Sosa Agrees To Deal With Rangers

UPDATE: MLB.com reports that the Rangers have agreed in principle to an incentive-laden, $500,000 minor league contract with Sosa.

The amusing experiment continues, as the Rangers have offered Sammy Sosa a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.  Plus, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick has a source who says the two parties are "working toward an agreement."

Judging from Jon Daniels's positive comments towards Sosa, it appears that an incentive-based deal will get done.  I don't know.  A part of me wants to see how this turns out.  Will he get his 12 homers? 

Amusingly, Rafael Palmeiro tried to jump onto the train but was shot down.  Somewhere, Juan Gonzalez just shed a tear.

Comments

[koch]

The thinking behind this is funny--all Daniels can be hoping for is an absolute juice binge.

[Twanger]

Sammy's back! Now, if only the former Rangers owner & current resident of 1600 PA AV can return to the fool's golden days of his Lonestar glory, retroactively. Then he can trade SoSo to the CWS again. Ain't reunions great?

[bran]

i cannot wait to see this experiment

the rangers better have a hgh/steroid program ready to role

[nickjs21]

The amount of PAs Sammy would need to get 12 HRs would take up way too much playing time for the Rangers.

Unless this signing is just for him to cork his bat and put on a show in batting practice. Cuz that's all he corked it for, right?

[astrosfan]

I don't think the White Sox would take Sosa if you also traded him with Young, Teixeira and Blaylock for a bag of used balls. He's so done in Chicago.

I wonder how long it's going to be when Sosa starts muttering that lack of respect garbage in Spring Training. If he makes the opening day roster, I'll be quite surprised.

[CubFan81]

While it may be a strictly stats based, money digging, publicity seeking move on Sammy's part, there is one aspect of making it to the majors that may benefit him. As of right now his last game played was in the 2005 season, meaning he's eligible for HOF election in 2010 or so. If he manages to play a game at the major league level he pushes that to atleast 2012.

Steroid sentiments may change drastically at that point and he may warrant more votes than if he stays out and takes his chances in '10.

If I can think like that, then you know somebody else has and has mentioned this to Sammy.

[astralpanda]

I'm no Sosa fan seeing how he played for the rival Cubs for so many years. But I hope he comes back with a vengeance and shuts all his critics up.

I LOVE seeing players have awesome seasons after misguided people say they're washed up.

[kevmill21]

this signing makes me sick. if this takes one damn AB from kids like jason botts or victor diaz then this signing is a disgrace to the rangers organization
you can't put people on the bench and give them an AB a week and expect results, people need a chance and jason botts has been flat out ROBBED of this and diaz to a lesser extent

we need a RH power bat and instead of plugging in Diaz who has shown 25+ hr potential we invite sammy sosa to spring training WOW

[beeniez]

Going from $16,000,000 a year to $500,000 has to be some kind of record. Does he really think if he gets 12 more home runs that THAT will get him into the hall of fame? Call me crazy, but I think he's blown his chances. He needs to go back into hiding and hope people forget about him.

[cubbies07]

I really hope too that he comes back and at least has a respectable season if he gets the chance. obviously he showed the rangers something during the workouts that even made them think about it and they signed him so good luck sammy!! you'll need it

[jd]

maybe on his year off he loaded up on hgh, tren, dbol, winni and god knows what else. if not he's just another old guy that won't matter and all the rangers offered was a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. personally i hope he loaded up and comes back swinging like he did in 98, not only because i like the rangers but because i like to see dominance. think about it, if a doctor could become the BEST doctor ever by taking pills that may shorten his life, why wouldn't you want to go to him? If you go to a strip club wouldn't you want the girl with fake tits? You watch movies with actors who wear makeup, get botox, get lipo and nobody cares. Yet an athlete takes a performance enhancer and everyone acts like the world is coming to an end, who freakin cares? Let's not forget that our current president has a dui and might have done coke. blah blah blah. Is it fair that Tiger Woods uses a titanium driver and good ole Jack didn't? No! Anyway obviously i'm in the minority but if steroids made you a great baseball player, why the hell aren't you shooting up and working out?

[nrmax88]

"we need a RH power bat and instead of plugging in Diaz who has shown 25+ hr potential we invite sammy sosa to spring training WOW"

Yeah they were callen him Minny Manny when he got called up to the big team in NY a couple years ago. I liked him too, looked like the real deal. I think he came into camp fat or something the next year, and sucked it up big time in AA this year. The talent is there though, it wouldnt surprise me to see him jack 25 out of Texas, he has some raw power, and hit some monster bombs for the Mets

[nrmax88]

"Anyway obviously i'm in the minority but if steroids made you a great baseball player, why the hell aren't you shooting up and working out? "

I see where your coming from, really I do, but to answer your question: Because it is cheating, some guys have too much pride and too much respect for the game to cheat it. You can usually tell these guys buy just watching them play

[jd]

you're absoloutely right, i guess i'm just tired of hearing about all the roids in sports. it's everywhere and i'm getting to the point i don't care anymore. Baseball is by far my favorite sport and it would be nice to have guys put up monster years without everyone thinking they're juiced.