MLB Truth & Rumors: Feb. 1, 2005

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A key step in the Sammy Sosa deal to Baltimore passed when the players union approved the trade, and MLB began reviewing the paperwork for an expected rubber stamp from commissioner Bud Selig. The trade could be completed tomorrow or Thursday. -- Baltimore Sun

The Cubs will spend nearly $16 million to get rid of Sosa. The Cubs will pay $12 million of Sosa's $17 million salary for 2005, plus $3.5 million as a severance agreement left over from an old contract. -- Chicago Tribune

Sosa isn't scheduled to take his physical in Baltimore until tomorrow, making it likely that an official news conference won't be held until Thursday. The deal has already had an impact at the box office. The Orioles said they sold 5,000 season ticket plans this weekend -- ten times as much as a typical winter weekend at Camden Yards. -- Washington Post

MLB needs to complete a deal with Peter Angelos, the Orioles' owner, to satisfy his concerns about the Nationals moving into what he considers his team's marketing and television territory. Suppose MLB officials, knowing the Orioles wanted Sosa, made sure that the Nationals didn't get him first. Whether it was Tony Tavares, the Selig-appointed Nationals president, or an official above him, perhaps someone blocked the Nationals from completing a trade with the Cubs. Budget could always be used as the reason, no matter how little of Sosa's $17 million salary the Nationals would have had to pay, even as little as $2 million. This would explain why baseball people were hearing Friday morning that the Nationals were getting Sosa, then have it turn around later in the day to have the Orioles getting him. It's curious that the Nationals would have been allowed to give Odalis Perez a three-year, $18.5 million contract, but they didn't have a couple of million for Sosa. -- New York Times

The Cubs and Orioles had been talking trade for quite some time before the Sosa for Jerry Hairston Jr. and two minor-leaguers deal was agreed upon. Cubs GM Jim Hendry wanted to include reliever Kyle Farnsworth in order to obtain Baltimore reliever Jorge Julio, but the Orioles wouldn't bite. -- Chicago Tribune

Dusty Baker finds his is the new butt on Cubdom's hot seat. If he was the one who kept zinging Sosa during the offseason and refused to pick up the phone to call his sulking slugger -- in effect, greasing the skids for the trade to the Orioles -- he is the one who must produce the next two years or risk being jettisoned himself. -- Chicago Sun-Times

The sides continued to talk Monday, but the Tigers haven't reached a deal with free agent Magglio Ordonez. While the Tigers negotiate, other teams are trying to decide if they want to get involved. With the Orioles moving for Sosa, that would appear to leave the Cubs as the Tigers' main rival, with the Mets a possibility -- especially if they can free up some salary through a trade. "I think the Mets are about to get knee-deep in this thing now," a source familiar with the situation said. -- Detroit Free Press

Hendry talked Sunday night with agent Scott Boras about Ordonez and said again that the Cubs would be interested in Ordonez for a short-term deal, probably two years at most with a chance for a third-year option. Jeromy Burnitz will decide in the next couple of days where he plans to sign for next season and added that the Cubs remain a serious contender in his thinking. -- Chicago Sun-Times

Burnitz may be the Cubs' choice, mainly because Ordonez's asking price is about $12 million a season. -- Chicago Tribune