You do something dramatic.
The Baltimore Orioles are apparently close to a trade that would send Jerry Hairston and two minor leagues to the Chicago Cubs for superstar and powerful outfielder Sammy Sosa. If nothing else, this trade brings more star power to Baltimore. If nothing else, there will be more filled seats next year. If nothing else, the Orioles will get more national exposure from ESPN and FOX. And that could very well be where the good news stops. And notice, nothing was mentioned about the production Sosa could bring. That's because he's 36 and has been branded as a "me-first" athlete who stirred up clubhouse controversy last season with Dusty Baker. Add to that the swirling innuendo that Sosa is tied up in the steroid bruhaha, and that he used a corked bat two years ago.
(Right now is a good time to quote Peter Schmuck in his column in the Baltimore Sun: "There is a precedent. Former Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox slugger Albert Belle was caught with a corked bat back in the 1990s, and look where he ended up in the twilight of his career.
Sorry I brought that up.")
I won't reproduce his declining statistics here. You can look that up. I will only say that he's not getting any younger or any better. In Camden Yards, he could still power out 35-40 home runs. He could also drive in more than 100. He could make an already powerful lineup more powerful. He could.I applaud the Orioles for trying to do something bold to make fans take notice that they're not giving up on this offseason. I think I would rather see the management make those gutsy trades for pitchers, because getting Sosa doesn't address Baltimore's real problem: Pitching. Unless ...
"Hey, Sammy, can you throw a knuckleball?"
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