It makes me slightly uneasy, but I've got to say yes. He was an incredible hitter for five years, and a pretty good one for a few years more. And to date, there's no evidence (as opposed to hearsay, innuendo, and implication) of cheating, aside from the corked bat thing.

Oh, and Keith Law's answer was snarkier than need be. I think his writing and analysis is okay, but he seems to go out of his way to look like an ass.

I voted no because I felt that Sosa was neck-deep in the steriod scandal and was a one-dimensional player (HR) who would have greatly benefitted from the use of steriods.  I subjectively would put his "clean" HR numbers at approaching 500 and for a one dimensional player, this may not be good enough to make the Hall.

Upon further review though, my assessment of Sosa as being neck-deep in the steriod scandal is wide of the mark.  Is it just pure speculation that he used steriods?  If so, my discount factor may be far too aggressive.  If the only evidence we have that he may have cheated is his muscular body and corked bat, then I'm inclined to backtrack from my initial vote.  The corked bat may help him, since that's the "old-fashioned" way to cheat.

Pending further arguments, I'd change my vote to yes.  As was stated earlier, 600 homers is too many too ignore for a one-dimensional player - especially without greater proof of steriod use.

I think his writing and analysis is okay, but he seems to go out of his way to look like an ass.

It may be that he isn't going out of his way at all.

The thing about Sosa, homers, and steroids, is that he always had pretty good power - he just didn't make the most of it because he'd swing at anything near the plate. His monster years came about in conjunction with a huge improvement in plate discipline: He drew 70+ walks for five straight years, when he'd only ever had more than fifty once.

That's not really evidence for/against steroid use, but the issue is more complex than "he hit a lot of homers all of a sudden so must have been on something."

my favorite was the unintentionally hilarious steve phillips' comment that he knows Sosa didn't use PED's because he was caught corking his bat and "why would a player on steroids cork his bat?"  i couldn't stop laughing at the logic that somehow being caught cheating in one way to get undeserved HRs made it less likely that he would have cheated in a different way to the same end.  oh, steve. 

"why would a player on steroids cork his bat?"  That statement when I first heard it didn't make me stop at all, but the more I think about it, the sillier it is.  It's kinda like saying "why would he steal a credit card when he's already stolen a tv?"

One of the psychological effects of steroids is a feeling of invisibility, so maybe Sosa thought he could get away with bat corking.  One thing I know for sure, is that Sammy is way smaller than when he was a Cub.

yeah, no one saw him hit the homeruns.  People were like "who is doing that?"

Invicibility!!!!! With a C!!!

yeah, no one saw him hit the homeruns.  People were like "who is doing that?"

Invincibility!!!!! With a C!!! and an N!