"The same nostalgiacs who voted Bruce's "Born to Run" and too many Beatles albums to the top 5 of Zagat's "best album ever" survey won't like this:
In 10 years, Sammy Sosa will be more highly regarded than Mickey Mantle, who Sosa tied on the career HR list last night in a huge 8-0 Cubs win (1 up in NL Central, four to play).
Not saying Mickey isn't an all-time great, but his myth is propped up by:
* His good luck to be on a Yankees dynasty (kind of like Derek Jeter); take away the titles, and he's "merely" Ernie Banks.
Sammy's popularity transcends his team's spotty record.
* Current sports taste-makers who grew up idolizing the Mick, thanks to the 1950s forgiving, worshipping media horde.
Sammy remains the league's most popular player, even after being torched by the media for the cork fiasco.
* The "Seven" episode of "Seinfeld." (OK, maybe not.)
Even more eye-popping stats, an ever-widening generational gap and senior senility mean that Sosa will inevitably eclipse Mantle in the all-time Pantheon."
