Cubs Fans Give Sosa Mixed Bag Of Cheers

Heck, it could have been much, much worse. But overall, it looks like at least a decent contingency of those that bleed Cubbie Blue applauded Sammy Sosa when his Rangers took on the Cubs earlier today.

Looking fit and familiar with the No. 21 on his back, Sosa didn't seem moved either way by the mixed greeting Wednesday from a large crowd of 11,674 at HoHoKam Park, where he spent so many spring afternoons during his 13 seasons with the Cubs.

"You know, regardless, no matter where I play, my heart is always going to be in Chicago," Sosa after his return with the Texas Rangers, the team he's made this spring after a year away from the game.

"I don't think anyone's going to take my name away from Chicago. ... My name is always going to be mentioned in Chicago," he said.

For better or worse, Sosa is dead on here. No matter what he does with the Rangers this year or perhaps for the next few years, he will be forever linked to the right field ivy, his glove to his ear beckoning in the applause of the bleacher bums. It's there his trademark hop was perfected, the moon shots took flight and the corked bat exploded onto the infield.

Like it or not Cub fans, and with apologies to Ron Santo, Ryne Sandburg and Ernie Banks, Sosa is perhaps the name most synonymous with Cubdom.

Previously on the Fanhouse:
Sammy Sosa Makes Rangers Roster
Sammy Sosa Want To Hit 700 Home Runs
Guess Who's Back, Back Again ... Sammy Sosa's Back, Tell A Friend