Sosa trade to Orioles finalized
BALTIMORE (AP) – Sammy Sosa will be taking aim at American League pitchers and the short left-field wall at Camden Yards this summer. The trade that sent Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles from the Chicago Cubs was finalized Wednesday after commissioner Bud Selig approved the deal and the slugger passed his physical.
Chicago received second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. and two minor leaguers, second baseman Mike Fontenot and right-handed pitcher Dave Crouthers.
“I had a great time in Chicago,” Sosa during a news conference at Camden Yards. “This is my new house, and I love it.”
Under terms of the addendum to Sosa’s contract that he signed Thursday, the Cubs will pay $16.15 million of the $25 million Sosa was still owed under his $72 million, four-year contract, according to details obtained by The Associated Press.
Baltimore is responsible for just $8.85 million of Sosa’s $17 million salary this year, with the Cubs paying the rest. Because Sosa is paid on a 12-month basis and already had received $1,307,692 of his salary this year, that amount was credited to what the Cubs owe Baltimore, meaning the Orioles will receive $6,842,308 in cash from Chicago.
As part of the trade, Chicago will pay Sosa $3.5 million in severance within 30 days. The $18 million 2006 option in his contract was eliminated, and the $4.5 million buyout was converted to a $4.5 million assignment bonus, which the Cubs must pay by March 15.
He also agreed to eliminate the $19 million option for 2007 that his contract said would be added if he was traded.
“Obviously, it’s a historic day,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. “It’s a day we feel is in the best interest of all parties. It’s a good situation for Sammy, it’s a good situation for the Baltimore Orioles and it’s also something we feel is in our best interests.”
The man nicknamed Slammin’ Sammy endeared himself to Cubs fans when he hit 66 homers in 1999 during a duel with Mark McGwire that reached the national stage.
Sosa maintained his popularity and sweet home run swing for three years after that, but his rapport with the team and its rabid fans began to sour in 2003, when he was suspended for seven games for using a corked bat.
After a 2004 season in Sosa’s batting average dipped to .253 and he walked out on the team before their final game, the Cubs began looking to deal the disgruntled star.
Given those numbers, and the fact that Hairston was a backup, the trade was an easy one for Baltimore to make.
The Orioles entered the offseason looking for a right-handed power hitter, and Sosa should provide some pop in the cleanup spot batting behind Miguel Tejada and ahead of Rafael Palmeiro.
Even though his bat isn’t as potent as it was five years ago, the 36-year-old Sosa hit 35 homers in only 126 games last season. Tejada led the Orioles with 34 home runs – in 162 games.
The Cubs, meanwhile, hope to make up for the loss of power in the lineup by signing free agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2006, a deal that guarantees him $5 million. Chicago needed to wait for the Sosa deal to be completed before finalizing its deal with Burnitz, who hit .283 with 37 homers and 110 RBIs with Colorado in 2004.