(670 The Score) Cubs legend Sammy Sosa has apologized for his past “mistakes,” and the organization has promptly welcomed him back into its good graces, thawing what had been a long-strained relationship between the two sides.
For years, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts had maintained a stance that Sosa owed fans and baseball an apology and honesty about his performance-enhancing drug use before there was a reconciliation with the organization. That apology came Thursday as Sosa released a letter. Sosa didn’t explicitly reference steroids in sharing the apology letter, but his comments were clearly a reference to that.
“There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games," Sosa wrote. "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight I made mistakes and I apologize."
The Cubs have invited Sosa to their annual Cubs Convention, which will be held Jan. 17-19 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Ricketts said in a statement Thursday. “No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect, but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.
“It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”
Sosa’s tie to steroid use came when the New York Times reported in 2009 that he was among the MLB players who had tested positive for PEDs back in 2003. Sosa appeared before Congress in 2005 and stated under oath that he never used steroids.
"I never tested positive," Sosa said on 670 The Score in 2020.
Sosa hit a franchise record 545 home runs in his Cubs career, which lasted from 1992-2004. That included his majestic 1998 season, when he hit 66 homers while Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire set a then-record with 70 homers. Sosa had 609 career homers.