]Sosa claims several teams want to sign him SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Outfielder Sammy Sosa said he's talking with several teams interested in signing him for next season. The Baltimore Orioles said last month they wouldn't bring back Sosa or fellow slugger Rafael Palmeiro, both of whom struggled this past season. Sosa declined to say which teams he's talking to, but said he'll make an announcement about where he'll play sometime after the annual winter baseball meetings, which begin Monday. "We're negotiating with several teams," Sosa said in comments published Sunday in the daily newspaper HOY, in his native Dominican Republic. "We're going to make it a surprise." Some have speculated that Sosa could join the New York Mets, whose general manager, Omar Minaya, signed Sosa to his first professional contract in the 1980s when Minaya was a scout for the Texas Rangers. "Sammy only needs an opportunity to play and show that he's recovered" from nagging injuries that hurt his play this year, Minaya was quoted as saying in the Sunday edition of El Nacional, another Dominican daily. The 37-year-old Sosa came to the Orioles in a February trade with the Chicago Cubs for second baseman Jerry Hairston and two minor leaguers. Sosa was expected to provide the Orioles with a powerful bat in the cleanup spot, but ended up hitting only .221 with 14 homers and 45 RBI in 102 games during an injury-shortened season. Sosa said he's confident of signing with another team and playing well. "I'm at peace because I trust in what I've done in the past. I'm Sammy Sosa and everyone remembers it," Sosa was quoted as saying in HOY. Yikes.