I'm from Chicago(suburbs)and I can tell you that people around here are about as split as Republicans and Democrats on this trade. There are the "I love Sammy, the Cubs will never be the same, I won't watch them on TV and I'm thinking about suing the Tribune" crowd and then there's the "He was never worth it, show-boat a$$hole, glad he's gone, it's about time" crowd.
I'm a life-long Cubs fan and I'm somewhere in the middle. I think he isn't worth the money they were paying him, nor the devisiveness he brought among the younger players on the team. Having said this, I thank him for his talented contributions and over-the-top optimism throughout his Cub tenure. I wish him the best and I'm sure he still has some good years in him. I have no doubt that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame some day.
Bottom line, I'm for the trade.
Sosa, with his Cork and steroids, will go into the HOF.
And Roger Maris did not.