Earlier this week, the Cubs dealt Sammy Sosa and cash to Baltimore for Jerry Hairston, Mike Fontenot, and Dave Crouthers. Although his fall from grace might be tracked back to the corked bat incident, Sosa began drifting out of the Cubs' organization in August when Chicago dropped him below the fourth spot in the batting order while he battled a hip problem. Fans began to boo his strikeouts, and by the end of the season, Sosa was so discouraged that he arrived late for the Cubs final game of the year. Rather than protect their star, Chicago fined him and threw him to the wolves of the media. Following these events, the now villanized Sosa's departure from the Cubs took on a sense of inevitability.

Chicago reportedly will cover $16.15M of the $25M owed to Sosa in 2005 while the Orioles receive him for the bargain price of $8.85M. While a clause in Sosa's contract would have guaranteed his $18M option for 2006 while adding to his deal a $19M option with a $4.5M buyout for 2007, Sosa agreed to waive that clause in order to facilitate the trade. Following the revision, his $18M team option for 2006 disappeared, and he will receive a $4.5M assignment bonus to replace the potential buyout. Commissioner Selig agreed to allow the Cubs to include the extra cash in the deal, and the MLBPA agreed to allow Sosa to alter his contract.

I fail to understand why Chicago wishes to pay Sosa's salary while not receiving the benefit of his production. His actions hardly required exile, and he still possesses solid skills.

Sosa began showing signed of his age last season, experiencing back and hip trouble. However, those conditions do not appear to be chronic trouble spots at this point and he continued to demonstrate solid plate discipline and exceptional power.