Ozzie Guillén played with and against Sammy Sosa, and while he doesn't have a vested interest in the Chicago Cubs, Guillén doesn't believe that they've done right by one of the most dominant players in franchise history.
The fiery Guillén -- who played 13 seasons with the White Sox and managed them to a World Series title in 2005 -- said Sunday that the fact that the Cubs don't have a relationship with Sosa doesn't sit right with him.
"It's not my business. I'm not part of the team," Guillén said on NBC Sports Chicago. "They treat Sammy Sosa like he was convicted of something.
"The reason the Cubs were back on the map was because Sammy Sosa," Guillén continued.
After stints with the Texas Rangers and White Sox to begin his career, Sosa clicked with the Cubs, playing there from 1992-2004. Across those 13 seasons, Sosa hit 545 of his 609 career home runs. He edged out Mark McGwire for the National League MVP in 1998, when he hit 66 home runs. That was one of three seasons where Sosa hit 60 or more home runs -- all three came with the Cubs -- a feat that no other player in MLB history has accomplished.
Of course, there is credible evidence that Sosa used performance-enhancers for part or all of his time with the Cubs.
Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times reported that Sosa tested positive for what was supposed to be anonymous performance-enhancing drug tests administered during the 2003 season. Sosa's results, along with those of Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, leaked. Additionally, Sosa was also accused of amphetamine use.
On top of that, Sosa was suspended for using a corked bat during a game in the 2003 season, which he said was just a mistake because he would use the bat in batting practice sometimes. He was ultimately suspended for seven games because of the incident.
"Slammin' Sammy" didn't leave Chicago on great terms, as he was fined by the Cubs -- and eventually traded to the Baltimore Orioles -- after he left in the middle of the team's final game of the 2004 campaign.
Suffice to say, there were a lot of fences that needed mending after Sosa's departure from the Cubs. Seemingly, that may never happen. Where others like McGwire have since admitted PED use and been welcomed with open arms back into baseball, Sosa has continued to insist that he didn't cheat. If the 52-year-old hasn't admitted anything by now, it's hard to believe that he ever will.
Still, owner Tom Ricketts -- whose purchase of the team didn't become official until October of 2009, years after Sosa last played for the Cubs -- said in 2018 that he doesn't intend to welcome back the seven-time All-Star until he apologizes for PED use.
Sosa has admitted that he made a mistake in leaving the final game of the 2004 season early, and that he would welcome the opportunity to return to Wrigley Field. But the six-time Silver Slugger Award winner has also drawn a line in the sand, saying in 2018: "But I’m not going to go up there and say, ‘I’m here. Please bring me back and give me a chance.’ No way. I’m not hungry. I have too much pride."
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