Sosa has a contract, must make team

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Sammy Sosa has a contract with the Texas Rangers and a chance to get back to the major leagues. Now the former slugger has to go to spring training and earn a spot on the roster.\nSosa and the Rangers finalized a minor league contract Tuesday. If added to the major league roster, he would get a $500,000, one-year deal with the chance to earn $2.1 million more in performance bonuses.\n"I am not going to let you guys down," Sosa said by telephone during a news conference with Rangers executives. "I wanted to come back in 2006, but I was beaten mentally. I feel great. My body's in shape. I'm ready to go."\nThe 38-year-old Sosa, who began his career with the Rangers, hasn't played in the major leagues since 2005 with the Baltimore Orioles.\n"For me this about giving an opportunity to a guy who has done a lot for the game over the last 10, 15 years," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "What really came across to us was that Sammy wanted an opportunity, in the true sense of the word, to prove himself. He still thinks he has something left to give and wants to prove it to the industry, to the Rangers, to himself."\nSosa is fifth on the all-time list with 588 home runs.\n"All he wants is an opportunity, and the Texas Rangers organization decided we want to give him that opportunity," manager Ron Washington said. "Sammy will tell us by the way he performs what he's all about."\nWashington said Sosa would be primarily a designated hitter if he makes the team, but would still play a few games in the outfield. He could bat fifth in the Rangers' lineup behind All-Star shortstop Michael Young and switch-hitting slugger Mark Teixeira.\nWhen Sosa last played in 2005, the seven-time All-Star hit .221 with 14 homers and 45 RBIs in 102 games for Baltimore. During spring training that year, Sosa was one of several players who testified before a congressional committee looking into steroid use in professional baseball.\nIn his career with the Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Orioles, Sosa has batted .274 with 1,575 RBIs and has hit 60 home runs or more in a year three times.\nSosa was the National League MVP in 1998 when he batted .308 with a career-high 66 homers and 158 RBIs for the Cubs.