SEEING SOSA: PRICELESS Baltimore slugger reflects on leaving Cubs, finding new home

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The buzz was all around the ballpark even two hours before the first pitch was delivered: “Sammy’s playing? Sammy Sosa is here. We’re going to get to see Sosa play.”

Even the cooks preparing the food in the press box were taken aback when his name was announced in the starting lineup for Baltimore’s spring training game against Boston at City of Palms Park Wednesday afternoon.

“Batting fourth and playing right field … number 21, Sammy Sosa.”

“Sammy Sosa’s playing today? Wow!” one of the cooks said.

The former Chicago Cubs superslugger did more than that. He even talked to reporters after taking batting practice.

“I’m very happy to be here with a good team and a good lineup,” Sosa said while sitting atop the dugout bench and cradling a bat in his right hand. “You know, they are great fans over there in Baltimore, and I’m just happy to be here in a great place. It worked out very good for me.”

If batting production is any indication, Sosa must be happy. He doubled in his first at-bat and singled in his third Wednesday to raise his average to .324 with 37 at-bats in 14 games this spring. He has two home runs and four RBIs.

Despite having hit at least 35 home runs each of the last 10 years and being one of the most feared sluggers in the majors (Sosa is the 18th member of the 500-homer club), Sosa wore out his welcome with the Chicago Cubs after 13 seasons because of clashes with management and teammates. He was traded to Baltimore in the off-season.

Is it a new lease on life for Sosa, who is only 26 home runs shy of 600?

“I think so, especially in my situation. It was great for myself to do what I did and leave. It was the right time for me to leave,” he said with a hopeful expression. “To me, this is a new house. I just moved houses.”

Last season, Sosa’s batting average slipped for the third straight season, from .279 to .253, but he still managed to belt 35 home runs. Not many of those came with runners on, however, as he finished with 80 RBIs – his lowest total since he had 70 in 1994.

Sosa tensed up and was terse when answering questions about his days in Chicago and any ill will that might be lingering after his departure in February.

“That page is closed. I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” the seven-time All-Star said with a slight shake of his head. “I don’t even want to talk about that. Chicago was great and I did what I had to do, but that page is closed.”

He was more than happy to talk about his new team, however.

“The team we have is a good group of guys. We’re getting together and I believe it will be a good challenge for us,” said the 36-year-old right fielder and Orioles cleanup hitter. “The whole team, including the owner and everyone else, has made me feel welcome.

“I don’t have trouble getting along with people. Coming here was the right move for myself to be here. I have some friends here. It worked out perfectly.”

Orioles first base coach Rick Dempsey, a former All-Star catcher and World Series MVP who knows a thing or two about great batting lineups and powerful teams, echoed that thought.

“Everybody knows what he’s capable of doing and what he will mean to our lineup,” said the fourth-year Orioles coach. “If you insert him in the middle, it’s going to have a carry-down effect all the way through the lineup. If you have to pitch around him, you have to pitch around the next guy, and that puts an extra guy on base and that puts a lot of pressure on the opposition.

“The more pressure you can put on that pitcher, the more likely it is he’ll make mistakes, and, with our lineup, if you make mistakes, we can crush you because we’ve got to have one of the strongest lineups ever assembled.”

Dempsey thinks the presence of Sosa, who is known for being affable with teammates and opposing players on the field and in the clubhouse, will have a positive carryover effect beyond the batter’s box.

“He does seem that way, and he fits in with this ball club,” Dempsey said. “We’ve got a lot of good Latin players here with Melvin Mora, [Rafael] Palmeiro, and [Luis] Matos coming up.”

Not to mention the presence of slugging shortstop Miguel Tejada and catcher Javier Lopez, another productive hitter.

“There are a lot of good Latin players who can do a lot of damage. It’s a beautiful thing to see,” Dempsey said. “We already had a great lineup, but now you have to watch out because now we have another big hitter in there, too.”

The 6-foot, 230-pound Sosa wouldn’t go anywhere near the current steroid controversy swirling around Major League Baseball. When asked about Barry Bonds’ troubles, Sosa simply said he was sorry to see Bonds was injured and wouldn’t be able to start the season healthy.

Sosa finally did relent a bit about commenting on Chicago when asked about the fans there.

“I still have my people who supported me,” he said in a deep, low voice. “They are not going to forget what I did in Chicago. Yeah, they’re great.”