Sosa remains Cub at heart
Fans' reaction mixed, but 'I'm so grateful for that city,' Rangers' No. 21 says of Chicago
MESA, Ariz. -- Sammy Sosa got warm welcomes from Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, team president John McDonough and pitcher Carlos Zambrano on the field before his first game at HoHoKam Park in three years.
The fans weren't quite as generous or forgiving, with as many boos as applause for the former Cubs slugger when his name was announced for the visiting team and each time he batted for the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
And there was little of the old exuberance on the field or interplay with the fans, as Sosa generally ignored the shouts and waves from the fans in right field, including the rare fan wearing a Cubs Sosa jersey.
(AP)
And in his heart, he said.
''Regardless of where I play, my heart's always going to be in Chicago,'' said Sosa, who was traded to Baltimore before the 2005 season after his relationship with the team crumbled over his final six months with the Cubs. ''Today was a great day. I haven't played against Chicago. ... So many years on the other side. But everything came out great.''
He seemed surprised when asked about the warm greetings from Cubs officials. ''They're all my friends,'' said Sosa, who parted on bad terms not only with Hendry but some teammates -- one of whom smashed his boom box in the clubhouse late in the 2004 season. ''I don't have no enemies over there. I was nice with everybody.''
Zambrano, Sosa's teammate for four seasons, said they still stay in touch and that he's glad to see Sosa back in baseball.
''I wish him good luck,'' said Zambrano, who mentioned the mixed reaction from the crowd. ''He deserves good things from the Chigo Cubs fans. He did a lot of good things for [the team].''
Sosa's return to the big leagues with Texas after a year out of the game now includes a .410 spring batting average after an infield single on a tapper toward third in the third inning, and a promise from the Rangers that he'll be on the Opening Day roster.
''I'm back here again, and I'm showing I have some premium gasoline left in my tank,'' said Sosa, 38, who will have a regular-season series against the Cubs June 19-21 in Texas.
''He's an entertaining guy,'' Cubs manager Lou Piniella said, ''and he's had a lot of success at the major-league level. And he's done well in his comeback here with the Rangers, so let's hope his season goes well.''
''I'm not going to be Superman,'' said Sosa, who opens the season just 12 home runs short of 600, ''but at least I'm going to be there and try to do the best that I can.''
Sosa, who contacted the Cubs during the offseason but was told they weren't interested, said he wasn't trying to ignore fans Wednesday. ''I've got to go out there to play the game,'' he said.
He admitted it was strange, ''a little bit,'' to look out at the Cubs pitcher on the mound, Jason Marquis, wearing his old uniform No. 21.
''But I've got my No. 21, too, so we look the same,'' he said, later sidestepping a question about whether the Cubs should retire the number. ''All the things I do in that number, it was great. I played so many years in Chicago, but right now I've got to step away and focus here on Texas, the team that gave me the opportunity.''
And he spoke again almost longingly about his 13 seasons with the Cubs and the fans in the city.
''It doesn't matter where I play, doesn't matter where I'm going, they're never going to forget,'' he said. ''I'm so grateful for that city. There were so many things great in that city.
''There's going to be some few guys who are going to spread [rumors], but I don't think it's going to take my name away from Chicago. My name is always going to be mentioned in Chicago.''