Around The Horn

Two things dominated the news this past week in Major League baseball. The Major League Draft, and of course the Sammy Sosa corked bat saga.

On Sammy: Call me naive, but I want to believe Sammy's side of this story. Sosa claims that he used the bat by mistake. That he uses the bat only for batting practice and home run exhibitions. It's for the fans, says Sammy.

Sammy was hammered in the news the day after the incident, in which his bat shattered while hitting a ground ball that drove in a run. Even though he was there to answer all the questions after the game. He did not deny the bat was his, like Albert Belle did in 1997. He said yes it's mine, but I used it in error. He was apologetic to his teammates, his fans, and Major League baseball. But, this wasn't enough for the sharks. The talk was that his entire career would be tarnished, his entry into the Hall of Fame at risk. The innuendo was he had used the cork his entire career.

The talk went everywhere from he should be suspended for life to putting an asterisk in the record books after his home run numbers. Guilt before proven innocent.

Of course the talk died down a little after all 76 of his bats were x-rayed and showed no cork. Even his bats in the Hall Of Fame were x-rayed, and again no cork.

Let's make no mistake about the fact that even if this was an innocent mistake, he did use an altered bat in a game and deserves some form of punishment, which turns out to be an eight game suspension.

Sammy, of course, like every other player who receives a suspension, appealed the suspension. Then again, the talk was that he should take the punishment like a man, and sit out the next eight games. Right.

The fools that spat out this rhetoric apparently didn't look at the schedule. The New York Yankees were coming to town, for the first time since the clubs met in the 1938 World Series. Roger Clemens was going after victory number 300. There is no way Sammy was sitting that one out.

Sosa does not need a corked bat. As Phillies' pitcher Turk Wendell said he doesn't hit "paint scrapers" he hits "moon shots." He has over 500 major league home runs. He has always approached the game with a smile and great enthusiasm. He deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Draft Notes: The annual Major League Draft was held this past week, with the Devil Rays taking California high school star Delmon Young with the first pick. Young, the brother of Detroit Tiger Dimitri, is a power-hitting outfielder who should be on a fast track to the major leagues.

Baseballs first draft took place in 1973. The Oakland A's had the first pick, selecting Arizona state star Rick Monday. Monday was signed for a whopping $104,000. My how times have changed.

In 2001 the Twins paid first overall pick Joe Mauer $5,150,000. Mauer incidentally made his debut this past week with the Twins.

In 1991 the Yankees made fireballing left-hander Brien Taylor the first pick. Taylor became the first draftee to sign for over $1,000,000. His career was all but finished when he injured that million dollar arm in a bar brawl shortly after. Just the year before the Atlanta Braves signed the first overall pick, a guy named Chipper Jones for $275,000.

The first pick has brought many stars and many flops. Included among those who have gone on to stardom are Harold Baines (1977), Darryl Strawberry (1980), Ken Griffey Jr.(1987), Andy Benes (1988), Jones (1990), and A-Rod (1993).

Included among the flops are the infamous Steve Chilcott (1966 Mets), Billy Almon (1974 Padres, who actually played in the majors, though not well), Mike Moore (1981 Mariners), and another Met who had a brief and unspectacular career Shawn Abner (1984).

In 1969 the Senators took Jeff Burroughs with the first overall pick. Burroughs went on to have a very solid career. Twenty-nine years later the San Diego Padres took his son Sean with the eighth overall pick.

Here and There: Angel Jeff DaVanon wishes he could play all his games in San Juan. DaVanon entered last week's series against the Expos with nine career home runs and proceeded to have three multi-homer games in a row.

When BoSox Nomar Garciaparra ended his hit streak at 26, it was the fourth streak of over 20 of his young career. The only other active major leaguers with three are the Marlins Luis Castillo, and Juan Gonzalez of the Rangers. Pete Rose is the all time leader with seven.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team has ever lost eight home games in a row and gone on to win the World Series. Sorry George.