On Thursday, former Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa issued an apology for his association with the steroid era. After that happened, the Cubs invited Sosa back into the “family” and extended him an invitation to an offseason organizational function.
After all of this went down, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney seemingly took a shot at the Cubs on social media:
Organizations that insist on apologies from steroid-era players in exchange for admission to team events should be required to issue their own apologies, for looking the other way while cashing checks. The shrine is ridiculous.
Organizations that insist on apologies from steroid-era players in exchange for admission to team events should be required to issue their own apologies, for looking the other way while cashing checks. The shrine is ridiculous.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 19, 2024
Given that it is an opinion, Olney cannot be considered “wrong”, and there is certainly a lot of truth behind what he said. Although the steroid era is considered a blot on the history of the game by most, there is no doubt that his big home run in 1998 between Sosa and Mark McGwire helped baseball skyrocket in popularity and really helped make the league and its franchisees very money.
Additionally, the popularity of the Cubs franchise has certainly increased given the success of Sosa, who stayed with the organization until the 2004 season.
One of the best players of his era, Sosa hit 609 home runs in 18 years with the KidsWhite Sox, Orioles and Texas Rangers. He was a seven-time All-Star, a six-time Silver Slugger, an MVP, a Home Run Derby champion and a Roberto Clemente Award winner.
Sosa received MVP votes in nine different seasons during his prestigious career.
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