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03-01-2002, 01:38 PM
Bonds to Sosa: I want you to break my record
Two sluggers chatted it up before kicking off Cactus League play Thursday
By Carrie Muskat
MLB.com
MESA, Ariz. -- Sammy Sosa can now shoot for 74 home runs. Barry Bonds gave Sosa his blessing.
The two big boppers met and hugged in center field before Thursday's Cactus League opener at HoHoKam Park, which Bonds' San Francisco Giants won, 5-4, over Sosa's Chicago Cubs.
"He said, 'I want you to break my record' and I said, 'No, no,'" Sosa said. "He said, 'I want you to hit 70.' I said, 'Let me go with my plan and whatever happens, happens.'"
Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs stood for 37 years until Mark McGwire broke it in 1998 with 70. It took Bonds only three years to top McGwire, clubbing 73 homers last year.
How long will that last?
"Sixty-one stood for so long," Cubs manager Don Baylor said. "Then it goes to 70 and then 70 comes down. I'm not going to say never. It's remarkable. Where does it stop? It might not be around for 30 years."
Sosa, who hit 64 homers last year, could be the one to top it.
"I'm never going to say never with him," Baylor said of his right fielder. "He's done some incredible things."
Could Sosa hit 70?
"It's probably not out of the realm of the imagination," Baylor said.
"I've been close (to 70) three or four times," Sosa said. "Hopefully the next time I shoot for it, I'll make it."
Bonds has hit 122 homers over the last two years, tops in the majors, eight more than Sosa in that stretch. But Sosa is the first player ever to have three 60-homer seasons, and has hit 243 dingers from 1998-2001.
"Barry reached 73 quick," Sosa said. "Don't be surprised if this year or next year, somebody will hit 74, 75."
What about 80?
"I don't know about that," Sosa said, chuckling.
"Every year, somebody new is coming," the Cubs right fielder said. "I don't know who's going to be the man this year. But don't count me out."
It may be a little easier this year for Sosa because he'll have Fred McGriff and Moises Alou in the lineup hitting behind him.
"In some situations, yes, (it will be easier)," Sosa said. "But I'm the type of guy, I don't lean on anybody.
IWC NOTE: This translates to "as long as my individual stats are good, who cares who hits in front or behind me?"
Hopefully I can see some better pitches. With Freddy and Moises and the rest of the team, it's going to be awesome. You don't have to count on Freddy, myself or Moises. Like (Alex) Gonzalez today. Everything has to come together in order for us to get to the next level."
Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in his first Cubs at-bat but Angel Pena clubbed a towering two-run blast in the ninth off Ron Mahay for the game-winner.
Bonds walked in both of his at-bats Thursday, while Sosa reached on a fielder's choice in the first and scored on McGriff's double. He walked in the third and stole second.
"(I want) to show the world I'm ready," Sosa said of his steal. "To show the world I'm not fat. I've got my speed. Hey, I got a stolen base. I didn't have one last year. I've got one already."
IWC NOTE: Can someone please tell him that ST stats don't really count?
His right ankle was wrapped in ice after his three innings of play but Sosa attributed that to his new spikes catching at third base. He was scheduled to make the trip to Scottsdale Friday to play against the Giants.
Sosa will take serious aim at Bonds' record on Opening Day.
"Home run is the name of the game," Sosa said. "But you cannot think about it all the time and go up there and shoot for a home run every at-bat.
"People do come to the ballpark to see the ball fly," he said.
IWC NOTE: Do I even need to say anything?
Bonds will be pressed to try and repeat with 70-plus.
"He had an awesome year last year," Sosa said of the National League MVP. "But this is a new year."
Two sluggers chatted it up before kicking off Cactus League play Thursday
By Carrie Muskat
MLB.com
MESA, Ariz. -- Sammy Sosa can now shoot for 74 home runs. Barry Bonds gave Sosa his blessing.
The two big boppers met and hugged in center field before Thursday's Cactus League opener at HoHoKam Park, which Bonds' San Francisco Giants won, 5-4, over Sosa's Chicago Cubs.
"He said, 'I want you to break my record' and I said, 'No, no,'" Sosa said. "He said, 'I want you to hit 70.' I said, 'Let me go with my plan and whatever happens, happens.'"
Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs stood for 37 years until Mark McGwire broke it in 1998 with 70. It took Bonds only three years to top McGwire, clubbing 73 homers last year.
How long will that last?
"Sixty-one stood for so long," Cubs manager Don Baylor said. "Then it goes to 70 and then 70 comes down. I'm not going to say never. It's remarkable. Where does it stop? It might not be around for 30 years."
Sosa, who hit 64 homers last year, could be the one to top it.
"I'm never going to say never with him," Baylor said of his right fielder. "He's done some incredible things."
Could Sosa hit 70?
"It's probably not out of the realm of the imagination," Baylor said.
"I've been close (to 70) three or four times," Sosa said. "Hopefully the next time I shoot for it, I'll make it."
Bonds has hit 122 homers over the last two years, tops in the majors, eight more than Sosa in that stretch. But Sosa is the first player ever to have three 60-homer seasons, and has hit 243 dingers from 1998-2001.
"Barry reached 73 quick," Sosa said. "Don't be surprised if this year or next year, somebody will hit 74, 75."
What about 80?
"I don't know about that," Sosa said, chuckling.
"Every year, somebody new is coming," the Cubs right fielder said. "I don't know who's going to be the man this year. But don't count me out."
It may be a little easier this year for Sosa because he'll have Fred McGriff and Moises Alou in the lineup hitting behind him.
"In some situations, yes, (it will be easier)," Sosa said. "But I'm the type of guy, I don't lean on anybody.
IWC NOTE: This translates to "as long as my individual stats are good, who cares who hits in front or behind me?"
Hopefully I can see some better pitches. With Freddy and Moises and the rest of the team, it's going to be awesome. You don't have to count on Freddy, myself or Moises. Like (Alex) Gonzalez today. Everything has to come together in order for us to get to the next level."
Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in his first Cubs at-bat but Angel Pena clubbed a towering two-run blast in the ninth off Ron Mahay for the game-winner.
Bonds walked in both of his at-bats Thursday, while Sosa reached on a fielder's choice in the first and scored on McGriff's double. He walked in the third and stole second.
"(I want) to show the world I'm ready," Sosa said of his steal. "To show the world I'm not fat. I've got my speed. Hey, I got a stolen base. I didn't have one last year. I've got one already."
IWC NOTE: Can someone please tell him that ST stats don't really count?
His right ankle was wrapped in ice after his three innings of play but Sosa attributed that to his new spikes catching at third base. He was scheduled to make the trip to Scottsdale Friday to play against the Giants.
Sosa will take serious aim at Bonds' record on Opening Day.
"Home run is the name of the game," Sosa said. "But you cannot think about it all the time and go up there and shoot for a home run every at-bat.
"People do come to the ballpark to see the ball fly," he said.
IWC NOTE: Do I even need to say anything?
Bonds will be pressed to try and repeat with 70-plus.
"He had an awesome year last year," Sosa said of the National League MVP. "But this is a new year."