Sammy Sosa doesn't care what people think about his skin bleaching

(Getty Images)

Former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa has been out of the league for over a decade and yet he continues to make headlines – not for his achievements on the field, but for the drastic changes to his appearance.

Photos of Sosa appearing with a much lighter complexion first surfaced at a 2009 musical awards show. He later told Univision he used a “bleaching cream” that “whitens” his skin.

On Wednesday, the former major leaguer addressed the controversy yet again.

“Look at what I am today,” Sosa told Sports Illustrated. “This is my life, and I don’t take garbage from nobody. I do whatever I want.”

Sosa, who is now a resident of United Arab Emirates, told the magazine he dabbles in the oil industry, as well as real estate and hospitality, while distancing himself from the city where it all began – he hasn’t been back to Chicago in 11 years.

The Cubs banished the former outfielder over his alleged use of steroids, but would reportedly welcome "Slammin’ Sammy" back to the clubhouse with a simple apology.

“It’s never been our position that we want Sammy to wear a hair shirt and sit in front of Wrigley and be punished for weeks on end,” a team source told the magazine. “This is simply, ‘I messed up, and there’s something to learn from it, and I’d love to get back in the fold.’ It would take one sentence.”

But that doesn’t seem likely.

“I never failed a drug test,” Sosa said during the interview. “So why are you asking me about that, when they don’t have nothing on Sosa?”

To be fair, as Sports Illustrated pointed out, several former big leaguers have yet to apologize for their alleged use of steroids, but are still beloved by their teams.

Barry Bonds will have his jersey retired by the San Francisco Giants, Roger Clemens works within the Houston Astros organization as a special assistant to the general manager and Alex Rodriguez is back with the New York Yankees as an adviser.