Sullivan Proposes Brown/Sosa Swap



The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan thinks he's found a taker for Sammy Sosa.

Before Yankees owner George Steinbrenner comes off the ledge, now is a perfect time for Cubs general manager Jim Hendry to lay the groundwork for a deal that would unload disgruntled slugger Sammy Sosa on the Evil Empire.

In return, the Cubs could take disgruntled pitcher Kevin Brown off Steinbrenner's hands in a trade of two highly paid albatrosses who have worn out their welcomes.

Brown selfishly broke his non-pitching hand in fit of rage last month, then put the Yankees in a hole against Boston in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. There's no doubt he will be one the first players Steinbrenner orders general manager Brian Cashman to dump.

The market for terminally angry, injury-prone, 39-year-old pitchers who make $15 million is slim, however, so the Yankees will have to take on someone else's problem.

Do the Cubs need Brown in their rotation?

Of course they don't. But to trade Sosa, you have to pick up an unwanted salary. And if they bring back Glendon Rusch and Ryan Dempster, as expected, they still will have some insurance in case Brown, Mark Prior or Kerry Wood goes down again during the 2005 season.

Sosa could become the Yankees' DH for the next two seasons, saving his body and perhaps rejuvenating his spirit in a new atmosphere. He would have to give up his boom box playing under manager Joe Torre, but life is always a series of compromises. Surely Sosa must realize he has no future in Chicago, and neither does his boom box; a teammate is said to have taken a bat to it after Sosa's disappearing act on the final day of the season.

Posted: Fri - October 22, 2004 at 01:02 PM      

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