Sammy Hits #600!

AP Photo from SI.com

A few moments ago Sammy Sosa became the fifth man in Major League Baseball history to hit at least 600 home runs. I tried to call David (who is with his mom), Sammy's biggest fan, to let him know. I called my Mom and Dad who were watching on WGN. I was watching on Fox Sorts Southwest (Rangers broadcast). Our family has been watching Sammy for years and we are all excited.

Kudos to Mom who called this shot this afternoon at 3:00. Never doubt anyone who has been a baseball fan for over 50 years!

Sosa becomes fifth player in 600-homer club<
By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
June 20, 2007 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run Wednesday night, making him the fifth player to reach the milestone. Sosa, playing for the Texas Rangers following a year out of baseball, hit a 1-2 pitch into the Rangers' bullpen in right-center for a solo homer. It came in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs, the team he played for from 1992-2004. Sosa was the 1998 NL MVP and a seven-time All-Star while hitting 545 of his homers with the Cubs. Sosa bounced out of the batter's box with his trademark hop and thrust his right fist into the air before reaching first base. He was mobbed at home plate by his teammates while the scoreboard showed pictures of all five members of the elite club: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sosa. No. 600 came off Jason Marquis, the 364th pitcher the 38-year-old Sosa has homered off in his 18 major league seasons. It was Sosa's 12th homer in 62 games this season since signing a minor league deal and making the roster in spring training with Texas, the franchise that gave him his start and for which he hit his first homer in 1989. Sosa also has 52 RBIs, which ranks seventh in the American League. He has homered against every major league team in his career.

Evaluating Sosa's HOF Candidacy ESPN

Sammy Sosa Slams No. 600 Chicago Tribune
Ex-Cub's historic blast helps sink old team; Marquis struggles againRANGERS 7, CUBS 3By Paul SullivanTribune staff reporterJune 21, 2007
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Former Cubs icon Sammy Sosa became the fifth player in major-league history to reach the 600-home run plateau Wednesday when he connected off right-hander Jason Marquis in the fifth inning of the Texas Rangers' 7-3 victory over the Cubs.Employing his familiar home run hop and wearing a huge smile as he rounded the bases with the theme from "The Natural" blasting over the sound system, Sosa accomplished something only Henry Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays had done before him.

No. 600 for Sammy SI.com
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Sammy Sosa's 600th homer resembled so many that came before -- except this time the Chicago Cubs were on the other side. Playing for the Texas Rangers after a year out of baseball, Sosa became the fifth member of the 600-homer club Wednesday night when he connected against his former team. After driving a 1-2 pitch to right-center for a solo shot in the fifth inning of Texas' 7-3 victory, Slammin' Sammy bounced out of the batter's box with his trademark hop and thrust his right fist into the air before reaching first base. He was mobbed at home plate by his teammates while the scoreboard showed pictures of all five members of the elite club: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sosa. "It was something that cannot be explained," Sosa said. "Getting my 600th against the Chicago Cubs, and my first team (was) the Texas Rangers. It's like everything clicked. My emotions, I don't know what they are."

600 Club: Sosa hits a milestone Dallas Morning News
12:18 PM CDT on Thursday, June 21, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News egrant@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – For a moment Wednesday night, just before the fireworks exploded against an ebony sky and the music from The Natural wafted through Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, all of the turmoil that has nearly choked the life out of Sammy Sosa's baseball career faded.
Fans weren't polarized over his return to the game or his place in history. Instead, they were engrossed by his awesome power and charismatic on-field personality. They were once again entranced by Sammy being Sammy.

Photos from Dallas Morning News

Video from Dallas Morning News

Sammy Sosa

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

My son David's all time favorite baseball player, Sammy Sosa, is back! After a poor performance with the Orioles in 2005, Sammy was out of baseball in 2006. The Texas Rangers were the only team willing to give him a chance to make a comeback this year. They invited him to spring training and signed him to a $500,000 minor league contract.

Despite the opinion of many so-called baseball experts, Sammy did great in spring training and made the major league roster. In the spring he hit over .400 and tied for first with 5 home runs. David was excited that Sammy made it back to the majors, as was I. From what I read it really sounded like he had worked very hard over the winter and that his attitude and body were both in excellent shape.

Tonight I watched the Rangers defeat the Red Sox behind Sammy's first home run of 2007 and his 589th career shot. He tied the MLB record held by Ken Griffey, Jr. and Fred McGriff with a home run in his 43rd Major League park.

You go, Sammy!


Exerpt from AP article by Stephen Hawkins:

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Sammy Sosa pumped his right fist triumphantly as he rounded first base. He crossed the plate with the fans chanting his name.

While Sosa is no stranger to home run trots, this was his first since 2005.

"It feels great. I fought my way up and I'm here, and I'm doing it," Sosa said. "I feel very happy, very pleased."

The first homer in Sosa's comeback, and the 589th of his career, came in the Rangers' 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night.

Sosa hit the first pitch he got from reliever J.C. Romero in the sixth inning into the left-center field seats for a two-run homer.

"I didn't think I had enough," Sosa said. "I guess I was wrong."

With the chants of "Sammy! Sammy!" getting louder after he rounded the bases, the former NL MVP and seven-time All-Star came out of the dugout for a curtain call, raising his helmet to the fans.

"The kids were real excited on the bench, we were too," said Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, who was Sosa's first minor league manager. "He's hard not to like. He brings a lot to the game. He's got something going. I told him it's going to get better as we go. ... He's got a lot of confidence. It's good to see that."

It was Sosa's first at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the 43rd different stadium where he has homered. That tied Ken Griffey Jr. and Fred McGriff for the most stadiums with a homer.

The last homer for Sosa was Aug. 4, 2005, a two-run shot at the Los Angeles Angels during his only season with the Baltimore Orioles.

Sosa's 409-foot drive came in a four-run outburst that put the Rangers up 8-3 right after Kevin Millwood (1-1) escaped the top of the sixth with the tying run on third base.

"It's huge," Millwood said. "For him to get off to a pretty good start and go ahead and get his first one out of the way this year, I think it's going to give him confidence, the players around him confidence and it's going to make other teams sit back and know that he's not going to be an easy out."

Texas had gone ahead to stay with four runs in the third, when Sosa singled and scored the final run on a two-run single by Nelson Cruz off Julian Tavarez (0-1).

When Sosa was a rookie for the Rangers in 1989, they played in a different stadium and his only homer in 25 games was at Boston against Roger Clemens. Sosa was traded that season to the Chicago White Sox.

After sitting out last season, Sosa -- fifth on the career homer list and the only player with three 60-homer seasons -- signed a minor league contract with Texas. He made the team after hitting five homers in 17 games this spring.

"Right now, I'm just trying to get comfortable, get one or two hits a day," said Sosa, who is hitting .267 (4-for-15). "Everything is going to come and take care of itself."