Report: Sosa tested positive in '03
Sammy Sosa, who along with Mark McGwire captivated baseball fans in the summer of 1998 while pursuing and surpassing Roger Maris's all-time home run record, tested positive for a banned substance in 2003 according to a report on the New York Times' website this afternoon.
The 40-year-old Sosa, who is sixth on the all-time home run list with 609, had long been suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs because of his unusual mid-career power surge. But had never been linked to a positive test until now.
Sosa, who hit more than 60 home runs in a season three times, is the second player to be revealed from a list of 104 who tested positive in 2003 during survey tests conducted by Major League Baseball to see if mandatory, random drug testing was needed. In today's report, the Times cited lawyers who have knowledge of the drug-testing results from that year as its source.
There were no penalties for a positive test in 2003, and surveys were supposed to remain anonymous. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was the first one the '03 list to be revealed as testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
ESPNDeportes.com reported earlier this month that Sosa, who has not played in the majors since 2007, would announce his retirement soon and "calmly wait" for his induction into the Hall of Fame.
"Don't I have the numbers to be inducted?" said Sosa.
But his induction is all the more unlikely now. Other players who have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs -- such as McGwire -- have received little support on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Sosa, who also was found during the 2003 season to have used a corked bat, testified before Congress in 2005 that he had "never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs."
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Now there's a surprise. Was this the same year he had the corked bat incident too?
Just release all of the names so we know who was clean.
Yawn...his issue with getting in the HOF should really be the corked bats, shouldn't?
What would Gomer say.....Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!
Is anyone really shocked by this? This is not news. Who's next to get busted.
Shocking.
Season home run record, not all-time.
what a suprise
Corked a bat, corked himself.
This may be a bigger deal than simply whether he will get into Cooperstown. Given that a positive drug test may exist from prior to his congressional testimony, there is a good chance he may be convicted of perjury.
Why are we getting leaks about only some of the players? ARod and Sosa. This is wrong and irresponsible by whomever is providing this information and to also pick and choose who they want to tarnish. As a MLB fan (and I believe I speak for most) either stop it now or present the entire list, otherwise we don't want to hear no more...nuff said!
Now we don't have to feel guilty for considering him a cheater. As if the cork wasn't enough proof. And I agree. Why are only some names being leaked? That's just wrong.
Eveybody on the list should be outed. How about making anyone who ever had a positive test ineligible for the Hall of Fame (even though the PEDs weren't illegal in MLB, they were definitely illegal in the USA). Sammy's numbers were as inflated as his arms were during his best years. When he retired then came back, he had shrunken to at least twenty-five pounds lighter; there's no mystery there.
Eveybody on the list should be outed. How about making anyone who ever had a positive test ineligible for the Hall of Fame (even though the PEDs weren't illegal in MLB, they were definitely illegal in the USA). Sammy's numbers were as inflated as his arms were during his best years. When he retired then came back, he had shrunken to at least twenty-five pounds lighter; there's no mystery there.
Eveybody on the list should be outed. How about making anyone who ever had a positive test ineligible for the Hall of Fame (even though the PEDs weren't illegal in MLB, they were definitely illegal in the USA). Sammy's numbers were as inflated as his arms were during his best years. When he retired then came back, he had shrunken to at least twenty-five pounds lighter; there's no mystery there.
Bust his butt not for the PEDs, but for lying to congress. He should go to jail just like the rest of the liars. It's one thing to make a mistake, but what a creep to then lie about it--knowing full well that it was a lie when he said it. Maybe he can bunk with Roger for a couple weeks.
There's a shocker!!!
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF MARK McGUIRE HAD BEEN TESTED BEFORE HE LEFT BASEBALL???!!!
Jose Canseco was right!!
Sosa's (false) testimony to Congress was notable of his inability to understand English at opportune times. There is one word he should understand, though: tramposo.
Sosa = tramposo.
OK - here's my theory -- anyone and I mean anyone who hit 50 home runs or more during the steroid era is a definite suspect, especially if they did it more than once (Sosa, Bonds), or hit 50 just once after never coming close prior to the feat, and/or suffering from a severe drop-off in production afterward. Here is an amazing stat -- Look at home runs hit after 1968 (year mound was lowered) and 1989 (arbitrary start of steroid era) and you will see just a handful of players hit the magical 50 mark -- in fact, it's just one -- George Foster hit 52 in 1977 and never did it again. Before him, Willie Mays hit 52 and 1965 and it wasn't until 1990 that Cecil Fielder matched the feat with 51. Folks, that's three players in 25 years to hit a hair over 50! Then between 1995 and 2007 -- the 50 mark was broken 23 times! Go down the list of players and draw your own conclusions. There is just one player in that mix who gives me pause -- Ken Griffy Jr. -- who hit plus-50 twice. I gotta think he's clean but the fact that he hit 50-plus twice puts him in extremely elite company when you consider that prior to the Steroid era, just a handful of players have accomplished that incredible feat.
Didn't everyone know he was dirty back then? Really, now. MLB let it all happen
because they were filling all the seats and the press was loving it. Tom
Time now for the Commish to step up to the plate and take some swings at Sosa, McGuire, et al, and expunge their lifetime stats from the MLB sheet.
He was/is/will be a fake and fraud. What is new about the Era of Juiced Ball and Chemical Basher?
I have more respect for Tyler Hamilton (now) than Sosa and the MLB PED-users. A lot of these guys believe their own denials. Redman, Jolt, Sudafed are a bunt single to PEDs. Money driven owners, advertisers, and athletes all are to blame.
Sad to think these guys love the game and would play clean for the love of the sport if there wasn't so much money.
i dont appreciate these rumors about me
The home run record of 61 is now unequivocal.
wow what a shock how about the rest of the list
Maris was amped on fountain soda which by the way was banned on sunday because it was too rich for the jesus freaks. Bad bad R. Maris Get the juice!
The most relevant part of this article: "There were no penalties for a positive test in 2003." The lack of serious consequences for PED use has devestated the game and put an entire generation of players at serious health risk. The fact that Manny is returning for the second half of the season and the playoffs after using PEDs this year shows that the problem is still barely being addressed. UNTIL BASEBALL AND THE PLAYERS' UNION AGREE TO ADOPT A POLICY OF NO TOLERANCE AND INSTITUE A LIFETIME BAN HENCEFORTH OF ANY PLAYER USING PEDs FANS WILL NOT VIEW THIS ISSUE AS RESOLVED.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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