Semi Sosa`s Crooked Bat

A shock swiped through the US major leagues when it transpired that Semi Sosa (the Chicago Cubs) ejected for cork in bat.

Yesterday, Cubs star Sammy Sosa was ejected in the first inning of Tuesday night`s game against Tampa Bay right when umpires found cork in his shattered bat.

Sosa broke his bat with a grounder to second that at first appeared to drive in a run, but after investigation, crew chief Tim McClelland eventually called the run back. Cubs manager Dusty Baker came out and the umpires showed the bat to him. Mark Grudzielanek was sent back to third base, the run was wiped off the board and Sosa was ejected as he stood in the dugout.

Cork inside a wooden bat is thought to help players hit the ball farther and is against baseball rules.

Semi Sosa profusely apologized for the incident, saying he picked up the wrong bat, one he used for batting practice. He was also quoted as saying, "I don`t really need to use that. I break so many bats in my life. But when you make a mistake like that, you got to [sic.] stood up and be there for it. ... It`s something that I take the blame for. It`s a mistake, I know that. I feel sorry. I just apologize to everybody that [sic.] are embarrassed.¡°

Crew chief McClelland and the other umpires confiscated all the bats of Sammy for a thorough investigation. Even if it was true that Sosa mistakenly used it, he would probably have to face a disciplinary hearing. McClelland also was the umpire who took away a home run from Kansas City`s George Brett in 1983 because of excessive pine tar, and ejected Albert Belleail for his use of the cork-altered bat.

Sosa, who reached 500 career homers earlier this season, has the most 60-homer seasons in major league history, hitting 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999 and 64 in 2001. Another scandal harassed him when he hit 66 homers in 1998 after just 36-homer 1997. People said, at that time, he used some prohibited medicine. Sosa just came off the disabled last Friday after having the nail taken off his big right toe and missing 17 games. "You don`t want to see that happen to a great player like Sammy," Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said. "I care about the great players in this game, and Sammy certainly is in that category."

Hwan-Soo Zang zangpabo@donga.com