Chicago slugger wants to remain with team ‘forever'

Sammy Sosa decided to stay with the Chicago Cubs and not test the free-agent market, preferring to keep a contract that guarantees him $33 million over the next two years.

Across town Friday, the White Sox decided to exercise the $4 million option on 21-game winner Esteban Loaiza rather than let him listen to offers.

As the first week of the off-season ended, the New York Yankees turned down options on left-hander Gabe White ($3.5 million) and right-hander Antonio Osuna ($2.8 million), and the St. Louis Cardinals said no to a $7 million option on former Yankees left-hander Sterling Hitchcock.

The Cubs declined to exercise their $9 million option on infielder Eric Karros.

Hitchcock and Karros get $1 million buyouts; White receives $250,000 and Osuna gets $150,000.

Eight more players filed for free-agency, including Hitchcock and Karros, raising the total to 183 in the six days after the World Series. About 40 more players potentially are eligible to file by the Nov. 9 deadline. Players can't start talking money with teams other than their own until the following day.

Sosa signed a $72 million, four-year extension during spring training in 2001. Under the deal, he had the right to terminate the contract after this season or exercise player options for $16 million next season and $17 million in 2005.

“I have said all along I wanted to remain a Cub forever,” he said in a statement. “We had such an exciting year in 2003, for both myself and for Cub fans everywhere. I am already looking forward to next season.”

www.kansascity.com

sosa makes a smart move to stick with the $$$

i'd love to see his ass outta town. he is the king of the meaningless homerun. he strikes out way to much and plays right field like my sister.

the cubs just signed him because the fans would revolt if they let him go.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by blue edwards:
i'd love to see his ass outta town. he is the king of the meaningless homerun. he strikes out way to much and plays right field like my sister.

the cubs just signed him because the fans would revolt if they let him go.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sammy is cool. The guy used a corked bat. Then said "my bad"

Gotta love the attitude.

the cubs will make there money back on sammy sosa jerseys alone.

all those guys who were good players and FA's around 2000 have to be doing the touch my two niples and point up at the sky thing becuase market value is vastly different from what it was 3 years ago. . . namely manny, sammy and A-ROD

I hope Sammy get the Season HR record.

general, sosa is a piece of shit. he is among the most selfish players to ever put on a cub uniform. every time he does that hop, i want to slap his non-english speaking ass.

he used a corked bat, then said my bad? bullshit. he cheated, then he lied about it saying it was an accident. then he complained about the media reporting it. then he demanded an apology from the media.

there is no doubt he used a corked bat and that he knew about it beforehand. there is also no doubt that he is on the juice. he is not the only one, however he is cheating in every way possible.

he is not a team player and is vastly overrated. vlad guererro is twice the player he is.

nevermind bring jj back. although i agree with it. . .bring the stockton is in my basemaent back with the edwards pic!! it was the illest! you can use yahoo and do a blue search piece of cake. lose that sentimental fat white girl bs u got now

rob...can you help me out? i dont know what happened to my blue edwards picture. one day, it just turned into a red x.