Why is Sammy Sosa so popular? Yes, he’s a homerun machine, but he’s also got personality. And lots of things that give him a story. Players become fan favorites when they have something to hang their hat on–something unique about the player.
Here’s a list of what makes the 2004 Chicago Cubs players unique
Sammy Sosa
* Homerun record chase with Mark McGwire
* Funny loving guy
* Coined the phrase “You da man.”
* Hop after hitting a homerun
* Blowing kisses to the camera after homerun
* Sprinting to his position at the start of the game
* Tapping his chest to the outfield fans
* Elastic sleeved uniforms
* Big ball knob at end of his bat
* Annual boombox antics in lockerroom
* 500+ homeruns
* 1998 MVP
* 7-time All Star
* Corked bat incident 2003
* Toenail removed in 2003
* Hurt his back by sneezing in 2004
* Only player in MLB history to have three 60+ HR seasons
* is the M.L. recordholder for most homers over a five-year (292), six-year (328), seven-year (368), eight-year (404) and nine-year (429) period
* setting the M.L. single-month homer record by going deep 20 times in June 1998
* Shattered helmet with hit by pitch in head in 2003
* All-time strikeout leader
Moises Alou
* Involved in Steve Bartman incident
* Pees on his hands
* is a member of one of baseball’s most well-known families.
Matt Clement
* The weird beard
Carlos Zambrano
* Very emotional on the mound
Kyle Farnsworth
* Punk kid with greasy long hair
* Did a football tackle to Paul Wilson of the Reds
* Throws 100mph
Greg Maddux
* One of the best pitchers ever
* Will have 300 wins
* Came back to the cubs after long stint with Braves (old school cub player)
Mark Prior
* One of four current MLB players to graduate college
* was the first Cubs hurler to win the N.L. pitcher of the month since Mike Morgan in May 1992. (Prior won both Augst and September award in 2003)
Kerry Wood
* 20-strikeout game, 1998
* Rookie of the Year 1998
* Lead NL in strikeout, 2003 (first cub since Fergie Jenksins
* Mr. Tough and burly
* In 2003 was the first Cub to lead the N.L. in strikeouts since Fergie Jenkins in 1969 (273).
* the first Cub to record back-to-back 200-strikeout campaigns since Fergie Jenkins’ five-year run from 1967-1971.
* lead the league in hit batesman in 2002 (16) and 2003 (21)
Derek Lee
* The guy is huge. 6’5″ 245lbs
Aramis Ramirez
* In 2003 led MLB 3B in errors with 33, a full 50% more than anyone else at the position
Mark Gudzielanek
* Long funny last name
Tom Goodwin
* Founder of the lemons
Corey Patterson
* GQ
* Youngest player in MLB in 2000
Jon Leicester
* Has red hair
The robots: Beltran, Hawkins, Mercker, Rusch, Wuertz, Bako, Barrett, Harris, Macias, Martinez, Ordonez, Walker.
If you can come up with anything for these players, or anything for the other ones listed, leave a comment here.
i like Paul Bako because he looks like an escaped convict. my nickname for him is “Prison Break” [same initials!”>.
Yeah, look at those eyes. He’s shifty.
Wow, is that true? Only FOUR current MLB players have graduated from college? That’s amazing.
well, that’s what i heard. it may not be true.
I think we need to add Todd Hollandsworth to that list, too. True, he’s on the DL right now, but so is Kerry. That said . . . Todd Hollandsworth * Wears Oakleys * That hair! * Held on to pop fly even after crashing into padded wall in outfield in 2004
geez how could i forget hollandsworth!? I so liked it when he filled in for sosa. And that catch was C-L-A-S-S-I-C. He says his wife likes his hair like that, so that’s why he keeps it that way.
Last stat I heard [during today’s Cubs/Brewers game”> was that 17 or 18 MLB players have college degrees.