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CNN Live At Daybreak

Other Sosa Bats Cork-free

Aired June 05, 2003 - 06:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Major League investigators have checked and Sosa's other 76 bats are cork-free. You remember he said they would be. Let's go back to Tuesday night, though, and the scene of the crime. Sosa said he picked up one of his batting protect bats by mistake and when it broke, as you know, it showed cork inside and Sosa was ejected.
The day after, Sosa was very upset over media speculation that the incident could cloud his career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMMY SOSA, CHICAGO CUBS: I'm man enough to take, you know, everything that I done for. And I stood up yesterday like a man and take the blame. But, you know, the media today, you know, they got me up there like I'm a criminal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Major League officials may decide on a penalty for Sosa as early as today. A lot of people are weighing in on this. In fact, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer is quoted as saying this might hurt Sosa's chances of getting into the Hall of Fame.

For a check on how this corker of a story is playing out in Chicago, let's go live there to CLT-TV reporter Jim Wagner.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM WAGNER, CLT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.

Although the Cubs lost last night and everyone pretty much admits this is not just going to go away, Sammy says he is not going to let this "beat him down" and the fans remain very supportive of him. He went one for four last night, with three strike outs, finally got his hit in the ninth inning, a single. But got a standing ovation at his first at bat, indicating just the kind of support that he's getting from his fans here in Chicago.

Of course, everyone sort of on pins and needles throughout the day yesterday as far as fans go, waiting for the results of the examinations of the 76 bats taken to New York. Of course, all those bats coming up clean, sort of validating, if you will, all the fans who say they believe Sammy when he says this whole thing was just an honest mistake.

Now, now, right now everything is in the hands of Bob Watson. He is the chief of discipline for the league. He is in town interviewing Sammy, looking over the videotape. We're told he will fly back to New York and from there issue his decision on whether to suspend Sammy and, if so, how long. We're told that decision could come down in the next couple of days.

I'm live in Chicago.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Jim, before you go, one more question. From what I understand, league officials are not only looking at video from Tuesday night's games, but from games past, like way back in the past.

Why are they doing that?

WAGNER: Well, we're not exactly sure at this point. We can tell you that as far as people talking about will this affect his Hall of Fame chances down the line, a lot of people are arguing here in Chicago, well, Gaylord Perry is in the Hall of Fame and he was known for scuffing the ball, so to speak. So we'll have to see what happens with that down the line.

As far as looking back at some of the former videotape, we're still looking at that ourselves -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, you know, you mentioned Gaylord Perry and he was actually admired for that, for cheating.

WAGNER: Yes, it's sort of interesting. And a lot of people were weighing in, as you said, on local talk radio and sports radio here in Chicago. As a matter of fact, one listener called in and said, you know, what sort of makes me sick about this is that I've got a 7-year- old son. This is his hero. I've got to go home and explain to him now why his hero was caught cheating and, you know, that really hurts for me to have to do that.

Those 76 bats coming back clean, though, is what is validating, like I said before, a lot of the people's opinions here in believing Sammy and saying, you know, this could have been an honest mistake. So that's where it stands right now.

COSTELLO: Understood.

Jim Wagner, many thanks, live from Chicago this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 5, 2003 - 06:51   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Major League investigators have checked and Sosa's other 76 bats are cork-free. You remember he said they would be. Let's go back to Tuesday night, though, and the scene of the crime. Sosa said he picked up one of his batting protect bats by mistake and when it broke, as you know, it showed cork inside and Sosa was ejected.
The day after, Sosa was very upset over media speculation that the incident could cloud his career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMMY SOSA, CHICAGO CUBS: I'm man enough to take, you know, everything that I done for. And I stood up yesterday like a man and take the blame. But, you know, the media today, you know, they got me up there like I'm a criminal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Major League officials may decide on a penalty for Sosa as early as today. A lot of people are weighing in on this. In fact, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer is quoted as saying this might hurt Sosa's chances of getting into the Hall of Fame.

For a check on how this corker of a story is playing out in Chicago, let's go live there to CLT-TV reporter Jim Wagner.

Good morning, Jim.

JIM WAGNER, CLT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Good morning, Carol.

Although the Cubs lost last night and everyone pretty much admits this is not just going to go away, Sammy says he is not going to let this "beat him down" and the fans remain very supportive of him. He went one for four last night, with three strike outs, finally got his hit in the ninth inning, a single. But got a standing ovation at his first at bat, indicating just the kind of support that he's getting from his fans here in Chicago.

Of course, everyone sort of on pins and needles throughout the day yesterday as far as fans go, waiting for the results of the examinations of the 76 bats taken to New York. Of course, all those bats coming up clean, sort of validating, if you will, all the fans who say they believe Sammy when he says this whole thing was just an honest mistake.

Now, now, right now everything is in the hands of Bob Watson. He is the chief of discipline for the league. He is in town interviewing Sammy, looking over the videotape. We're told he will fly back to New York and from there issue his decision on whether to suspend Sammy and, if so, how long. We're told that decision could come down in the next couple of days.

I'm live in Chicago.

Back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Jim, before you go, one more question. From what I understand, league officials are not only looking at video from Tuesday night's games, but from games past, like way back in the past.

Why are they doing that?

WAGNER: Well, we're not exactly sure at this point. We can tell you that as far as people talking about will this affect his Hall of Fame chances down the line, a lot of people are arguing here in Chicago, well, Gaylord Perry is in the Hall of Fame and he was known for scuffing the ball, so to speak. So we'll have to see what happens with that down the line.

As far as looking back at some of the former videotape, we're still looking at that ourselves -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, you know, you mentioned Gaylord Perry and he was actually admired for that, for cheating.

WAGNER: Yes, it's sort of interesting. And a lot of people were weighing in, as you said, on local talk radio and sports radio here in Chicago. As a matter of fact, one listener called in and said, you know, what sort of makes me sick about this is that I've got a 7-year- old son. This is his hero. I've got to go home and explain to him now why his hero was caught cheating and, you know, that really hurts for me to have to do that.

Those 76 bats coming back clean, though, is what is validating, like I said before, a lot of the people's opinions here in believing Sammy and saying, you know, this could have been an honest mistake. So that's where it stands right now.

COSTELLO: Understood.

Jim Wagner, many thanks, live from Chicago this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com