Sosa Joins A-Rod in Not So Elite Club

The New York Times reported that Sammy Sosa was on the list of players who tested positive for steroids in 2003. 2003 was the first year that steroid tests were conducted. The list of players was supposed to be anonymous. New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was also on that list. At that time, Rodriguez was with the Texas Rangers.

Sosa's main concern: being inducted into the Hall of Fame. The only club you'll be joining is the one Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Rafael Palmeiro are in.

"I will calmly wait for my induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Don't I have the numbers to be inducted?"

Sosa played a majority of his career for the Chicago Cubs. He famously raced with McGwire in 1998 when McGwire shattered Roger Maris' home run record at the time of 61. McGwire hit 70 while Sosa hit 66. Sosa would go on to hit over 60 home runs two more times in his career, a feat only done by Babe Ruth, Maris, and Barry Bonds once. McGwire did it twice.

Was I shocked? Not one bit. He was a decent player who did a little bit of juicing to turn into a super star. He's fallen off the face of the earth and no one really cares. As Matt Stairs said about Manny Ramirez: "Another on bites the dust."

Padilla/Glavine on Phillies Radar?

Tom Glavine and Vicente Padilla were recently released from the Braves and Rangers respectively and should not be on the free agent market for too long.

Rumor Mill on Baseball Digest.com:

One NL exec said... "The Phillies have been waiting for just this type of opportunity; take a veteran starter for a test drive for the next month or so before having to make any hard decisions about (San Diego’s Jake) Peavy or (Houston’s Roy) Oswalt.”

Glavine, who spurned the Phillies for the Mets back in 2003, is said to be “furious” with how the Braves handled the situation and “can’t wait to stick it up their a**.” Signing with the Phillies would go a long way towards fulfilling that goal.

The Phillies are said to prefer Glavine (and the NL exec said the veteran southpaw’s agent made an immediate call to Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. as soon as the release was requested by Glavine, who chose to get cut rather than retire a Brave), but would gladly take a flier on the former Phillie Padilla if they fail to come to terms with Glavine.

I honestly would take Glavine in a heartbeat just because he is better than Padilla, who played for the Phillies from 2000-2005. Glavine, a 305-game winner is also a future Hall of Famer and would be fun to watch on the mound. The only argument I can make for Padilla is that Glavine would give the Phillies four lefties and Padilla would atleast give them two righties.

I know this is not a permanent replacement for Brett Myers, who's season is done after hurting his right hip. The Phillies are said to make a play for a big time starter at the trade deadline on July 31. Antonio Bastardo impressed everyone in his Major League debut but will and should not be starting every five days until the trade deadline. Glavine or Padilla just be a fill in for that span and if they pitch well, could compete with Jamie Moyer or Joe Blanton to stay on as the 5th starter.

Glavine has not pitched at all this year as he couldn't make the Braves starting five. Padilla is 3-3 this year with a 5.57 ERA. He has gone 53.1 innings in nine starts (that's just under six innings per start) and has struck out 27.

I could see the Phillies rotation looking like this for the next two months and be comfortable (in current pitching order):
-Hamels
-Moyer
-Blanton
-Happ
-Glavine