Philaflava.com ::

Here is a guy who just 12 HR's shy of the elite 600 club. A club only Bonds, Ruth, Aaron and Mays belongs in. He's currently #5 on the all-time HR list.

Here is a guy who just retired. And you know what? Nobody will care. Nobody really did when he played. He was outshadowed by Mac in the roid years. He became a buffoon in his later years.

He never quiet got the respect he deserved, or did he?

The point is looking back at his career will people care? He put up UNREAL numbers but were they "real" numbers?

Sammy is going out with a rejected half a mill offer from the Nationals because he ego won't allow him to take chump change to put a uniform back on. But even if they offered him a cool 2 Mil what would he really have done?

Maybe 19 dingers with a solid .256 average?

Tell me what you think about Sammy. Where he'll rank and if you or others will care when the book is closed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2332063

Its pretty incredible how he went from so beloved to so hated. Remember all of those commercials? The man-hug with McGuire? Those HR derbys? Sammy always had that million dollar smile, that corny homer celebration, the most broken of Englishes and that mad dash to the outfield, all things people used to love.

Will we all forget this due to his involvement with 'roids? (something just about every player dabbled in?) or his "leaving the field" incident in Chicago? Its not really fair.

For someone who used to make Home Run Derby's must see TV, I can't ever hate on Sammy. When he hit that homer against the Marlins to seal game one of the infamous 2003 playoffs, I thought he had finally reached the promise land, Steve Bartmann changed all that.

I say, enshrine him and appreciate him, dammit

Dude was electric when he was on. The place would light up.

But what has he done since he got busted with that corked bat? He's a proven cheater, no doubts about it. It's clear dude was on 'roids and was doing whatever he could to get an advantage.

Even before all the hate, he was known as a guy who would either homer or strike out. He won't move in the lineup, he's not a great fielder and he's not clutch.

Look at the way he's going out. He's not gonna fight to prove he's still got game left, he's just kinda hiding in the corner until induction time roles around. I was a Sammy guy. He was cool, likable, fun, exciting. But dude is about as effective as Eddie Sutton behind the wheel. People looked the other way cause of him and McGwire (don't get me started on that prick) and everybody loved that "dream season." Guess what, it was all bullshit. Both guys, both records, the whole chase. As far as I can recall, they've made the playoffs 2-3 times since Sammy's been there. Now that he's gone what's really changed? They still suck and they still have no idea what they're doing.

Quite honestly, the dude sucks and he should walk.

ill definetely remember the guy as a cheater , but that home run chase in 98 is one of the most exciting things ive seen in sports

they need to set up a steriods hall of fame to throw the likes of him, mcguire and palmiero and all the other injection monkeys in sports.

i'll tell you one thing. I WONT miss that gay homerun celebration

he started sucking since he stopped shooting roids.

hes a cheater, a juicehead, a pre-madonna, a horrible teamate and basically a self-indulgent asshole that im glad to see retired...now that he is retired I can only hope that he doesnt make the hall of fame