Most of you already know, but Sammy Sosa received a 8 game suspension for using a corked bat in Tuesday nights game against Tampa Bay. He has already appealed the suspension. Thinking he should just accept his punishment and move on. Yeah it was a mistake, but he broke the rule. Thus he deserves to be punished. So what, none of his other bats turned up with cork in them. He had an obligation to himself, the fans, the CUBS, and everyone involved with Major League Baseball. Appealing the suspension only serves to keep headlines focused on this awful situation. Thinking he would be better off without that. Plus the greater damage was done to his reputation not his checkbook. It's going to take many people, quite some time before they fully forgive him. Hopefully he learnt his lesson. Cheaters (even unintentional ones), never win.
Btw, picture at left was taken at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night after the big corking incident. Some fans booed when Sammy came up to bat, but most were pretty supportive.
What I don't understand is this: IF, this were an "accident" and he simply picked up the one and only "corked bat"...why in BLAZES would you evenwant to HAVE a "corked bat" at a game??? I know, I've heard the answer..."because he uses it to THRILL the fans during batting practice" C'mon now...I'm not a baseball player by ANY MEANS...but #1. Can you really swing the "corked" bat THAT much faster, so much that the fans notice? #2. EVEN if you hit in front of fans with the "corked" do they REALLY care if the ball goes 400 or 410 in PRACTICE?? #3. Someone who is as INTIMATE with their equipment as he would be...doesn't "notice" he picked the "corked". To me, the simple CHANCE one would take of such humiliation, would not be worth the risk. Everyone makes mistakes, let's hope he and OTHERS learn from it.
I know nothing about baseball -- what is a corked bat, and why is it against the rules to use one?
He he he. One of the reasons I love reading your blog is that it cracks me up that a woman is teaching a man about sports. ;-)
Corked bats are lighter which allows for a faster swing which provides an unfair advantage as balls hit have potential to go a longer distance. Go here to read more.
I agree that he messed up - and that he should be punished - but as always, I think it's being blown way out of proportion. He messed up. He seems genuinely sorry and embarassed. Let the man serve his suspension and deal with the stigma of this. I feel awful for him.
Actually Ursula, a corked bat doesn't have the potential to hit a ball further. It does increase bat speed, but only by 1 mph or 1%. A corked bat actually DECREASES the distance on the ball by about 3 feet. So a 375 foot homerun would end up being a 372 foot double off the wall.