Sammy Sosa was left in disbelief that a reporter would ask him about steroid usage.
Sosa has been estranged from the Cubs for about two decades now, and he was doing media availability with Chicago reporters on Friday to talk about perhaps reconciling one day.
Sosa — in town for an autograph convention — was speaking with veteran sportscaster Lou Canellis from the local Fox affiliate.
“I’m a mature man. I think it’s a possibility that we could do that,” Sosa said.
“I’m open. I don’t have any problem with that. Like I said, I had a lot of misunderstandings in the past. I’m a real man, I feel great. So I recognize my mistake so hey, why not?”
The 55-year-old had no real answer for what was an obvious follow-up question about admitting he used performance enhancing drugs as he slugged 292 home runs in the five seasons between 1998, the year of his then-magical rivalry with Mark McGwire to surpass Roger Maris’ 61 home run single-season record, and 2002.
Canellis followed up, asking if the “mistake” part meant Sosa was finally copping to steroid use.
“Like I said, this is, um, um, not a question that I expected from you,” Sosa said.
“This is not an interview that I’m really going to sit down and do with you with that piece right now. But like I said, I feel great. Let’s see what happens.”
Canellis began to respond, “The reason that I …” but Sosa walked away and thus the interview was complete.
After the clip went viral, Bruce Levine, who covers the Cubs for 670 the Score, poured cold water on the idea that any reconciliation between Sosa and the Cubs is imminent.
“There have been no talks between the Chicago Cubs top officials and Sammy Sosa on returning to Cub Nation,” Levine tweeted on Friday.
