Sammy Sosa returns to Cubs dugout for the first time since 2004

There was a bit of extra buzz in Mesa on Tuesday during the Cubs' spring training matchup with the Diamondbacks as Sammy Sosa sat in the dugout with the players during the game. Sosa had not sat in uniform in a Cubs dugout during game action since October 2, 2004, the second-to-last game of the infamous 2004 season. The vibe was much better Tuesday than the bitter end that was Sosa's playing tenure in Chicago two decades ago.

Seen beforehand walking into the facility and shaking hands with the team in the dugout before game time, Sosa looked to further put his demons of the past behind him. While the reunion tour might not resonate with everyone (and it's okay to have differing feelings), for some it felt like another trip down nostalgia lane. It is crazy to think the last time we saw Sosa at a Chicago Cubs facility was before smartphones were invented and the United States was still using analog television broadcasting.

What stood out about Sosa's time in the dugout was him talking with a number of Cubs, giving them advice and insight. Marquee's Taylor McGregor captured some of that interaction on video. McGregor during the broadcast also interviewed Sosa briefly in the dugout, wondering what the discussion was about and Sosa spoke about how the young players asked him, "How he did it."

Funny enough, one of the people who was sitting there listening to him was utility man Vidal Bruján, who, while not known for hitting for power, proceeded to hit a game-tying home run in the 5th inning. This was shortly after veteran Carson Kelly homered to put the Cubs on the board. Going into the 7th inning Sosa was seen walking off with Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson. Both were just kids the last time Sosa wore a Cubs uniform.

It probably would be hard to believe even a few months ago we would see this. There is always the expectation of other Cubs greats like Ryne Sandberg, Fergie Jenkins, Rick Sutcliffe being there, but the odds of Sosa seemed slim to none for a long time. Things really are changing.