Sammy's professional career began at the age of 16 when he signed a non-drafted free agent professional contract with the Texas Rangers. His debut came on June 16, 1989 against the New York Yankees, when he recorded his first major league hit. His first home run came on June 21 against Boston's Roger Clemens. In the same year, Sosa was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a five-player deal that included SS Scott Fletcher and P Wilson Alvarez for OF Harold Baines and INF Fred Manrique. His debut with the Sox came on August 22 against the Minnesota Twins. He went 3 for 3 with a homer, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. In his first full season with the Sox, Sosa hit .233 with 15 homers and 70 RBIs. He was the only player in the American League to record double digit figures in doubles, triples, home runs and steals. He also ranked second among AL outfielders in assists with 14. Sammy had a sub par 1991 season, his last with the Sox. He hit just .203 in 116 games with the organization. The slugger was traded to the Chicago Cubs on March 30, 1992 in a three-player deal with P Ken Patterson for OF George Bell. His first season with the Cubs was hampered by untimely injuries, keeping him on the disabled list for two large stints. He hit just .211 in his first 24 games with the club, with a single RBI. His second run did not come until May 5 and his first home run came two days later against Houston's Ryan Bowen. His second career two-homer game came on June 10 at St. Louis, but in his next game Montreal's Dennis Martinez hit Sosa with a pitch, breaking the fifth metacarpal in his right hand. He remained on the disabled list until July 27. On his first day off the disabled list, Sosa hit the first pitch he saw out of the park, launching him into a .385 average in his first nine games off the disabled list. On his 10th game off the list on August 7 he fouled a ball off his left ankle, breaking it and ending his season. In 1993, Sosa broke another milestone, becoming the first player in Cubs history to record 30 homers and 30 steals. He finished the season with a .261 batting average, 33 homers, 93 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. His breakout season came in 1994, he led the team with a career high .300 batting average, 25 homers and 70 RBIs. Sosa's romp continued until 1996. He was well en route to recording one of the top power campaigns in Cubs history when his season was cut short August 20 by a pitch from Florida's Mark Hutton. He broke a bone in his right hand and was placed on the disabled list for the rest of the season. He finished the year with 40 homers, 100 RBIs and a .273 batting average in just 124 games. The slug fest continued in 1997, when Sosa was once again one of the NL's top power hitters, finishing seventh in the league in homers (36) and tying for sixth in RBIs (119). Disabled list woes, however, ended in 1997. The slugger saw action in all 162 games, starting them all but the season-finale against St. Louis. All career highs came to a heart-wrenching end in 1998. The season quickly became one of the best in baseball history, as Sosa and St. Louis slugger Mark McGwire battled for the M.L. single season home run record until the campaign's final weekend. Sosa finished 4 shy of the Cardinals first baseman with 66, but earned NL Most Valuable Player recognition as he guided the Cubs to a playoff berth. Sammy broke his lifetime marks for batting average (.308), homers (66), RBIs (158), runs scored (134), hits (198) and walks (73). In 1999 Sammy continued putting up sensational power numbers, and became the first player in MLB history to hit more than 60 home runs in consecutive seasons. He finished the season hitting .288, with 63 home runs and 140 RBI.
