Sammy Sosa: Brought Down by Steroid Era or First Ballot Hall of Famer?

Recently, Sammy Sosa announced his plans to retire from the game of Baseball after the 2009 World Baseball Classic. 

Assuming he doesn't play another MLB game in five years, he will join the blockbuster list of first ballot Hall of Famers including Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, and Piazza.

Now we already know that two of the names on that list, Clemens and Bonds, have been tainted by the steroid era, and their connections with possible steroid use.  And we have also see how Mark McGwire's testimony in front of Congress kept him from becoming a first ballot Hall of Famer. 

So my question is, will Sammy Sosa be brought down by the steroid era or is he a first ballot Hall of Famer?

Obviously the career statistics are there with 609 home runs (5th all time), 1667 RBI (23rd all time), and 2,408 hits (104 all time). 

Also he is one of only five players to hit over 60 home runs in a single season and the only player in history to do it three times.  Sammy also is one of 37 players to have a 30-30 season and one of 11 players to have two or more 30-30 seasons in their career. 

Add on to that nine All-Star appearances, six Silver Sluggers, and one MVP Award, and his statistics clearly warrant Hall of Fame status and probably first ballot, if not for his era.

So we must look at the comparisons of his alleged steroid use to those players mentioned above and others that have been implicated. 

Sammy did stand before Congress, but read from prepared statements and avoided questions.  But, McGwire not wanting to talk about the past and the Palmeiro pointing incident are by far the most memorable moments from that situation. 

Also Sammy wasn't implicated in the BALCO investigation, nor was he indicted for perjury like Barry Bonds has been.  Sosa escaped the Mitchell Report, clean as a bell—and we know how that all turned out for Mr. Clemens.  And of course, he never made any over arching apology for things he had done—Jason Giambi.

Can we compare Sosa to these other greats that have since gone down in a ball of flames for their transgressions?  The only person with any kind of reputation left is Giambi—the rest have been greatly damaged. 

Plus the fact that he took a year off and returned to the game to appear in 114 games, hitting .252 with 21 home runs and 92 RBI—and that at the age of 38. 

In conclusion with his stastistics and accomplishments, as well as his relatively clean record, Sosa can not be denied entry to the Hall. 

He will obviously go down as one of the great players of his era—and with a fairly clean reputation. 

So in five years when the ballots arrive, BBWA place the check next to Sammy Sosa, he deserves it.