http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2013/01/25/retiring-sosas-number-would-disgrace-the-cubs/
1/26/13
[h=1]Retiring Sammy Sosa’s Number Would Disgrace the Chicago Cubs[/h]1 day ago by
Matt Heckler
Jennifer Hilderbrand-USA TODAY Sports
Sammy Sosa, who was the
Chicago Cubs best hitter for the majority of the 1990s, recently commented that the organization should have retired his number long ago. To take his numbers on face value, he certainly is in contention for one of the better Cubs hitters in team history, with one important caveat: he was a cheater.
Taking the famous corked bat incident on its own, it could be perceived as a simple mistake. His explanation at the time was that he used the corked bat in batting practice to give the fans in the crowd a show. If this was the only stumbling block, he would still be both Hall of Fame and retired number material, but it goes so much farther than that.
Despite testifying in a court of law that he never used any illegal substances to get an edge to his game, it was discovered a few years ago that Sosa had actually tested positive for steroid usage. Not only did he lie to a court, which could lead to legal trouble if officials decided to pursue that, but he proved once and for all that he is not just a liar, but a cheater.
Any player associated with steroid usage should be banned from getting their number retired, and from the Hall of Fame. Players who were exonerated or who never actually test positive are a different story, but steroid usage is the worst action a baseball player can take. It not only shows willingness to break the law and the rules of the league, but shows a disrespect for the game that should never be present in a Hall of Famer.
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