After a hot start to spring training, Sammy Sosa was rewarded for his efforts so far with a spot on the 40 man roster of the Texas Rangers. He had been in camp on a minor league contract. Essentially, the move all but assures Slammin’ Sammy will be wearing the road grays of the Rangers when they open the season on April 2nd in Anaheim.
Sosa had to be added to the 40 man roster by Thursday or he could have been a free agent. He will now make a base salary of $500,000 and could make up to $2.2 million in incentives.
“Thank you, Lord,” he giggled. “I made the team!”
“I made the team!” said Sosa, standing in the visiting clubhouse and doing his best impression of an overexcited rookie getting his first shot at the Major Leagues. “I love it!”
“The reason I took a chance to come here was I knew I could still compete,” Sosa said. “I knew I had to fight for a spot, and what happened has made me proud because a lot of people probably didn’t think I could do it.”
“I still have a ways to go,” Sosa said. “Just because I made the team doesn’t mean I have to slow down. Now we need to win some games and come into the season with the attitude we have on this team. We have a good group; now everybody has to do the job, from the manager and coaches on down. Everybody has to contribute, that’s how you win games.”
