Sammy Sosa, baseball player, 609 home runs, 1989-2007

Sammy Sosa

Born: 11/12/1968 in San Pedro de Macoris, San Pedro de Macorís, D.R.

MLB Debut: 1989-06-16 | Final Game: 2007-09-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: Samuel Peralta Sosa

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Biography

Sammy Sosa, born in 1968, was a prominent professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1989 to 2007. Known for his powerful hitting and charismatic presence, Sosa played primarily as a position player and became one of the most recognizable figures in Major League Baseball during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 2,354 games, amassing 2,408 hits, 609 home runs, and 1,667 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .273. His ability to blend power with speed was evident in his 234 stolen bases, showcasing his versatility on the field. Sosa's legacy is particularly tied to the home run race of 1998, where he competed with Mark McGwire for the single-season home run record, ultimately finishing the season with 66 home runs. This thrilling competition not only captivated fans but also played a significant role in revitalizing interest in baseball following the strike of 1994. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa was celebrated for his impact on the game, both statistically and culturally. His contributions to the sport extended beyond the diamond, as he became a symbol of the power-hitting era that defined baseball during his playing days. Despite the controversies surrounding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, Sosa's accomplishments remain a significant chapter in the history of the sport.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
2354 8813 1475 2408 379 45 609 1667 234 929 2306 0.273 0.344 0.534 0.878 29521.2

Career AVG .273 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .344 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .534 vs. league average .414 across their career seasons — +28.9% above league average.

Career OPS 0.878 vs. league average 0.748 across their career seasons — +17.4% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1989 TEX AL 25 84 8 20 3 0 1 3 0 0 20 0.238 .254 (-6%) .319 (-26%) .375 (-18%) .694 (-21%) -303.1
1989 CHW AL 33 99 19 27 5 0 3 10 7 11 27 0.273 .254 (+7%) .319 (+10%) .375 (+10%) .694 (+10%) -303.1
1990 CHW AL 153 532 72 124 26 10 15 70 32 33 150 0.233 .257 (-10%) .324 (-13%) .385 (+5%) .710 (-3%) -611.8
1991 CHW AL 116 316 39 64 10 1 10 33 13 14 98 0.203 .255 (-21%) .323 (-26%) .384 (-13%) .708 (-19%) -1206.1
1992 CHC NL 67 262 41 68 7 2 8 25 15 19 63 0.260 .255 (+1%) .322 (-2%) .377 (+4%) .699 (+2%) 55.3
1993 CHC NL 159 598 92 156 25 5 33 93 36 38 135 0.261 .265 (-2%) .332 (-7%) .403 (+20%) .735 (+8%) 779.2
1994 CHC NL 105 426 59 128 17 6 25 70 22 25 92 0.300 .269 (+11%) .338 (avg) .424 (+28%) .763 (+16%) 1168.3
1995 CHC NL 144 564 89 151 17 3 36 119 34 58 134 0.268 .266 (avg) .337 (+1%) .417 (+20%) .755 (+11%) 1288.5
1996 CHC NL 124 498 84 136 21 2 40 100 18 34 134 0.273 .269 (+1%) .340 (-5%) .426 (+32%) .767 (+16%) 1396.0
1997 CHC NL 162 642 90 161 31 4 36 119 22 45 174 0.251 .266 (-6%) .336 (-11%) .419 (+14%) .756 (+3%) 145.4
1998 CHC NL 159 643 134 198 20 0 66 158 18 73 171 0.308 .266 (+16%) .335 (+12%) .420 (+54%) .755 (+36%) 4776.7
1999 CHC NL 162 625 114 180 24 2 63 141 7 78 171 0.288 .271 (+6%) .344 (+6%) .433 (+46%) .778 (+29%) 3803.3
2000 CHC NL 156 604 106 193 38 1 50 138 7 91 168 0.320 .270 (+18%) .344 (+18%) .437 (+45%) .782 (+33%) 4408.3
2001 CHC NL 160 577 146 189 34 5 64 160 0 116 153 0.328 .263 (+24%) .332 (+32%) .426 (+73%) .758 (+55%) 7015.1
2002 CHC NL 150 556 122 160 19 2 49 108 2 103 144 0.288 .261 (+10%) .331 (+21%) .416 (+42%) .747 (+33%) 4066.3
2003 CHC NL 137 517 99 144 22 0 40 103 0 62 143 0.279 .264 (+5%) .332 (+8%) .422 (+31%) .754 (+21%) 2210.1
2004 CHC NL 126 478 69 121 21 0 35 80 0 56 133 0.253 .266 (-5%) .335 (-1%) .427 (+21%) .762 (+11%) 1049.4
2005 BAL AL 102 380 39 84 15 1 14 45 1 39 84 0.221 .264 (-16%) .330 (-11%) .418 (-10%) .749 (-10%) -793.1
2007 TEX AL 114 412 53 104 24 1 21 92 0 34 112 0.252 .268 (-6%) .335 (-8%) .422 (+11%) .758 (+3%) 95.9

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
15 53 8 13 3 0 2 7 13 17 0.245

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2003 NLCS CHN 7 26 7 8 1 0 2 6 6 9 0.308
2003 NLDS2 CHN 5 16 1 3 1 0 0 1 6 4 0.188
1998 NLDS1 CHN 3 11 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 4 0.182

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 2203 2138 4522 143 128 26

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1989 TEX OF 19 17 33 1 2 0
1989 CHA OF 33 29 61 1 2 0
1990 CHA OF 152 137 315 14 13 1
1991 CHA OF 111 76 214 6 6 0
1992 CHN OF 67 65 145 4 6 1
1993 CHN OF 158 153 344 17 9 4
1994 CHN OF 105 105 248 5 7 2
1995 CHN OF 143 142 320 13 13 4
1996 CHN OF 124 124 253 15 10 1
1997 CHN OF 161 161 325 16 8 1
1998 CHN OF 159 159 334 14 9 2
1999 CHN OF 162 162 399 8 9 3
2000 CHN OF 156 156 318 3 10 1
2001 CHN OF 160 160 326 8 6 1
2002 CHN OF 150 150 284 7 6 1
2003 CHN OF 137 136 212 2 5 1
2004 CHN OF 124 124 238 5 4 2
2005 BAL OF 66 66 121 3 3 1
2007 TEX OF 16 16 32 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 14
Center Field 234
Right Field 2015
Designated Hitter 133

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
2003 Player of the Week Week of 2003-04-19
2002 Player of the Week Week of 2002-08-10
2002 Silver Slugger OF
2002 TSN All-Star OF
2001 Player of the Month August
2001 Player of the Week Week of 2001-08-25
2001 Silver Slugger OF
2001 TSN All-Star OF
2000 Player of the Month July
2000 Silver Slugger OF
2000 TSN All-Star OF
1999 Hank Aaron Award OF
1999 MLB Players Choice Man of the Year
1999 Player of the Month May
1999 Silver Slugger OF
1999 TSN All-Star OF
1998 MLB Players Choice Outstanding Player
1998 Most Valuable Player
1998 Player of the Month June
1998 Player of the Week Week of 1998-06-20
1998 Player of the Week Week of 1998-09-12
1998 Player of the Week Week of 1998-06-06
1998 Roberto Clemente Award
1998 Silver Slugger OF
1998 TSN All-Star OF
1998 TSN Major League Player of the Year
1997 Player of the Week Week of 1997-05-17
1996 Player of the Month July
1996 Player of the Week Week of 1996-07-27
1995 Player of the Week Week of 1995-08-19
1995 Player of the Week Week of 1995-09-02
1995 Silver Slugger OF
1995 TSN All-Star OF
1993 Player of the Week Week of 1993-07-03

Featured In Rankings

#23
Top 30 Outfielders in History of MLB Baseball
Ranked 23 of 30
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Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2007 TEX AL $500,000
2005 BAL AL $17,000,000
2004 CHN NL $16,000,000
2003 CHN NL $16,000,000
2002 CHN NL $15,000,000
2001 CHN NL $12,500,000
2000 CHN NL $11,000,000
1999 CHN NL $9,000,000
1998 CHN NL $8,325,000
1997 CHN NL $5,500,000
1996 CHN NL $4,750,000
1995 CHN NL $4,300,000
1994 CHN NL $2,950,000
1993 CHN NL $745,000
1992 CHN NL $180,000
1991 CHA AL $150,000
1990 CHA AL $100,000
1989 TEX AL $68,000
Total Career Earnings $124,068,000

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
2003 Most Valuable Player NL 8th 53.0 448 0
2002 Most Valuable Player NL 9th 63.0 448 0
2001 Most Valuable Player NL 2nd 278.0 448 2
2000 Most Valuable Player NL 9th 71.0 448 0
1999 Most Valuable Player NL 9th 87.0 448 0
1998 Most Valuable Player NL 1st 438.0 448 30
1997 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 5.0 392 0
1996 Most Valuable Player NL 15th 12.0 392 0
1995 Most Valuable Player NL 8th 81.0 392 0