Reconciliation with the Chicago Cubs reached a new level for Sammy Sosa on Wednesday, when he wore the team uniform for the first time in 21 years at their spring complex in Mesa, Ariz.
Acting as a guest instructor, Sosa spent part of Tuesday afternoon at the new training facility and returned to observe batting practice and visit with players on and around the field on Wednesday along with former pitching great Fergie Jenkins.
“It’s great, man; I feel like I’m playing again,” Sosa said. “But it’s good. All the players are happy for me to be here. I have a lot to contribute here. I believe that the opportunity is here, so I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying it right now.”
The former slugger and the Cubs are in the midst of mending fences after he was welcomed back by the organization in December and attended the Cubs Convention fan fest in January.
Sosa holds the team record with 545 home runs and hit 609 during his baseball career. He spent a few minutes chatting with hitting coach Dustin Kelly, who said he could already tell Sosa’s confident approach was rubbing off on younger players.
“That’s what some of our guys have already taken away,” Kelly said. “Just how confident he was at the plate with his mentality and what he was thinking up there.”
Most of the top prospects in baseball were not born when Sosa and Mark McGwire chased the MLB single-season home run record in 1998, or for the controversial steroid-link fallout soon after. Chicago’s top prospect, Matt Shaw, was born in 2001. McGwire, who outpaced Sosa 70 home runs to 66 in 1998, later admitted to PED use while Sosa denied it. He was named in an anonymous leak of drug-test results in 2003.
The Cubs have multiple players who are familiar with Sosa and a few, including recently signed Justin Turner, who grew up emulating the charismatic slugger. Turner said Wednesday he practiced “the hop” Sosa used after connecting for a home run.
Sosa plans to spend a week with the team this spring and discuss other ways he can contribute.
“I worked hard every day. Every day. I’m happy to explain to anyone or everyone who wants to listen to me,” Sosa said.
