This has nothing to do with tonight's game, but CNBC's website today posted this article about Sammy Sosa supposedly altering his jerseys so he'd look bigger:
It turns out Sosa had his jerseys tapered around his arms for a period of years. A study of photo archives suggests Sosa’s jerseys were tailored with elastic inside the arms from 2002-2004, while he was playing with the Chicago Cubs.
Sosa’s custom ordering came to light thanks to pictures of an authentic Sosa jersey that is currently being auctioned off by Hunt Auctions. The jersey, advertised as being used by Sosa for the game he hit home run No. 470, was from the 2002 season.
CNBC confirmed through a source that Sosa did indeed ask for the elastic arm tapering for at least the 2002 season. The source said that he could not remember another player that asked for this specification.
"I don’t know why it would be tapered like that other than it being a purely cosmetic change so that people could see his muscles," said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. "There doesn’t seem to be any other reason why he’d do it."
The mind boggles. FWIW, Sosa hit career HR #470 in a 7-6 loss to the Brewers at Miller Park on June 3, 2002.
Now, back to reality. The Cubs last faced the Tigers at Wrigley Field in 2006, when the Cubs were awful and the Tigers were on their way to the World Series. The Tigers swept the series, outscored the Cubs 26-9, and hit nine homers. That won't happen this week -- the two teams are much more evenly matched in 2009. Expect Lou to mix-and-match his DH's this week, giving guys like Derrek Lee and Milton Bradley and perhaps Alfonso Soriano all turns in the DH slot, to keep their bats in the lineup while "resting" them from the field. While the Cubs are in Detroit, former Tigers star and now Cubs bench coach Alan Trammell plans to drive by the remains of Tiger Stadium.
More below the fold.
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Edwin Jackson, despite starting his career in the NL with the Dodgers, has never faced the Cubs. He has faced three current Cubs while they were with other teams: Alfonso Soriano (0-for-1), Reed Johnson (0-for-2), and Aaron Miles (3-for-7, go figure).
Carlos Zambrano has never faced the Tigers. However, he's got a pretty long history against a couple of current Tigers: Adam Everett, from his time in Houston (3-for-29), and Miguel Cabrera, who spent a long time with the Marlins (4-for-18, a double, 2 HR).
Today's Extra Innings telecast will be the Tigers feed, since the Cubs will be on WGN. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SBN Tigers site Bless You Boys. The name supposedly derives from a phrase former Tigers manager Sparky Anderson used to use.
Overflow comment threads will post today at 7 pm, 8 pm and 8:45 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
0 recs | 87 comments
Let's Go Get Em Cubbies!!!
heine41 - June 23, 2009
Lots of buff guys...
Do things to show off their muscles. Who cares if Sammy did the same thing? Seriously, what a waste of time by whoever spent time on that article.
Anyways… gonna have to miss this game due to this girl cooking dinner for me (steak and potatoes, can’t pass that up!) but I’ll be checking the score on my phone all night. Go Cubs!!!
kanderber - June 23, 2009
That means you're on kitchen clean-up duty tonight!
cowsarecool220 - June 23, 2009
A....wait for it...greed.
tomas21 - June 23, 2009
CNBC shows you how to be on the cutting edge of journalism
Ick.
chilango2 - June 23, 2009
In other news...
It’s been reported that some women wear clothing that will accentuate their best features. More to come on the 5 o’clock news.
kanderber - June 23, 2009
Thank you for that laugh!
It’s been a terrible day, and that was the first time I laughed all day. Thanks again.
chilango2 - June 23, 2009
Shocking!
Allie - June 23, 2009
this isn't very important as stories go
But it’s not completely without news value. It’s not very important, but it’s kind of funny. How many other ballplayers do this? I’ve never heard of it before.
Besides, it’s interesting only a week after the steroids report, IMO.
elgato - June 23, 2009
Exactly.
I haven’t heard of any other players doing this.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
BTW, Al
Sorry, I didn’t stop by to say hello on Sunday. My seats were in the right field upper deck.
elgato - June 23, 2009
I was up there too.
Wore my BCB shirt thinking I would have some fellow BCB’ers say hi… No one did though.
Fishbone2 - June 23, 2009
Hey, no worries.
Next time, for both of you.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
there are BCB shirts?
and where could one find these?
bbates6 - June 23, 2009
Strange Cargo
Allie - June 23, 2009
Along with solid $20 range presents for everyone you've known, ever.
That store has single handedly made me look awesome for birthdays, Christmases, holidays and celebrations for the last two years.
AndrewJStone - June 23, 2009
When it comes to fashion,
people do (and wear) silly things.
Look how many players today wear their pants hanging over their shoes and wear baggy jerseys and pants.
cowsarecool220 - June 23, 2009
Jimmy Mac
SackMan - June 23, 2009
Attention old-timers...
didn’t Ted Kluszewski do something similar when he was with the Reds? Except instead of tapering his sleeves, I think he’d rip his off. From his baseball-reference.com page
And here’s a shot of Big Klu in action
ballhawk - June 23, 2009
Johnny Allen
chilango2 - June 23, 2009
Jimmy Foxx..........
……….did as well and was mentioned in the article.
tville - June 23, 2009
Ted Kluszewski would like a word with you.
carmen_fanzone - June 23, 2009
2 tickets to the gun show!
Allie - June 23, 2009
Apparently, this is a violation of the rules
chilango2 - June 23, 2009
I think it is more of a comfort thing...
When I played in college, there was a group of us who asked to have our sleeves tapered because it actually bothered me to have these big flappy sleeves. None of us had huge muscles or anything it was more of a comfort thing and it bothered me when I hit and threw.
Fishbone2 - June 23, 2009
I don’t see how this is any different than Dwight Howard wearing a tight jersey. Who gives a crap how a guy likes to wear his own clothing?
dtpollitt - June 23, 2009
Wait, Sammy was impressed with his physique and
wanted to show it off? No way! (sarcasm)
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
"Bless You Boys" was the catch phrase
of the 1984 season. I don’t think it was Sparky, but some other person who uttered it and the public ran with it.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
Al Ackerman, Tigers announcer, used to sign off with the phrase....
“And the Tigers win 8-3. Bless you boys”, during the 84 season.
carmen_fanzone - June 23, 2009
That's what it was.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
Thanks.
I thought it had come from Sparky.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
Thanks al for the Sparky reference!
I grew up a Tigers fan and have fond memories of Sparky managing the Tigers, particularly in 1984. People went totally nuts when they won it all. I can’t wait to find out what Chicago will be like when the Cubs win the WS!
cowsarecool220 - June 23, 2009
Sosa probably used a rubber band connecting the sleeves across his back to help him get through the zone quicker.
Jerry Mumphrey - June 23, 2009
He attached it to the cork bolts in his neck?
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
The Cubs signed Jackson:
http://www.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090623&content_id=5482644&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc
IowaCubs- - June 23, 2009
Any chance the Cubs can score more than 3 runs vs Jackson?
That would be a good test for them.. Hopefully that ATL game was just a bad day, and they’ll get back to business today
DisCUBbobulated - June 23, 2009
Hoff the DH tonight
Lineup:
1. Soriano
2. Theriot
3. Bradley
4. Lee
5. Hoffpauir — DH
6. Soto
7. Fukudome
8. Fontenot — 3B
9. Blanco — 2B
cubbieblue - June 23, 2009
I remember thinking that this (With ARAM for Blanco) was a totally killer lineup.
Actually I still think that, but it sure would be nice if these guys would start hitting consistently. We haven’t had one of those 19-4 games yet this year. I think we’re do for that at some point..
DisCUBbobulated - June 23, 2009
I'm sure Carlos is not happy about not being able to bat.
tucsoncubsfan - June 23, 2009
Carlos Zambrano should be batting over about half those guys.
dtpollitt - June 23, 2009
I like
this lineup.
drewishdrewid - June 23, 2009
I thought I could no longer be surprised by anything about Sammy...
…until I heard that several players took advantage of his early exit in ‘04 to urinate in his locker.
I can’t imagine a Cub in history who was more disliked in the clubhouse.
bluekoolaide - June 23, 2009
That really tells you all you need to know.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
I wonder how much of it was jealousy...
When you’re a pro baseball player and the guy sitting next to your locker has 20 reporters talking to him EVERY SINGLE DAY, and you rarely get even one mic in your face… eventually there’s going to be some resentment there.
kanderber - June 23, 2009
I think it was about the pounding salsa music Sammy would turn
on and leave on whether he was in the locker room or not.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
Oh, of course.
Obviously that and the other similar things were the biggest factors. I just think that jealousy/resentment played a part as well.
kanderber - June 23, 2009
You're probably correct. That a guy they knew was a self absorbed jerk
was beloved by fans must have been tough to be around.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
Right. Sammy was flawless
the problem wasn’t him-it was all the other guys in the clubhouse-lol
bluekoolaide - June 23, 2009
Reading comprehension isn't a strength of yours, is it?
kanderber - June 24, 2009
I'm surprised you care about this Al?
To me it’s a pretty silly story. Who cares if he wore his sleeves tight? How is this any different from what NFL players do?
cubswynn - June 23, 2009
Seemed pretty vain of him.
But, again, that’s Sammy.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
Right...it shouldn't surprise you.
Just like the story about he tested positive, I read this and said…“yeah, so?” Sad, but I expect this out of Slammin Sammy at this point.
cubswynn - June 23, 2009
I want a BCB shirt
w/ elastic sleeves! We’ll show off the pipes!
tommy veryzer - June 23, 2009
I want one with elastic neck
show off my laryngeal prominence…. aka Adam’s Apple
tony412 - June 23, 2009
how about one like this?
ballhawk - June 23, 2009
I guess this will be my last beer
…for today.
tony412 - June 23, 2009
"So, do you know what you're having?"
“Yup, a coors light beer ball.”
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
god
now I want to go starve myself.
drewishdrewid - June 23, 2009
Me too, so I can look like that.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
CNBC is a joke...
CUBSfaninYANKEEcountry - June 23, 2009
Cable TV news are a joke
Have you stumbled upon CNN lately? Ick x2.
chilango2 - June 23, 2009
True. They are all pretty pathetic.
CUBSfaninYANKEEcountry - June 23, 2009
Publicity stunt
I’m thinking this may be a weak attempt for Hunt Auctions to drum up interest for the auction of Sammy’s muscle-jersey…. coincidence that there’s the editorial quote from the president of Hunt Auctions? Everything is a marketing ploy these days.
Speaking of which, that’s the same reason why Sammy tapered the jersey in the first place – to market Sammy to the fans. He always tried to be a great entertainer – showing off big muscles was just an additional way to drum up interest for himself.
hewtown - June 23, 2009
Well said
SackMan - June 23, 2009
Another fine piece...
…of sports journalism.
MPH73 - June 23, 2009
Dumb question
but does the pitcher have to be the one left out of the lineup? Could, for example, Blanco not bat, and Zambrano does?
tomas21 - June 23, 2009
No.
MLB Rule 6.10:
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
I'm confused
So if Leyland switches pitchers we can change DHs? Or?
Allie - June 23, 2009
I guess the point is...
… if, say, the other team starts a RHP and you have a LH hitting DH batting 7th, 8th or 9th… say the RHP gets knocked out in the first six batters, and they replace him with a LHP.
You could then substitute a LH hitter.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
That also makes sense.
santoswoodenlegs - June 23, 2009
Hm.
Thats interesting…. I guess.
I like NL rules. So much more straightforward.
Allie - June 23, 2009
Agreed.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
forget straightforward
They’re much more like, you know, baseball rules
chitownhawkeye - June 23, 2009
I assume it means the DH can be changed before the game if the scheduled starting pitcher is changes.
For the Lefty/Righty matchup.
santoswoodenlegs - June 23, 2009
So like if a rain delay happened
and they scrubbed Jackson, we could put Fox in for Hoff and still have the DH?
Allie - June 23, 2009
Yes.
Al Yellon - June 23, 2009
I guess the magic question is if Sammy had to have his jock altered to cover
up any residual PED issues.
I know, cheap shot. Just couldn’t help it.
N Oakley - June 23, 2009
Anyway
Go Cubs.
Off to die in the heat on the fairgrounds at 4H…. Hopefully back in time to catch some of it.
Allie - June 23, 2009
What about the tight pants Sammy wore? No comments from CNBC?
Those are parts of the anatomy that CNBC deals with all day in talking about the market. I guess that is hitting “too close to home.”
LAcarl519 - June 23, 2009
Well. So if tailoring can make one look bigger, and people were using pictures to argue about whether or not Sosa was using… I guess THAT argument is right out the window.
Hah.
drewishdrewid - June 23, 2009
Hot off the press:
Sandberg: Sosa doesn’t belong in Hall
SackMan - June 23, 2009
Not that hot...
there is already a FanShot about this.
santoswoodenlegs - June 23, 2009
Damn it. CTRL + F, and type in Sandberg
And it didn’t find anything.
Oh well.
SackMan - June 23, 2009
I respect Sandberg immensely.
But he’s being very simplistic about it.
drewishdrewid - June 23, 2009
With all due respect,
I couldn’t agree with Sandberg more. Sammy is more than a flawed hero. ISTM he’s Jose Canseco with better stats.
Reddevil - June 23, 2009
Santo on Sosa's jersey
I listened to a lot of Cubs games on the radio in those years, and I remember Ron Santo commenting on it a couple times. I think he said that players in his day wouldn’t show off their guns, or they’d get thrown at if they did, something like that. He seemed to think Sosa was rolling up his sleeves.
I guess Kluszewski was slightly before Santo’s time, finishing his career just as Ronnie started. He only got hit 23 times in over 6000 PAs, so it doesn’t look like he was much of a target.
aldimond - June 23, 2009
Hey all...
… come join me over in the game thread!
AndrewJStone - June 23, 2009
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