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Reactions Will corked bat tarnish Sosa's reputation?Posted: Wednesday June 04, 2003 7:59 PMUpdated: Wednesday June 04, 2003 8:48 PM
SI.com's John Donovan and Jacob Luft weighed in on the Sammy Sosa debate. Here's a sampling of your responses:
Throughout our history, as America goes, so goes baseball. Today, America has ENRON and "War for Oil". Win at any cost. Today, baseball has steroids and corked bats. Win at any cost. There is one other parallel, both America and baseball have lost their heros.
I think this is amusing more than something to get upset about. Does it taint Sosa's "legacy"? Not really. George Brett and Gaylord Perry are in the Hall of Fame, aren't they? Sosa probably will be some day as well. I think using supplements like Andro or wearing body armor to take beanballs is far more offensive to the integrity of the game.
If he corks his bat, what other cheating has he done? That is the question. The corked bat throws in doubt his integrity throughout his career. Was he on steroids, insulin, growth hormone, and amphetamines when he hit all those home runs? Since he corked his bat, I can only assume he was. And of course, It calls the rest of his colleague's honesty and legitimacy into question. He denies cheating and gets caught, what about the other phenoms? It does change my opinion of Sosa, but the sports world is full of cheaters. Only problem is he got caught. -- Denton Mitchell, Toronto
In a perfect world, Sammy did wrong. But, this is BASEBALL. So I say, big deal. Finding an edge or "cheating" is a part of baseball, has been forever. If you got rid of all of the people who cheated in baseball, there wouldn't be anyone left to play the game. As for Sosa's rep, give me a break. What Sosa did isn't on the scale of the owners keeping blacks out of the major leagues until 1947, Ty Cobb beating up a crippled man in the stands or cocaine in the locker rooms in the '70's. Let's not lose our perspective on this thing.
Major league baseball players should be role models for us all, especially our kids. We'll never know how often he used corked bats but we do know he cheated this night. Why would such an accomplished player just do it once? One has to assume it isn't an isolated incident. I liked Sammy a lot. I've lost all respect for him know. He's no role model. I can't believe people are justifying it by saying "well others do it ...". How sad for baseball.
Jacob Luft and John Donovan seem to have the same premise -- baseball is a cheater's sport. America's favorite pastime is cheating? Sadly that's not a shocker, but surely not something we want to promote. Actually, does anybody even watch baseball anymore?
As a former ballplayer it doesn't tarnish Slammin' Sammy in my eyes but most others will see it as a detriment and a low blow by one of the "saviors" of baseball. How dare he get caught! Doesn't he know what he means to all of those little kids and to MLB apparel? Fans would like to go around in life with blinders on and putting those elite homer run hitters on pedestals but they are still only human and sometimes they need that extra edge (See McGwire's andro) to maintain their heroic feats. I hope that Sammy is telling the truth but no matter what, he will be forever linked with cork. Maybe his Hall of Fame plaque could be made out of it?
How do I tell my kids cheaters never prosper? Shame on Sosa and worse yet shame on baseball. Their drug policy is a joke. Is Mark McGwire a hero? I think not, neither is Sosa. Does pointing out other cheaters make it right?
Why would anyone ever ever believe Showboat Sammy? He's a stinkin' Cub!!!
This, of course constitutes one of the worst incidents in the game of baseball, very unfortunate indeed. A baseball hitter of the stature of Sammy Sosa does not need to cork a bat to hit, yet for some reason he did. I always considered him and still do a formidable, natural, clean, and honest player. However this incident degrades him just a little; his honesty is not longer unquestionable.
Sammy Sosa is one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and one of the greatest guys on the field. That was my opinion before the cork, and after the cork.
If of all the bats they confiscated last night, there are none that are corked, then I'd say he's telling the truth, and it was an honest mistake. I believe him, but I'm also a lifelong Cub fan. He doesn't need to use anything that will help him only 1 percent.
Of course Sosa's image is tarnished. Jacob Luft's argument is irrelevant and elementary. If others cheat, then it's OK. A corked bat's advantage isn't proven. That is immature and ridiculous. Bat speed is increased with a lighter bat. Sosa didn't accidentally pick up a BP bat. They're professionals. To say Sosa's home runs travel way beyond the outfield walls is ignoring the fact that what he did was specifically and historically against baseball's rules. It doesn't matter that he could have hit home runs anyway. He should be suspended the maximum amount BECAUSE of his popularity and name recognition. His total career home runs should have an asterisk next to it, IN Cooperstown.
I think it's a sad indictment of our society when we view cheating in sports as acceptable behavior. Instead of focusing on Danny Almonte's despicable act, how about thinking about all the kids, who played by the rules and denied an opportunity to live out every little leaguer's dream of playing in the Little League World Series because Almonte and his coach pulled a fast one.
How about all the people that Sammy passed on the all-time HR list that didn't use a corked bat but who's accomplishments will now be "passed" by Sammy? Let's put this in perspective. Sports should be about fair competition. Professional sports is not about the spirits of sports, but dollars. And what it's teaching us is that it cheating = greater dollars. Is that why we all played Little League?
In studies that have been performed over time, the best advantage that any theorist or realist could come up with is that the ball does travel farther when using corked bats. A WHOPPING 1.1 FT. What an advantage! How many of Sammy's homers cleared the fence by 1.1 feet? Not very many. Give the man a break. Whether he does or he doesn't use "loaded bats", it still takes a great swing, power and a keen eye to hit a ball out of the park. Have any of you detractors tried to hit a ball 340 feet lately?
I'm not a Cubs fan but I liked to watch sosa. I started watching baseball when he and Big Mac had their race going. I fell in love with the sport and am a die-hard Cardinals fan. I'm disappointed in Sosa. He cheated. It is a real shame. I'll never watch him again. So yes, my opinion has changed along with a lot of other fans of the sport. My perception of Sosa was tarnished when he failed to step up and take a drug test. Now that thought is solidified by the "corked bat" incident. What was this guy thinking??? -- Shawn Rivera, Cincinnati
He didn't know it was a corked bat? Sammy's gotta be kidding, right? This incident doesn't tarnish what he's accomplished in baseball. He's a great hitter and a future hall of famer. However, here's a message to Sammy:
We're not stupid. We know that you would know the difference between using a regular bat and a corked bat. You got caught red-handed and should admit you tried to sneak it past us. Guess what. It didn't work. I haven't been a fan of MLB in over five years. Incidents like this contribute to the league's crappy image as it is. You get paid too much money to play a simple game. Quit the B.S. cheating and play ball. Is it really that hard to do?
"Every one else is doing it..." Some excuse Jacob. Good for a 4 year old maybe ... Sammy is a role model whether he or you likes it or not. This incident sends the wrong message to kids and adults everywhere. It is OK to cheat, or to try to cheat. Role models need to be way above the standard. Sammy has now lost one of the hardest things to earn ... TRUST.
Sosa is forever tarnished. Now we will always wonder. Baseball is tarnished too. Are we all getting taken for a ride here?
My opinion of Sammy Sosa has totally changed. In my eyes the only picture that comes to mind was in September of '98 when he and McGwire were chasing Maris. When McGwire and Sosa's pursuit of the record captivated the entire baseball world. When McGwire and Sosa embraced and seemed to be the next true ambassadors of our sport. In this time of conflict this puts yet another dark cloud over baseball players everywhere. The unfairness of using a corked bat, and the unknowing if this isn't the first time that he used this bat. Its pretty bad when he is known for hitting home runs and a mere ground out to second is the demise of this so called all star. The integrity of one of baseballs true leaders, premiere guys and idol for children to admire. All in all it shows to people that they have admired and adored nothing but a cheating player, that has lied to them and the entire baseball world. The legacy of a true hall of fame player could be tarnished for the rest of time! Look at shoeless Joe Jackson. His average is still 3rd highest in history but he is remembered for one thing -- throwing the 1919 World Series.
My case is that Jacob Luft has done his homework and John Donovan and Rick Reilly haven't ... As Mr. Luft says, Professor Adair from Yale says that a corked bat will actually drive the ball a shorter distance than a heavy bat since the heavy bat supplies more power to the ball. So if Sammy has been using a corked bat, which Reilly and Donovan infer have added to his homerun total, he actually would have hit more home runs if he had not used it. Come on guys, if you want the reading public to give you credibility, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Instead of seeing Sammy as a living legend I now see him as just another cheating jock who had hoped he wouldn't get caught.
Luft totally misses the point. You can't justify Sosa's cheating by saying "everybody cheats."
But what really perturbed me is that Sosa didn't have the fortitude to own up to his mistake -- that's what changed my opinion of him. He took a cue from Bill Clinton -- instead of admitting his mistake, he tried to excuse it away.
Sammy Sosa is now just a cheater in my mind. It is disgusting to me that the umpires involved thought about not ejecting him in fears of tarnishing baseball's image. I must admit I never really fell for all of the Sosa hype, but I always thought he was a tremendous slugger. Now, as I said above, He is nothing but a selfish cheater!! I will never consider him with the greats of the game.
The point everyone seems to missing in the corked bat debate is this: It's against the rules, plain and simple.
It does not matter whether it works or not. It does not matter for how many homers Sosa has been using a bat that is corked.
It's against the rules. Nothing more nothing less. And for breaking them, Sosa is a cheater, a tarnished hero who breaks the rules.
I, for one will not feel the same about Sosa. Whatever numbers he ends up with will be tarnished in my opinion. If any of the other bats that the league confiscated are corked, he should be suspended for the rest of the season.
Jacob Luft's response to this incident is regrettable. Doesn't integrity mean anything anymore? I am truly sorry that we live in a society where individuals such as Luft see nothing wrong with cheating. What difference does it make if corked bats really work. Sosa believed a corked bat made the ball travel a greater distance; thats all that matters. Sosa knew he was cheating. Listing a group of "somewhat distinguished" cheaters doesn't make it right. I could list a group of "somewhat distinguished" murderers. Do you then down play or make light of the next person that is murdered?
It's not a sad day in baseball when someone cheats at the great game we all love. That's what sad about it. There have been liars and cheats in this sport and Sammy is just another man added to the list. That being said ... Sosa, you're guilty (caught red-handed), so get the $#@% out of the great American pastime, and take all your cheatin' buddies with you!!
Anyone in the game getting caught changes my opinion. He is a home run hitter breaking milestones such as 500 homers and 60 homerun seasons. The 60 home run seasons took so long to reach by any major league player before him and now he is doing consistently. I question how many are legit. Did the other players in the home run exhibition use corked bats? There he is pumping his chest, flexing his muscles and enjoying the wooing of the crowd only because his bat was doctored. He enjoyed being fake and maybe that is who he is: A Fake.
My first thought was indeed, say it ain't so. When I heard his reason for having the corked bat I thought how absurd. Yes, my opinion of Sosa is changed. I'll no longer look at him the way I once did. He cheated, he got caught, and now he is in the same league with everyone else who cheats to perform. Cheating is not ok, it's the same as lying or stealing. And it doesn't belong in baseball.
Jacob Luft's defence of Sammy Sosa unfortunately mirrors that of society. Lets teach our children that it is OK to cheat, to lie and to steal. After all it is only a game, right?
It is sad to read Jacob Luft's article. I really hope the kids are not going to read this piece of garbage. It is wrong to cheat, to go against the rules in any sports and in life in general. I am really afraid that baseball may hide the fact that he had many other tempered bats to protect Sosa and the game itself like it is doing with steroids.
Jacob Luft is an idiot. Cheating is cheating and just because other people are doing it doesn't make it okay. It also doesn't matter that Sosa's home runs go way beyond the fence anyway. If that's the case then why'd he cork? There is no excuse for corking, no excuse for cheating, and no excuse for apologists like Luft to obfuscate the issue by saying "everyone else does it."
I'm with Jacob Luft on this one ... to be honest, why does anyone really care? Fox News Chicago interrupted The Simpsons last night with breaking news on this event, and that's what really annoyed me.
Jacob Luft's "What's The Big Deal" shows he has a much clearer grasp of reality than John Donovan (A Rep Killer). Sad to say, cheating is the American way of life. Little league sports, corporate america, income taxes, politicians in public office, and even our clergy contain people trying to get ahead by means other than honesty and hard work. It's not right, but it's the American way. Isn't that truly sad! |
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