As Sammy Sosa becomes a household name with his pursuit of 61 homers, Red Sox fans can only imagine what he might look like batting between Mo Vaughn and Nomar Garciaparra.

It could have happened.

While the players were on strike in December 1994, the owners implemented a system that made 38 players with four or five years' experience restricted free agents. If a player signed with a team, his old team would have 10 days to match the contract. The Red Sox had reached agreements with Sosa, Kevin Appier of the Royals and John Wetteland of the Expos.

But a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board overturned the free agent system implemented by the owners, so Sosa and 37 other players returned to their previous teams.

Sosa wound up signing a one-year contract extension with the Cubs, and last year signed a deal that is paying him $42.5 million over four years. And now that Sosa has solidified himself as a star, it's unlikely that he'll again be available.

When the owners implemented the new free agency system during the strike,the players association responded by institutinga signing freeze. But when the new crop of free agents hit the market, several players reached agreements without signing contracts. The Marlins had agreements with Ken Hill and Marquis Grissom of the Expos, and the Rockies had a deal with Scott Erickson of the Twins. Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette focused on a No. 1 starter, a closer and a right fielder. Appier, Wetteland and Larry Walker were his priorities, although Walker refused to negotiate during the labor dispute. The Red Sox became Sosa's most aggressive suitor.

The team struck a deal with Appier on a three-year, $17 million contract. On Jan. 26, 1995, Sosa and Wetteland visited Fenway Park with their agent, Adam Katz. Within six days, Wetteland agreed to a three- year, $15 million contract. And Sosa reached a tentative agreement, but the Red Sox's opportunity to sign him and the othersvanished when the NLRB struck down the owners' move and baseball reverted back to its old system of free agency, eligibility after six years' experience, which is still in place today.

Sosa, 26 at the time, was coming off a season in which he hit .300 with 25 homers,70 RBI and 22 steals in a strike-shortened season. With a combination of speed and power (33 homers and 36 steals in 1993), along with one of the best outfield arms in the game, Sosa was considered a budding star.

Despite 40 homers and 34 steals in 1996, 36 homers and 22 steals in 1997, and three straight years of 100 or more RBI,Sosa was seen as undeserving of such a large contract. He was a lifetime .257 hitter entering this season and he has struck out more than 130 times four of the past five years, including 174 times in 1997 -- numbers that did not seem to warrant a $10 million salary.

But no one is questioning his salary this season. If Sosa were on the open market this winter, he would likely become the highest-paid player in the game.

Meanwhile, almost four years after Sosa was nearly available, the Red Sox are still searching for a power-hitting right fielder.

Sosa, The Early Years

The Red Sox may lament their failed attempt to sign Sosa, but how are the Rangers and White Sox feeling this summer?

Each traded Sosa long before he blossomed. The Rangers, who originally signed Sosa, traded him to the White Sox in a five-player deal for Harold Baines July 29, 1989. Sosa was a 19-year-old rookie when he was traded.

The White Sox traded Sosa to their crosstown rivals for an aging George Bell March 30, 1992. Sosa was 23 and had played in parts of three seasons with the White Sox.

An aside about Sosa's career with the Rangers: During his first three minor league seasons, he was a teammate of Juan Gonzalez. In their first professional season, Sosa and Gonzalez played for the Rangers' Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota, Fla. The manager was Omar Minaya,now the assistant general manager of the Mets.

Among the Gulf Coast League opponents in 1986 was the Royals' affiliate, featuring Tom Gordon.

"I remember them both, but I think Sammy was tougher on me," Gordon said. "Back then, everybody's struggling. You're trying to learn. Everything's new. But I remember Sammy was a tough out."

Sosa, 17, hit .275 with four homers and 28 RBI for the '86 GCL Rangers, while Gonzalez, 16, hit .240 with no homers and 36 RBI.

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