NEWSLETTER
I have, for a long time, advocated on behalf of a swift homecoming for Sammy Sosa.
I know not everyone feels this way – and for understandable reasons – but Sosa played such an instrumental role in the origin of my Cubs’ fandom that I could never bring myself to join the chorus demanding a public apology first.
And by the way, as far as we know, an apology (or at least some similar version of public atonement) *is* what the Ricketts Family is looking for before Sosa would be welcomed back into the Cubs family. It’s been nearly 15 years since Sammy last put on a Cubs jersey, and I know I am not alone in wanting him back in our Cubs-related lives. And, yet, the two sides cannot simply work it out to make something happen. It’s frustrating, as each is responsible in some way for the continued fissure.
In any case, yes, I really want Sosa back in my life, and I think the majority of Cubs fans agree. To that end, I was very happy to see David Kaplan’s latest interview with Sosa at NBC Sports Chicago:
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Sammy #Sosa opens up about past mistakes and apologies.
MORE: https://t.co/ECUusiPz2b pic.twitter.com/uztbPviBCI
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) May 2, 2018
If you can’t watch the interview, you can catch the highlights in Kaplan’s post-mortem write-up at NBC Sports Chicago. In fact, even if you do watch, it’s important to get Kaplan’s take afterwords, as he adds some context and additional thoughts of his own. Check it out.
I don’t want to spoil too much of the article/video interview, because it’s all pretty good, but I will very much encourage you to check it out – and that goes double if you’re actually against Sosa returning.
Sosa may not come out and deliver the exact apology for the things he’s done wrong in the past (and he isn’t admitting to using steroids), but, in my opinion, you can easily tell that he’s a completely different person than he was 14 years ago: “The ownership, they have to understand that I’m a humble man; I’m not a man to have ego, when I was playing I was a little bit because I was focused on what I was trying to do,” Sosa said. “But right now I’m gonna be 50 years old. I’m a granddaddy, I’m a grandparent, so things change. So if I made a mistake, I don’t have to say that but if I made a mistake, I didn’t want to offend anybody I don’t have a problem with that, I’m sorry because you know, I was in my zone.”
Sosa went onto explain many things, including the fact that he’d be more than happy to return if he was invited. And added that if he does ever come back to Chicago, it would be for all of us. “If one day I come back to Chicago, I’d come back for the fans. I owe those people something.”
So be sure to check out Kaplan’s article for much more on Sosa’s thought process and what he’s been up to lately, because I suspect you’ll find it interesting. And there’s more tonight:
Don't miss out on EXCLUSIVE footage, stories and a Q&A with @thekapman about his interview with Sammy Sosa TONIGHT at 7 on @NBCSChicago's Facebook Live. https://t.co/FeFnCssDN9 pic.twitter.com/7R7c5aquZ1
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) May 2, 2018
