Rangers offer minor league deal to Sosa

Killswitch · 01-17-2007, 03:21 PM

Rangers offer minor league deal to Sosa

The Texas Rangers have offered Sammy Sosa a minor league contract and invitation to spring training, where the veteran slugger would have the chance to make the major league club.

"Sammy seems hungry and somewhat humbled by the last two years,'' Texas general manager Jon Daniels said in an e-mail to ESPN.com. "This is about giving a second chance to a guy who did a lot for the game, and who wants an opportunity to prove he can contribute. We're not setting expectations, and he's not asking for anything other than a chance to compete."

It was not immediately clear how much the deal would be worth if Sosa were to make the major league club, but the source said that a big chunk of the money would be incentive-based.

"We've had productive discussions," Sosa's agent, Adam Katz, told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Sosa worked out for Rangers officials at Ameriquest Field on Monday and later had dinner with Daniels. If Sosa were to come to terms with the team, he would report to Rangers spring training on Feb. 22 in Surprise, Arizona.

The relationship between the Rangers and Sosa would be nothing new. Sosa signed his first baseball contract with Texas 22 years ago out of the Dominican Republic, and after four years in the minors, he made his major league debut with the Rangers at age 20 in 1989. He hit .238 with one home run (off Roger Clemens at Fenway Park) and three RBIs before being traded to the Chicago White Sox.

Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo managed Sosa in 1986 for the Rangers' rookie league team.

Sosa, a seven time All-Star and author of three 60-plus home run seasons, has 588 homers in a 17-year career, but he hit just .221 with 14 round-trippers in 102 games with the Orioles in 2005 and did not play last year.

"I think I still have a lot to give in baseball," said Sosa last month, when he began to work out in the Dominican.

Sosa, 38, turned down a non-guaranteed contract worth $500,000 from the Washington Nationals and opted to sit out the 2006 season.

"Now, I would accept an offer similar to that of the Nationals last year," said Sosa recently.

Sosa would give the Rangers a much-needed right-handed bat in the outfield. Three of Texas' current outfielders are left-handed hitters -- Brad Wilkerson, Kenny Lofton and Frank Catalanotto.

Source: ESPN.com

StylesÃ‚â„¢ · 01-17-2007, 03:31 PM

I say take it, he'll either be a jewel or dud, and your not offering him million, so it's not like your taking a huge risk on him...I see another team or two looking at him, but in the long run being in a Rangers jersey..

Killswitch · 01-17-2007, 03:42 PM

I knew Sosa wasn't gone for good even though I believe he should. We all saw he sucked once he couldn't use Steroids or even cork his bat for that fact. He's a cheater who sucks without his reliable source. I would take it if I was him because of the money but in a fan look I don't want him back in the league.

joeytheking23 · 01-17-2007, 09:43 PM

No proof or ties to steroid for Sosa....but I hope he does good, he will probably make their major league team too.

Killswitch · 01-18-2007, 05:41 PM

Sosa agrees to deal with Rangers

Sammy Sosa is coming back to the Rangers.

The two sides have shook hands in principle according to a source, and now general manager Jon Daniels and agent Adam Katz are trying to work out the final details. A formal announcement is expected in the next few days.

Two key figures in this whole process -- manager Ron Washington and hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo -- are one with the idea: Bring on Sammy Sosa.

"I'm all for it," Washington said on Wednesday while driving from New Orleans to Dallas for the big announcement. "Anytime you can get a guy of his pedigree and background and attitude, and [he] shows he still has his swing ... I'm for it."

Jaramillo, who was Sosa's first manager back in 1986 with the Rangers Rookie League team in Sarasota, Fla., was among those who watched the seven-time All-Star work out on Monday at Ameriquest Field in Arlington and was excited by what he saw.

"The main thing is his attitude and the kind of shape he is in," Jaramillo said. "He looked in really good shape. He has been swinging the bat and working out all winter.

"There's a wrong perception of him. He knows he's not the Sammy of '98, but his attitude is great, and he's hungry. He wants to prove something. He has a lot of pride. He's not going to come back and let himself fail."

Sosa is expected to come in to camp on a $500,000 incentive-laden Minor League contract in an attempt to show the Rangers he can be their full-time designated hitter and occasional outfielder.

"I'd love to have him hit fifth behind Mark Teixeira if he shows he can hit Major League pitching," Washington said. "As we get into Spring Training, his performance will show what we can do with him.

Entire article

Source: ESPN.com

StylesÃ‚â„¢ · 01-18-2007, 11:22 PM

Texas is a good place to start and if he doesn't make it, it's not a big loss for the Rangers, if he makes it than great he's back in the majors, but he'll take a bit before getting back to where he was...if he can ever get there...

And Yea Sosa was never caught using steroids...

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Rangers offer minor league deal to Sosa

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