Sammy Sosa claims he picked the wrong bat in 2003: “I just picked the wrong bat. I apologize to my team, to my fans" 

In an emotional acknowledgment to his fans in 2003, controversial slugger Sammy Sosa claimed that he chose a corked bat by no fault of his own and termed it “an innocent mistake.”

“I just picked the wrong bat,” he said. “I apologize to my team, to my fans. ... I apologize to the commissioner of baseball.”

He said that his bats were all mixed up and assumed that it was one of his regular bats.

"15 years ago today, Sammy Sosa was busted with a corked bat." - Cubs Talk via Twitter

While he may have acknowledged the ownership of the bat, Sammy went on to say that he’d use it solely for batting practice and home run exhibitions to get the crowd going.

He profusely apologized for his mistake and reaffirmed that he was a fighter and that he needed no external help.

“This is something I take blame for ... I feel really bad,” Sosa said. “I don’t need to use this. I’m a really strong guy. And I’m a fighter.”

Sammy Sosa was caught in the act during a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on June 3, 2003, when he was ejected in the first innings after his bat shattered and pieces of cork were found among the shards. Sosa was suspended for a total of seven games.

While many in MLB were singling him out in relation to the incident, Sosa can count himself very lucky that his teammates had his back.

“He came up and faced the music,” Kerry Wood said. “He faced the press and dealt with it. The guy made an honest mistake, and he’s sorry.”

Lenny Harris claimed Sosa was “pretty sad,” and felt like he let his team down.

"He feels like he let everybody down," Harris said.

Sammy Sosa: 7-time MLB All-Star

Sammy Sosa played in the MLB for 19 seasons as a right fielder. He primarily played with the Chicago Cubs but also had minor stints with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles.

"1998 National League MVP. Sammy Sosa (.308 with 66 HR and 158 RBI)" - OldTimeHardball, Twitter

Sosa won the NL MVP in 1998. He is also a seven-time All-Star, and six-time Silver Slugger Award recipient, and has won the NL Hank Aaron Award and Roberto Clemente Award once each.

He is one of nine players in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs. Sosa is also second all-time in home runs among foreign-born MLB players.