Cubs legend Sammy Sosa admits ‘errors’ in public apology

Former Chicago Cubs hitter Sammy Sosa stated he “made errors” throughout his 18-year Main League Baseball profession, in a press release that some observers interpreted as an acknowledgment of his previous steroid use.

Sosa, 56, has hit 609 profession residence runs, good for ninth on MLB’s all-time record. However as dominant as he was, his legacy was tarnished by accusations that he used steroids, significantly in the course of the well-known 1998 chase the place he and Marc McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals each broke what was then the single-season residence run document.

McGwire completed that season with a career-high 70, whereas Sosa hit 66. He retired in 2007 and, because of his alleged use of performance-enhancing medicine, shouldn’t be within the Corridor of Fame.

“I perceive why some gamers from my period do not at all times get the popularity our stats deserve,” Sosa stated in a press release Thursday (December 19).

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He added: “There have been instances after I did every part I might to get well from my accidents to keep up my power to play greater than 162 matches. I’ve by no means damaged any legal guidelines. However trying again, I made errors and I apologize for them.

Sosa spent 13 seasons with the cubsconsidered one of most iconic franchises in American sports activities, and the staff appears able to welcome him again.

“We respect Sammy releasing his assertion and reaching out to us,” Cubs proprietor Tom Ricketts said in a statement THURSDAY. “Nobody performed tougher or wished to win extra. Nobody is ideal however we by no means doubted his ardour for the sport and the Cubs. It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favourite.

Prefer it or not, Sosa occupies an essential place in baseball historical past. His residence run with McGwire is extensively credited with serving to restore reputation to Main League Baseball after the 1994 strike canceled that yr’s World Sequence.

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“We completed nice issues as a staff and I labored extraordinarily exhausting within the batting cage to turn out to be an awesome hitter,” his assertion continued. “Cubs followers are the perfect on the earth, and I hope the followers, the Cubs and I can all come collectively once more and transfer ahead.” We can’t change the previous, however the future is vibrant. In my coronary heart, I’ve at all times been a Cub and I sit up for seeing Cubs followers once more.

Sosa’s assertion comes practically 20 years after he testified earlier than Congress because the true scale of MLB’s steroid downside turned clear.

“To be clear,” he stated on the time, “I’ve by no means taken any unlawful performance-enhancing medicine. I’ve by no means injected myself or anybody injected me with something.

The Cubs have invited Sosa to look on the 2025 Cubs Conference Jan. 17-19, the place he’s anticipated to reunite with the staff and its followers.