Chicagoans Heap Scorn on Sosa for Corking Bat

Reuters, via Yahoo! ^ | June 4, 2003 | Andrew Stern

[annyokie]

"I accidentally picked up my batting practice bat." Sure.

[Puppage]

[Grando Calrissian]

To quote the great Red Foreman:

"Dumb-ass"

[bedolido]

"Sosa for Corking Bat"

Sure this isn't a story about San Francisco?

[per loin]

I see where the Cincinati fans already have a 'bring your corks' night scheduled for when the cubbies play there in two weeks.

[keithtoo]

Sounds fishy to me.....but....

If Sammy had been caught cross-dressing, smoking crack, and cheating on his wife with a 14 year-old boy, I'll bet they'd find a way to forgive him.

[wideawake]

Where are all the FReepers who keep saying that it's doctored balls that are responsible for the home run bull market in the MLB?

[bedolido]

"I see where the Cincinati fans already have a 'bring your corks' night scheduled for when the cubbies play there in two weeks."

Brilliant! I'd love to be there and watch it.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Hey Sosa - put a cork in it!

[Salman]

Will some FReeper baseball physicist out there please explain to me how corking the bat conveys an unfair advantage. Also, would it help a weak player, or only make a strong player stronger?

[mewzilla]

Guess MLB needs to be as paranoid about their equipment as is the NFL.

[dwilli]

A baseball player might make many mistakes. A slugger going to the plate not knowing all about the bat he was going to swing is an unlikely one.

[Charlie OK]

curious about this too. plus, is corking something you do yourself, or do you have to find an expert to do it for you?

[galt-jw]

all these guys, sosa, bonds, etc are totally on the juice. check out the stats and the size of these guys a few years back. big difference. all mcguire took was andro. pro sports is a joke, as we all knew anyway.

[per loin]

If he had told the truth, and admitted he was cheating, he might still have some fans respecting him. But his screaming that he is as innocent as OJ doesn't make it.

[Grando Calrissian]

A corked bat has a larger "sweet spot". It gives a greater margin of error to the hitter. He doesn't have to hit the ball on the perfect part of the bat to get the most out of his swing. He's allowed to be a little off the ball, but still get the best possible effect of the ball's contact to the wood.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Bat's corked,

Fans torqued!!

[Servant of the Nine]

Anyone who can't cork a bat so that it won't break is contemptable.

So9

[Grando Calrissian]

All you need is a drill press, some ground up rubber balls, and glue, though I doubt Sosa did it himself.