Sosa Fined for Late-Season Choices

Sammy Sosa was fined $87,400 -- one day’s salary -- for arriving late to the Cubs’ regular-season finale at Wrigley Field and leaving the game early. The slugger’s agent, Adam Katz, said Thursday that Sosa probably would file a grievance.

Sosa arrived 70 minutes before Sunday’s first pitch, and he apparently left 15 minutes after the game started without putting on his uniform, according to security cameras in the team’s parking lot at Wrigley Field. Sosa told the Chicago Sun-Times he was in the clubhouse until the seventh inning.

After hearing that Manager Dusty Baker told reporters he wanted Sosa to be in top shape next season, an angry Sosa told the newspaper he was tired of Baker blaming him for the Cubs’ failures.

“It’s certainly inexcusable for him not be at the ballpark and not dressed with his teammates,” General Manager Jim Hendry said.

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The Philadelphia Phillies are wasting no time trying to replace Larry Bowa, setting up interviews with former managers Don Baylor, Charlie Manuel and Grady Little for next week.

Baylor, who managed Colorado and the Chicago Cubs, will be interviewed on Tuesday. Manuel, who led Cleveland to a division title three years ago, will come in Wednesday. Little, fired by Boston after last season’s playoff loss to the New York Yankees, gets his turn Thursday.

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The Chicago White Sox are optimistic that Frank Thomas’ latest surgery will clear up chronic problems with his feet but said the slugger faces a long, slow rehabilitation.

Thomas had a bone graft and two screws inserted in his left ankle. He’ll be in a cast for at least eight weeks and is expected to be out up to six months, meaning he could miss the start of spring training.

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The San Diego Padres released right-handed reliever Jay Witasick, and sent outfielder Kerry Robinson and right-handers Steve Watkins and Ricky Stone outright to triple-A Portland.

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Jacob Cruz refused the Cincinnati Reds’ attempt to assign him outright to the minors, opting to become a free agent.