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To: altair19 who wrote (40590)	1/31/2005 10:08:34 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 104218

The Sammy Sosa Trade: Now what? ________________________________ Deal to Orioles would make this historic week By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Monday, January 31, 2005 dailysouthtown.com It's Monday, and Sammy Sosa is still a Cub. Nonetheless, this figures to be a historic week in Chicago sports. The Cubs are said to be very close to officially announcing a trade that would send Sosa, their all-time home run leader, to Baltimore for infielder-outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. and a pair of minor league prospects. What's holding things up? What does the trade of a likely future Hall of Famer mean? When will it get done? Those, and many more questions, should be answered this week. Here is a Q and A on the situation involving Sosa: Q: Hot and heavy rumors regarding the trade started flowing Friday. Why hasn't the deal been done? A: Because so much money is involved — the Cubs reportedly will help the Orioles pay a large chunk of Sosa's 2005 salary — baseball commissioner Bud Selig must approve the deal. Selig is expected to review the proposal today. Plus, Sosa and Hairston must undergo physical exams. Hairston was quoted Sunday saying he would have a physical today and that he believed Sosa's would be Monday or Tuesday. Q: So when would an official announcement be made? A: Possibly Tuesday, but likely Wednesday, when the Orioles could hold a news conference. Q: Will Sammy rip the Cubs in the news conference? A: Perhaps he will get in a playful jab or two, but the best guess is that Sosa will be all smiles on his first day as an Oriole and dodge any controversial questions. Q: How much of Sosa's remaining contract are the Cubs on the hook for? A: The Cubs are reportedly going to fork over $12.5 million —- $8 million of his $17 million salary for 2005, and $4.5 million for the subsequent buyout clause. Q: What about Sosa's pay in 2006? A: That's up to the Orioles. It appears that, if he hasn't already, Sosa is willing to negotiate regarding the clause in his contract that guarantees him an $18 million salary for 2006 if he's traded. He and the Orioles may be willing to either come to a one-year agreement for a lesser amount, or Sosa may decide to spend one year in Baltimore and then become a free agent. Q: With all of the baggage Sosa brings, why on Earth do the Orioles want him? A: If they are on the hook for about $10 million, that's not a bad price for a player who in a bad year will hit 35-40 homers. And he would be placed in the middle of a lineup that already features sluggers Melvin Mora, Rafael Palmeiro, Javy Lopez and Miguel Tejada, who combined for 107 homers in 2004. Q: What does Hairston bring to the table for the Cubs? A: The Naperville native could fill the hole in left field and serve as a leadoff hitter. That allows current leadoff hitter Corey Patterson to move into a power spot in the order, where he feels more comfortable. And Patterson's 100-plus strikeouts per year could be less harmful in the heart of the order than in the leadoff spot. Q: Who are the two prospects the Cubs are supposed to receive? A: Lefty-handed-hitting second baseman Mike Fontenot and right-handed pitcher Dave Crouthers are both ranked among the top 10 prospects in the Orioles' organization by Baseball America. Don't get too familiar with either, however. Both could be used as trade bait — possibly with Sergio Mitre or Kyle Farnsworth — if the Cubs seek a deal for an outfielder such as Tampa Bay's Aubrey Huff or Washington's Terrmel Sledge. Q: If the Sosa trade goes down, when is the earliest he can face his former teammates? A: The 2005 World Series, provided the Orioles and Cubs make it that far. The two teams do not meet in spring training or the regular season. Q: Why should fans circle May 12 on their calendar? A: If this trade happens, that date would mark Sosa's return to Chicago, when the Orioles visit the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Since that is currently scheduled as an off day for the Cubs, it's pretty safe to predict what the top story in Chicago would be on that day.