I’m neither the first nor the last that will make this reference when writing about Sammy Sosa’s return to Chicago. Two local columnists have already chimed in, but seem at odds with their own feelings. Beat reporters will probably get first crack as questioning the slugger on the mistakes he made. While some Cub fans have been clamoring for his return, others have been as vocal about shutting the door completely.

What’s not in dispute is what his bat meant to the team, city and game when he hit 243 home runs in four seasons. His545 homers with the Cubs is the most in the team’s long history. One writer said that he hit 609 with the Cubs, but that was his MLB career total.

I’ve never hidden my feelings for Sosa and am not going to relitigate the Steroid Era, but also believe that if he’s being welcomed into the fold, he’s going to have to expect some will want to revisit some ugly subjects. As I’ve already stated, it’s a distraction from all the crappy teams in Chicago.