Touching 'em all; two years ago, Sammy Sosa groused at criticism that his game was lacking in several aspects. Then he took it to heart

Sporting News, The, April 1, 2002 by Ken Rosenthal

Sammy Sosa points to his right elbow, thinking back to the 2000 season and a secret that he chose not to share. "I couldn't even throw the ball to second base," he says. "I had a lot of opportunities to throw people out. But I was playing in pain. Nobody knew that. Only I knew."

Sosa finished that season with a career-low three assists. Hall of Fame outfielder Billy Williams, then a Cubs coach, confirms that Sosa couldn't throw from right field with strength or accuracy. But Cubs trainers have no record of Sosa's condition, and the only six games Sosa missed were in September because of lower back stiffness.

If Sosa's elbow hurt so badly, why didn't he seek treatment?

"Gladiators don't get treatment," he says, smiling.

Sosa, 33, knows he's overstating his durability, but his message is clear: Gladiators endure. Gladiators prevail. Gladiators do everything possible to assure victory, a philosophy Sosa always believed in but lost sight of after his great home run chase with Mark McGwire in 1998.

Now, everything is in focus. Sosa isn't just Sluggin' Sammy, the first major leaguer to hit 60 or more homers in three different seasons. He isn't just Smilin' Sammy, performing his trademark hand gestures for the TV cameras, engaging in animated banter with fans. He is Consummate Sammy, playing a more well-rounded game that still has not reached its limits. Criticized for turning into a one-dimensional slugging machine, Sosa lost weight and re-dedicated himself to becoming an all-around threat last season. He became a baseball player--a winning player--again.

"Last year," Sosa says, "was the year I changed a lot of people's minds."

Barry Bonds remains the standard for greatness: He runs better than Sosa, shattered three major offensive records last season and leads Sosa in Gold Gloves, eight to none. But in an age in which position players are measured almost solely by their home run exploits, only the most critical observers would have noticed if Sosa had ignored the other parts of his game.

Instead, opposing managers and executives say, Sosa markedly improved his baserunning and defense last season while batting a career-high .328 with 64 homers and a National League-leading 160 RBIs. He also paid attention to offensive subtleties, establishing career highs in sacrifice flies (12) and walks (116)--the latter an astonishing total for a player who was once the freest of swingers.

"He doesn't think he's above the game, that he doesn't have to work at other things to make himself a better player," says Brewers manager Davey Lopes, who was a coach with Sosa's first team, the Rangers.

Most fans, however, don't see beyond the obvious with Sosa. Intentionally or not, Sosa perpetuates his happy-go-lucky image. Ask him how he wants to be remembered, and he downplays his on-field achievements. "People will remember me because I have peace and love in my heart and because I have God and because I have a great, great smile on my face," he says, in classic Sammy-speak--and with a classic Sammy smile.

Well, if you turn down Sosa's clubhouse music and strip away his bravado, you might be surprised by what you learn. Yes, Sosa holds the major league record for most homers over a six-, seven- and eight-year period. Yes, he is the slugger with the best chance of breaking Hank Aaron's career record of 755 home runs. (Sosa has 450.) But did you know that he grounded into only six double plays last season, his lowest total since 1992? Or that he hit five triples, his most since '94, plus his second career inside-the-park home run?

Opponents already respected Sosa for playing virtually every day. ("The only way I won't play is if I break something," says Sosa, who has averaged 160 games over the past five seasons.) But his willingness to address his deficiencies only enhanced ms reputation within me sport. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa describes Sosa as "relentless." Dodgers general manager Dan Evans compares him with Michael Jordan, saying that fans come to see the Cubs outfielder knowing he will give a great effort every game.

"When he first came (to the Cubs, in 1992), I often told him that he could perform in the outfield, do all the things we consider an (all-around) player to do," says Williams, who moved to the Cubs' front office this season after serving the past 10 years as a coach. "Because of the home runs he was hitting, I think he got away from that a little bit.

"All those other years, he'd go down to the batting cage and spend all his energies down there. Now he kind of divides it up. He came out right away last year and started working in the outfield. He wanted to prove to himself and to a lot of people that he can be that kind of (all-around) player."

Scouts drooled over Sosa's total package when he was younger.

Sosa says his defense is what helped him reach the majors at age 20. But Cubs manager Don Baylor, upon taking over in November 1999, talked about the need for Sosa to become a more complete player. Sosa didn't grasp then that he was too heavy. Nor, following seasons of 66 and 63 homers, did he understand that his overall game had taken a turn for the worse.