With the Cubs Convention looming in a matter of days, Sammy Sosa's name was bound to come up.
Sosa is typically a topic of conversation around the fan fest, either through fan questions posed to Cubs brass or by those who still wear his jersey or sell his card or photos in the memoribilia section of the Convention.
Given that it's also Hall of Fame season as the Class of 2020 will be announced next week, Sosa's name is a key part of those discussions while he continues to linger at the bottom of a ballot filled with players who are shrouded in PED clouds.
Who knows if this is the year Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens get into the Hall of Fame, but it sure seems certain this is not the year Sosa gets in and at this point, it's hard to believe he ever will.
That Hall of Fame conversation is the impetus for Marc Carig's fascinating article at The Athletic, where the national baseball writer chronicles his random conversation with Sosa from earlier this month. Carig was on MLB Network stating his belief that Sosa and his 609 homers should be in the Hall of Fame.
Sosa was watching that interview from his home in Miami and had an associate reach out to Carig, which led to a phone conversation a few hours later.
"They treat me like I don't deserve anything," Sosa told Carig, though he apparently did not specify who "they" are.
MLB
In his conversation with The Athletic, Sosa admitted it hurts when he sees other players with inferior numbers than him granted entry into the most exclusive club in professional baseball.
Sosa did not specifically mention the Cubs in the initial conversation, but after Carig reached back out for a follow-up, he said Sosa explained his "love for the game of baseball, the city of Chicago and Cub fans."
Maybe someday, he will be welcomed back to Wrigley Field or Cubs Convention. At this time a year ago, Tom Ricketts said the Sosa update with the franchise is status quo.
When he spoke to NBC Sports Chicago's David Kaplan a couple springs ago, Sosa said if he ever came back to Chicago, it would be for the fans because he feels like he owes them. He last stepped foot in Chicago in 2007 and is at least open to a reunion.
"If they invited me, I would be more than happy to be there," Sosa said to Kaplan in April 2018.
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