 |date=21 December 2008 |publisher=Time Warner |isbn=9780446555364}}</ref> ==Major league career== {{refimprove|section|date=June 2018}}<!--many paragraphs without citations--> ===Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox (1989–1991)=== Sosa made his major league debut on June 16, 1989, with the Texas Rangers, wearing #17 and leading off as the starting left fielder. He hit his first career [[home run]] off [[Roger Clemens]].{{cn|date=August 2017}} On July 29, 1989, the Rangers traded Sosa with [[Wilson Álvarez]] and [[Scott Fletcher (baseball)|Scott Fletcher]] to the Chicago White Sox for [[Harold Baines]] and [[Fred Manrique]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/30/sports/baseball-baines-to-rangers-for-fletcher.html|title=BASEBALL; Baines to Rangers For Fletcher|first=|last=AP|date=30 July 1989|publisher=|via=www.nytimes.com}}</ref> In 1990, Sosa batted .233 with 15 home runs, 70 [[runs batted in]], 10 [[Triple (baseball)|triples]], and 32 stolen bases. However, he also struck out 150 times, fourth most in the American League. Sosa started the 1991 season by hitting 2 home runs and driving in 5 runs. However, he would slump for the rest of the year and ended up batting .203 with 10 home runs and 33 runs batted in. ===Chicago Cubs (1992&ndash;2004)=== The White Sox traded Sosa and [[Ken Patterson]] to the [[Chicago Cubs]] for [[outfielder]] [[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]] before the {{Baseball year|1992}} season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/03/score-20-flashback-1-white-sox-trade-sosa-to-cubs-for-bell/|title=Flashback #1: White Sox Trade Sosa To Cubs For Bell (1992)|publisher=}}</ref> Sosa batted .260 with 8 home runs and 25 RBIs in his first season with the Cubs. Although not spectacular numbers, it showed that Sosa improved as a hitter. In 1993, Sosa batted .261 with 33 [[home runs]] with 93 RBIs. He also showed his speed by stealing 38 bases. He became the Cubs' first 30-30 player in their history. Sosa continued to hit for power and speed in 1994 but he also improved his batting average. He ended up batting .300 with 25 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 22 [[stolen bases]]. Sosa was named to his first All-Star team in 1995. In 144 games, he batted .268 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs. Sosa continued his success with the Cubs in 1996 as he batted .273 with 40 home runs and 100 RBIs. However, the next year, Sosa struggled. Despite hitting 36 home runs with 119 RBIs, Sosa batted just .251. He struggled to get on base(.300 on-base percentage) and led the league in strikeouts with 174. After years as a respected power/speed threat with a rocket arm in right field, he emerged during the {{Baseball year|1998}} season as one of baseball's greatest. It was in this season that both Sosa and [[Mark McGwire]] were involved in the "[[1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase|home run record chase]]", when both players' prowess for hitting [[home run]]s drew national attention as they attempted to pass [[Roger Maris]]' single season home run mark of 61 home runs that had stood since {{Baseball year|1961}}. For the early months of the year, Sosa trailed McGwire significantly, being as many as 16 homers behind at one point in May. But as the chase progressed, Sosa would rally and eventually tie McGwire with 46 home runs each on August 10, after a couple months of straggling within a few homers for the lead. However, the moment was short lived as McGwire would pull away slightly and reach 62 home runs to break the record first on September 8, but once again Sosa would excitingly heat up the race by tying McGwire once again at 62 on September 13. Eleven days later, with two games left to play in the season, the two were tied at 66 home runs each. Sosa would end the season with 66 after playing both games without a home run(still a team record), just behind McGwire's 70 after hitting two home runs in each of the last two games. However, Sammy had become the first Major League batter ever to hit 66 home runs in a season. It was during that season, that Cubs announcer [[Chip Caray]] nicknamed him "'''Slammin' Sammy'''", a nickname that quickly spread. In addition, Sammy produced then career highs in batting average and slugging percentage, at .308 and .647 respectively. Sosa also led the league in [[RBI]]s and runs scored. [[Image:Sosa cubs jersey.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Sosa wore #21 with the Cubs in honor of his childhood idol [[Roberto Clemente]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Cunniff | first = Bill | title = Sosa plays host at party at his island mansion | page = 3 | work = Chicago Sun-Times | date = 1999-11-26 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB424463A5BF794&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | accessdate = 2008-10-04 }}</ref>]] Also in 1998, Sosa's 416 total bases were the most in a single season since [[Stan Musial]]'s 429 in {{Baseball year|1948}}. Sosa's performance in the month of June, during which Sosa belted 20 home runs, knocked in 47 runs, and posted an .842 [[slugging percentage]], was one of the greatest offensive outbursts in major league history. Sosa won the [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|National League Most Valuable Player Award]] for leading the Cubs into the playoffs in 1998, earning every first-place vote except for the two cast by [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] writers, who voted for McGwire. He and McGwire shared ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine's 1998 "[[Sportsman of the Year]]" award. Sosa was honored with a [[ticker-tape parade]] in his honor in New York City, and he was invited to be a guest at US President [[Bill Clinton]]'s 1999 [[State of the Union Address]]. 1998 was also the first time the Cubs made the post-season since 1989. The Cubs qualified as the NL Wild Card team, but were swept by the [[Atlanta Braves]] in the [[1998 National League Division Series#Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs|NLDS]]. In the {{Baseball year|1999}} season, Sosa hit 63 home runs, again trailing Mark McGwire, who hit 65. In the {{Baseball year|2000}} season, Sosa led the league by hitting 50 home runs. He received the [[Babe Ruth Home Run Award]] for leading MLB in homers.<ref>{{cite news |last=MacMullan |first=Jackie |title=A bronze homage to Babe |date=October 17, 2002 |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=E3 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/214273981.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+17%2C+2002&author=JACKIE+MACMULLAN&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=A+BRONZE+HOMAGE+TO+BABE&pqatl=google |access-date=November 8, 2011 |quote=By 2001, they were paying their own way to present Sammy Sosa with his Babe Ruth Award.}}{{subscription required}}</ref> In {{Baseball year|2001}}, he hit 64 home runs, becoming the first player to hit 60 home runs in three seasons in his career. However, he did not lead the league in any of those seasons; in 2001, he finished behind [[Barry Bonds]], who hit 73 homers, breaking the single-season home run record set by McGwire in 1998 (70). In the same season he set personal records in [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored (146), [[Run batted in|RBI]] (160), [[Base on balls|walks]] (116), [[on-base percentage]] (.437), [[slugging percentage]] (.737), and [[batting average]] (.328).<ref name="BBREF.com" /> He led the majors in runs and RBI, was 2nd in home runs, 2nd in slugging percentage, 1st in total bases, 3rd in walks, 4th in on-base percentage, 12th in batting average, and 15th in [[Hit (baseball)|hits]]. He also surpassed his 1998 number in total bases, racking up 425. Sosa once again led the league in home runs with 49 in {{Baseball year|2002}}. Known as a free-swinger in his early years, and as a good [[strikeout]] candidate, Sammy became an effective hitter for average. He owns numerous team records for the Cubs, and he holds the major-league record for the most home runs hit in a month (20, in June 1998). In recognition of his accomplishments as a hitter, Sosa won the [[Silver Slugger Award]] (an award for offensive output, voted on by managers and coaches) in {{Baseball year|1995}} and in 1998 through 2002.<ref name="BBREF.com" /> In {{Baseball year|2003}}, the Cubs won the National League Central Division title. The year was not all good news for Sosa, however. In May, he spent his first period on the [[disabled list]] since {{Baseball year|1996}} after having an injured toenail removed. On June 3, 2003, Sosa was ejected from a Chicago Cubs-[[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] game in the first inning when umpires discovered he had been using a [[corked bat]].<ref>[http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0603/1562772.html Sosa ejected after cork is found in shattered bat.] (June 4, 2003) ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.</ref> Major League Baseball confiscated and tested 76 of Sosa's other bats after his ejection; all were found to be clean, with no cork. Five bats he had sent to the Hall of Fame in past years were also tested, and were all clean as well.<ref>[http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0604/1563115.html Seventy-six Sosa bats found to be clean.] (June 5, 2003). ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.</ref> Sosa stated that he had accidentally used the corked bat, which he claimed he only used during batting practice. ''"I use that bat for batting practice. It's something that I take the blame for. It's a mistake, I know that. I feel sorry. I just apologize to everybody that are embarrassed."''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/743807-the-25-most-embarrassing-moments-in-mlb-history/page/20|title=The 25 Most Embarrassing Moments in MLB History|first=Doug|last=Mead|publisher=}}</ref> When [[Dusty Baker]], the Cub manager was interviewed later, he stated any use of corked bats on his team is strictly prohibited. On June 6, Sosa was suspended for eight games.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2970198.stm Sosa banned over bat.] (6 June 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.</ref> However, the suspension was reduced to seven games after appeal on June 11.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/us_sport/2983350.stm Sosa has ban reduced.] (12 June 2003) BBC Sport. Accessed 2007-06-05.</ref> Sosa finished the season with 40 home runs, and he hit two more in the [[2003 National League Championship Series|2003 NLCS]] against the [[Florida Marlins]], which the Cubs led 3 games to 1 before ultimately falling in seven games. In May {{Baseball year|2004}}, Sosa suffered an odd injury while sitting next to his locker chatting with reporters before a game in San Diego's [[Petco Park]]. He sneezed very violently, causing severe back pain. He was diagnosed with back spasms and placed on the disabled list. Later, he fell into one of the worst slumps of his career, only snapping out of it during the last week of the season. He was greatly depressed when the officials told him he couldn't play. He finished with 35 homers, far below his numbers of his best years. In his final 10 years with the Cubs he clubbed 479 home runs; the most in history over a 10-year span. The final straw for the Cubs was an incident in late 2004. Sosa requested to sit out the last game of the season, which was at home against the [[Atlanta Braves]], and he left [[Wrigley Field]] early in the game. It was his last time in a Cubs uniform. ===Baltimore Orioles and year off (2005&ndash;2006)=== [[Image:Sosa Spring training.jpg|thumb|140px|Sosa in spring training with the Orioles in 2005]] On January 28, 2005, the Cubs traded Sosa to the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in exchange for [[infielder]]-outfielder [[Jerry Hairston, Jr.]], infielder [[Mike Fontenot]], and RHP Dave Crouthers. To facilitate the deal, Sosa and his [[sports agent|agent]] agreed to waive the clause that guaranteed his 2006 salary, and the [[Major League Baseball Players Association|players' union]] indicated it would not object to that agreement. Under the deal, Sosa earned $17,875,000 for the 2005 season, with the Cubs paying $7 million of his salary. By playing for the 2005 Orioles alongside fellow 500-home-run batter [[Rafael Palmeiro]], Sosa and Palmeiro became the first [[500 home run club]] members in history to play together on the same team after reaching the 500 home run plateau.<ref>[[Hank Aaron]] reached 500 homers shortly after his teammate [[Eddie Mathews]] (512 homers) retired.</ref> Sosa finished the 2005 season batting .221 with 14 home runs, his worst performance since 1992, and continuing his post-2001 trend of declines in batting average, homers, total bases, and RBI. On December 7, 2005, the Orioles decided not to offer him an arbitration contract, effectively ending his Baltimore Orioles tenure and making him a free agent. In 2005, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' published an update of their 1999 book ''Baseball's 100 Greatest Players''. Sosa did not make the original edition, but for the 2005 update, with his career totals considerably higher, he was ranked at Number 95. During a stretch of nine consecutive years, Sosa hit 35 or more home runs and 100+ RBIs, all with the Chicago Cubs.<ref name="BBREF.com" /> At the end of January 2006, the [[Washington Nationals]] offered Sosa two different minor-league offers, both of which he turned down. On February 15, 2006, Sosa's agent [[Adam Katz]] stated: "We're not going to put him on the retirement list. We decided that [not putting him on that list] was the best thing to do. But I can say, with reasonable certainty, that we've seen Sammy in a baseball uniform for the last time."<ref>Jayson Stark (February 16, 2006). [http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2332063 Sosa passes on Nats; likely to end career.] ESPN.com. Accessed June 5, 2007.</ref> During that year, Sosa accompanied President [[Leonel Fernández|Fernández]] of the Dominican Republic on several diplomatic trips including to the United States, Japan, and [[Taiwan]]. ===Texas Rangers and end of career (2007–2009)=== The Texas Rangers, Sosa's original team, signed him to a minor league deal worth $500,000 on January 30, 2007. This was the same contract that Sosa turned down the previous year from the Nationals. The contract included an invitation to [[spring training]], where Sosa competed for a spot in the lineup with [[Nelson Cruz]], [[Jason Botts]], and other rookies/prospects.<ref>T. R. Sullivan (January 17, 2007). [http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780982&vkey=news_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex Sosa, Rangers agree in principle to deal.] MLB.com. Accessed 2007-06-05.</ref> Sosa was successful during spring training and was added to the team's 25-man roster. He started the 2007 season as the Rangers' designated hitter and occasional right fielder. At the same time, the Chicago Cubs awarded Sosa's number 21 to new pitcher [[Jason Marquis]], although it was formerly worn by Sosa, who coincidentally later hit his 600th home run against Marquis. [[Ted Lilly]], who had also signed with the Cubs that prior winter, had requested number 31 but was told it was not available as it was going to be retired for [[Greg Maddux]] and [[Ferguson Jenkins|Fergie Jenkins]], and they were just waiting for Maddux to retire. This caused some concern, due to Sosa's accomplishments with the Cubs, including his status as the Cubs' all-time home run leader.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/deluca/268111,CST-SPT-deluca22.article|title=Sosa's 21 a long-distance number|last=DeLuca|first=Chris|date=February 22, 2007|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|accessdate=February 4, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014727/http://www.suntimes.com/sports/deluca/268111%2CCST-SPT-deluca22.article|archivedate=September 30, 2007|deadurl=yes|df=}}</ref> On April 26, 2007, Sosa made history by hitting a home run in his 45th major league ballpark. He has also homered in [[Champion Stadium|The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports]], near [[Orlando, Florida]], a usually minor-league and [[Spring training]] park that hosted a regular season series between the Rangers and the [[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] in May 2007, although he did not hit a homer at the two regular season games the Cubs played at the Tokyo Dome in 2000 vs. the Mets. On June 20, 2007, Sosa hit a home run off of [[Jason Marquis]] during an inter-league game against the Chicago Cubs. Sosa became only the fifth man in history, following [[Babe Ruth]], [[Willie Mays]], [[Hank Aaron]], and [[Barry Bonds]], to hit 600 regular season home runs. The home run was the first one that Sosa had recorded against the Cubs, and as a result he has hit a home run against every active MLB team.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2911022 | title=Sosa becomes fifth player to blast 600 home runs | work=Associated Press | publisher=ESPN | date=June 20, 2007 | accessdate=June 19, 2017}}</ref> Sosa is the Cubs' all-time home run leader, having hit 545 with that team. On May 28, {{Baseball year|2008}}, Sosa announced that he instructed his agent not to offer his services to any MLB team for the 2008 season, and planned on filing for retirement, but never did.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3415614|title=Sosa not pursuing MLB job, says he intends to retire in 2009|accessdate=2008-10-03 |work=ESPN.com|publisher= |date= }}</ref> On December 25, 2008, Sosa announced he intended to unretire and play in the [[World Baseball Classic]] and once again test the free agent market in hopes of signing with a Major League ballclub in 2009. Sosa said that he had been keeping in shape at his home, and was hoping that after a strong World Baseball Classic he would prove to major-league teams that he was still capable of playing in the MLB. However, he was not selected as part of the Dominican Republic's roster. He remained a free agent and did not actively look for a team. On June 3, 2009, Sosa announced his intention to retire from baseball. He made the announcement in the Dominican Republic and said that he was calmly looking forward to his induction into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] since his statistics were up to par.<ref>[http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4229022 Sammy Sosa planning to announce formal retirement] ESPN</ref> ==Drug test controversy and Hall of Fame== On June 16, 2009, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Sosa was on a list of [[Banned substances in baseball in the United States|players who had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs]] in 2003, including Sosa in baseball's [[doping in baseball|steroids scandal]]. The paper stated that this information had been obtained from unnamed attorneys with knowledge of Major League Baseball drug test results from 2003.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/sports/baseball/17doping.html | work=The New York Times | title=Sosa Is Said to Have Tested Positive in 2003 | first=Michael S. | last=Schmidt | date=June 17, 2009 | accessdate=April 10, 2010}}</ref> Previously, Sosa sat alongside [[Rafael Palmeiro]], [[Jose Canseco]] and [[Mark McGwire]] at a 2005 hearing before Congress. His attorney testified on his behalf,<ref>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=McCann | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Will steroids report lead to perjury investigation of Sammy Sosa? | date=2009-06-16 | work=[[Sports Illustrated]] | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/michael_mccann/06/16/sammy.sosa/index.html | accessdate = 2009-06-18 }}</ref> stating, "To be clear, I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything. I have not broken the laws of the United States or the laws of the Dominican Republic. I have been tested as recently as 2004, and I am clean."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4264062|title=Report: Sosa is on '03 MLB positive drug test list|date=16 June 2009|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> In an interview with [[ESPN Deportes]], Sosa said he would "calmly wait" for his induction into baseball's Hall of Fame, for which he became eligible in 2013. On January 9, 2013, Sosa was not elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) into baseball's Hall of Fame in [[Cooperstown]], receiving 12.5% on his first year on the ballot (the requirement for election is 75%). For the elections of 2014 through 2016 he received 7.2%, 6.6%, and 7.0%. A candidate remains eligible for inclusion on subsequent ballots as long as he receives a minimum of 5.0% of the vote from the BBWAA. i will fuck u On October 2, 2016 at a press conference at Fenway Park, MLB Commissioner [[Rob Manfred]] said that anonymous drug tests from 2003 were inconclusive because "it was hard to distinguish between certain substances that were legal, available over the counter, and not banned under our program."<ref name="espn.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17706532/david-ortiz-says-did-wrong-03-failed-drug-test|title=Manfred: Possible Ortiz was PED-free in '03|publisher=}}</ref> Manfred argued that "it was important to make people understand that even if your name was on that list, that it was entirely possible that you were not a positive".<ref name="vocativ.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.vocativ.com/364281/david-ortiz-retirement/|title=David Ortiz Gets A Steroid Hall Pass From MLB's Commissioner|date=3 October 2016|publisher=}}</ref> Furthermore, Manfred sustained that the 2003 test was supposed to be confidential and it would be unfair to judge players based on "leaks, rumors, innuendo, [and] not confirmed positive test results".<ref name="espn.com"/> Manfred finished by stating that Hall of Fame voters should use their best judgment and only consider confirmed testing by the MLB as there were many "legitimate scientific questions about whether or not those were truly positives."<ref name="vocativ.com"/> ==Personal life== Sosa is married to Sonia Rodríguez, a Dominican TV dancer as a child,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cruz|first1=Héctor J.|title=Él también es un humano, no lo olviden|url=http://www.listindiario.com/el-deporte/2010/06/07/145150/el-tambien-es-un-humano-no-lo-olviden|access-date=July 1, 2016|publisher=[[Listín Diario]]|date=June 7, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701193035/http://www.listindiario.com/el-deporte/2010/06/07/145150/el-tambien-es-un-humano-no-lo-olviden|archivedate=July 1, 2016|language=Spanish|quote=|at=Note: The vedettes of the TV program "{{illm|Sábado de Corporán|es}}" were known as "corporette".|deadurl=yes|df=}}</ref> with whom he has six children: Keysha, Kenia, Sammy Jr., Michael, Kalexy and Rolando. The couple was married by the Catholic Church on December 18, 2004, at [[Altos de Chavón]], La Romana; they had already been married civilly for 12 years. In 2009, Sosa appeared at a music awards show looking much lighter in complexion than he had just months earlier. The buzz around this drastic change prompted him to go on a Spanish-language television station to deny that he was ill, that he hated being dark-skinned, or that his new skin tone was the result of steroid use. Sosa explained that he uses a bleaching cream before going to bed that softens and lightens his skin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/07/13/sammy-sosas-appearance-gets-even-more-peculiar/|title=Sammy Sosa’s appearance gets even more peculiar|first=Matt|last=Bonesteel|date=July 13, 2017|publisher=|access-date=December 28, 2017|via=www.WashingtonPost.com}}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal|Biography|Baseball|Dominican Republic}} {{div col}} *[[30–30 club]] *[[50 home run club]] *[[500 home run club]] *[[List of Major League Baseball home run records]] *[[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]] *[[List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders]] *[[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]] *[[List of Major League Baseball runs-batted-in champions]] *[[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders]] *[[List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders]] *[[1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase]] *[[List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders]] {{div col end}} ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==Further reading== * {{cite book |last=Lupica|first=Mike|year=1999|title=[[Summer of '98|Summer of '98: When Homers Flew, Records Fell, and Baseball Reclaimed America]] |location=Chicago|publisher=Contemporary Books}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Sammy Sosa}} {{wikiquote}} {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn=2187 |br=s/sosasa01 |fangraphs= 302|cube=464|brm=sosa--001sam}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20040409152205/http://www.latinosportslegends.com/sosa.htm extended biography and photos] Latino Sports Legends *{{C-SPAN|sammysosa}} {{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-ach}}}} {{s-bef|before = [[Dante Bichette]]<br>[[Mark McGwire]]<br>[[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]]<br>[[Jeff Kent]]<br>[[Jeff Bagwell]]}} {{s-ttl|title = [[MLB Player of the Month|National League Player of the Month]]|years = July 1996<br>June 1998<br>May 1999<br>July 2000<br>August 2001}} {{s-aft|after = [[Ken Caminiti]]<br>[[Vladimir Guerrero]]<br>[[Jeromy Burnitz]]<br>[[Todd Helton]]<br>[[Barry Bonds]]}} {{s-end}} {{Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award}} {{NL MVPs}} {{NL home run champions}} {{NL RBI champions}} {{NL OF Silver Slugger Award}} {{Roberto Clemente Award}} {{Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award}} {{SI Sportsman of the Year}} {{SN Sportsman of the Year}} {{The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award}} {{NL Hank Aaron Award Winners}} {{Home Run Derby champions}} {{500 home run club}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Sosa, Sammy}} [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:American sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent]] [[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]] [[Category:Charlotte Rangers players]] [[Category:Chicago Cubs players]] [[Category:Chicago White Sox players]] [[Category:Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada]] [[Category:Drugs in sport in the United States]] [[Category:Gulf Coast Rangers players]] [[Category:Gastonia Rangers players]] [[Category:Iowa Cubs players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Major League Baseball controversies]] [[Category:Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic]] [[Category:Major League Baseball right fielders]] [[Category:National League All-Stars]] [[Category:National League home run champions]] [[Category:National League Most Valuable Player Award winners]] [[Category:National League RBI champions]] [[Category:Oklahoma City 89ers players]] [[Category:People from San Pedro de Macorís]] [[Category:Shoeshiners]] [[Category:Silver Slugger Award winners]] [[Category:Texas Rangers players]] [[Category:TOYP Awardees]] [[Category:Tulsa Drillers players]] [[Category:Vancouver Canadians players]] [[Category:West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players]]'