How long was Sammy Sosa using a corked bat?
On this day in 2003, the Chicago Cubs slugger was suspended for eight games for using a corked bat two days before. Sammy Sosa had been a solid player with a nice blend of power and speed before breaking out in a major way in 1998.
Who got caught with a corked bat?
Devil Rays. Maybe baseball should consider putting an asterisk next to Sammy Sosa’s home run records. He is the only player to hit 60 or more homers three times and is a new member of the 500 club, but Sosa’s legacy may now be shattered by a broken bat.
Who was the last MLB player to get caught with a corked bat?
Between 1970 and 2003, six major league baseball players in the United States were caught using corked bats. As of 2015, Sammy Sosa was the last pro player to be caught using a corked bat, for which he was suspended for eight games in 2003.
Why would someone cork a bat?
Corking a bat causes the bat to be lighter, which in turn allows the batter to swing it more quickly. However, the reduction in weight negatively affects the velocity of the ball as it leaves the bat, effectively cancelling out the advantage gained from a quicker bat speed.
What happened to Sammy Sosa after corked bat?
Sosa was ejected in the first inning after his bat shattered on a groundout to second base and pieces of cork were found among the shards. Plate umpire Tim McClelland conferred with his crew, then ejected Sosa for using a corked bat. Sosa apologized “from the bottom of my heart” after the game.
Why is corked bat cheating?
A batter is out for illegal action when: Corking a bat causes the bat to be lighter, which in turn allows the batter to swing it more quickly. However, the reduction in weight negatively affects the velocity of the ball as it leaves the bat, effectively cancelling out the advantage gained from a quicker bat speed.
Does everyone cheat in baseball?
If baseball is a business, cheating is almost an accepted business practice: It’s generally abided as long as it stops once it’s detected. “Everyone cheats,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, in 2005. “If you don’t get caught, you’re a smart player. If you get caught, you’re cheating.”
When did Sammy Sosa’s bat shatter at Wrigley Field?
Published on May 21, 2013. On June 4, 2003, Sammy Sosa’s bat shattered when he made contact during a game at Wrigley Field.
Who was baseball player that corked his bat?
Corking a bat isn?t a common thing, but it has happened in the past. Billy Hatcher (Houston Astros), Albert Belle (Cleveland Indians), Chris Sabo (Cincinnati Reds), and Wilton Guerrero (Los Angeles Dodgers) had all been busted before. None of them were as polarizing as Sosa.
Why was Sammy Sosa kept out of Cooperstown?
None of them were as polarizing as Sosa. No one has been caught since, either. Although links to PED usage is the likely factor that kept Sosa out of Cooperstown, the unfortunate corked bat incident stained Sosa?s image forever and, accident or not, it?s a lowlight he was never able to fully escape from.
Why was Sammy Sosa ejected from the game?
Sosa was ejected in the first inning after his bat shattered on a groundout to second base and pieces of cork were found among the shards. Plate umpire Tim McClelland conferred with his crew, then ejected Sosa for using a corked bat.