600*

Well, it’s official. Sammy Sosa is now a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in sports history. Sosa joins Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds as the only Major League Baseball players to hit 600 career homeruns. Let’s put this achievement into perspective and drop a few more names. Sosa now has more homeruns than (deep breath)……Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio. Let’s face it, this is an incredible accomplishment. Sosa has whacked more dingers than Jenna Jameson.

With this milestone comes the inevitable debate...Is Sammy Sosa a Hall of Famer? Let’s play a little game of Point/Counterpoint and see where that leaves us.

Point: In Sosa’s heyday, there was no specific rule in baseball stating steroids
were not allowed. So even if he was doing it he was within the rules of Major
League Baseball.
Counterpoint: My employee handbook doesn’t say smoking crack is against company policy but it’s kind of understood.

P: Just about everyone was doing it so he was just keeping up with the Joneses.

CP: What are we...13 years old? The "everyone was doing it" defense is not going to work here.

P: Sammy never tested positive for steroids and there is no proof that he actually took them.

CP: To quote Tony Soprano, “I don't need a gynocologist to know which way the wind blows.”

P: Typically, when a hitter reaches 500 homeruns he can stamp his ticket to Cooperstown. Sammy has 600 so it should be a no-brainer.
CP: With as much juice as he was taking, Sosa could hit 800 homeruns and he still wouldn’t get voted in.

P: If we’re putting each era into perspective (steroids era, dead ball era) you have to put the best of each generation in the HOF. Clearly, Sosa was one of the top 3 players during the steroid era.
CP: So you’re saying just because Sosa was a better cheater than guys like Rafael Palmerio (failed a steroid test) we should put him in the HOF?

P: Sosa testified before Congress and was not found guilty of anything.
CP: The man conveniently forgot how to speak English even though he grew up speaking it!! You know what, forget it, this was a brilliant defense and should be used in every day life. “Sir! You are not allowed to touch the strippers!” “I no speak English.”

I guess since I brought this up I have to take a stand. Even though I'll be accused of being a Cubs apologist, I think Sosa is a Hall of Famer. The numbers can't be denied. He's one of only five players in history to reach 600 homeruns. While steroids might very well have helped him reach this milestone, I'm with the group that says you have to put in the best players of each generation. Sosa is clearly one of the greatest players of our generation. And I really think "Innocent until proven guilty" has to mean something.

The People's Champ