If You’re Mark McGwire, Do You “Open Up?”
Baseball October 27th. 2009, 11:15am
Mark McGwire will be the St. Louis Cardinals’ batting coach next season, and the media is already wondering how long it’ll be before Big Red opens up about steroid use. “How telling is it that the Cardinals decided hiring one of the most controversial figures in baseball didn’t merit a face-the-music meeting with the public?” But why would McGwire open up about steroid use the same way Andy Pettitte and A-Rod did? They are still playing; McGwire is just a hitting coach. What does he have to gain by admitting that he cheated? Maybe McGwire doesn’t care about the Hall of Very Good. Perhaps golf is more important to him. We’re more puzzled by what a one-dimensional hitter can possibly teach the Cardinals. Joe Buck is stunned, too. [Post-Dispatch]
59 Responses to “If You’re Mark McGwire, Do You “Open Up?””
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October 27th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Mark McGwire was very selective at the plate. Man walked. That’s two dimensions. That said, hitting coach is probably the most meaningless job in major sport, so him being in St. Louis only matters because it shows Tony LaRussa can strong arm our front office into anything because that’s how desperate they are for him and Duncan to stay.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Oh, and it makes the fan base look like hypocritical pieces of shit. So that’s nice.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I could see this argument but he has helped both Matt Stairs and Pujols with their swings. Its not like all great hitting coaches had to have been great hitters themselves.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:20 am
When’s the last time anyone remembers an interview with a hitting coach?
McGwire is still liked enough in STL and LaRussa will look to protect him from media intrusions.
I still don’t see him having to “face the music.” Not unless/until he decides to become a manager himself.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:20 am
[looking for where it says a hitting coach has to talk to the media...cant find it.]
October 27th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Re: Joe Buck
“I’m excited to see how that unfolds. I already texted him for my HBO show and he said he’d do it when he turns 50.”
this would mean that Joe Buck’s show is on air till 2013.
yikes.
/seriously HBO, you have 5 seasons worth of the the Wire… show the reruns.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:22 am
My first reaction was that there is no way in hell he’s ever addressing the steriod issue. But after some reflection, how many times do you think he’ll be able to stand getting questioned about it before he snaps? That’s all he’s going to hear about during the offseason and spring training. The media will make such a big deal about it, that at some point he’ll have to say something.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:22 am
In all fairness, it’s not that hard to confuse Joe Buck regarding baseball.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:23 am
We’re more puzzled by what a one-dimensional hitter can possibly teach the Cardinals
Charlie Lau and Walt Hriniak were considered “gurus” who turned a generation of hitters into robotic hitting machines. Both had a pedestrian .250 MLB career average themselves.
He should come back if he wants. It’s time this steroid crap just goes away. Plus, he hasn’t worked in almost 10 years. Maybe he could use a little $$$. Who knows?
October 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am
What, the same fans who booed Barack Hussein and cheered Matt Holliday?
October 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Gotta give it up to LaRussa for his loyalty.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
1) Mcgwire had a career 982 OPS. that is rediculous. he could teach my team anyday.
2) Just because someone didnt hit anything but homers doesnt mean he can only teach home run hitting. His swing was extremely fundamentaly sound.
3) McGwire has worked with Pujols and Holliday extensively previously. With holliday a free agent and pujols one next year, I wouldnt be suprised if this was as much a ploy to keep them as it is a way to improve the teams hitting
October 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Jose Canseco needs a job
October 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I’ve heard that they are possibly the best fans anywhere.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:27 am
[looking for a prior instance when a players with HOF numbers is shunned by both the public and the media, then tries to make a comeback in a city that once embraced him but has erased his existance from their stadium ...... can't find it]
October 27th, 2009 at 11:27 am
they were booing the white sox jacket he was wearing, not Obama himself
October 27th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Not this.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:28 am
This is just bullshit, I know they keep saying it around here, but it is. He’s a coach because his friend got him a job. End of story. Pujols and Holliday aren’t taking less money here because Mark McGwire’s gonna pat them on the ass every few days in St. Louis
October 27th, 2009 at 11:28 am
My friends from STL absolutely agree.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
they were booing
the white sox jacket he was wearinghis limp wristed throwing style, not Obama himself/fixed
October 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Ahahahhahahaha
October 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Big Mac Land’s still there. Pujols knocked out one of its letters this season and columnists were tripping all over themselves trying to analyze the metaphorical implications.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Kevin Long is quoted all the time.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Shit, really? I could have sworn they took it down, like San Fran did with Barry.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Taguchi, I agree and think its stupid, but i wouldnt be suprised if the idiot ownership acutally thought it to be true.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:36 am
So is Mattingly in LA.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
/better?
October 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I think McDonalds gives the Cards enough $$$ and McDonalds gets enough advertising prominence out of it that it’s too mutually beneficial to take it down. Plus, now it’s all about the burger, not the guy’s nickname.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
dammit, forgot the word “in”
October 27th, 2009 at 11:39 am
[looking for where it says a hitting coach has to talk to the media...cant find it.]
Yes, if it was the usuall shmoe ex-ball player. This is a guy who fell off the face of the Earth since his less then stellar appearance at the Congressional hearings.
You don’t think there might be some interest in talking to him?
If he had half a brain he would issue a statement and move on.
If I remember correctly didn’t LaRussa have an interview in 2008 with STL paper stating he believe McGwire did not juice?
Blind leading the blind.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:40 am
What I don’t think McGwire and LaRussa get is that Pettite and A-Rod were forgiven because they’re still playing. They’er still helping a fanbase. Mark McGwire isn’t hitting any game winning homeruns as the hitting coach. He’s not winning anybody back, and the team gains very little by having him around, but the lose credibility and cause an unnecessary circus. McGwire is STILL hiding right now. He’s not coming out until Spring Training.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:40 am
rudy jaramillo for the rangers is quoted down here a lot. the cubs just hired him away for a bunch of money.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:41 am
He’s been saying this for years. He said it yesterday. Gave a big speech about how he saw how hard the man worked and how he ate right. It’s awe inspiring the gall of the man.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:41 am
ps – Duffy knocks Griese story out of the park today. stop by after lunch.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:43 am
That’s probably because he’s the best hitting coach in the game, and players from other teams work with him during the offseason.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:43 am
ps – Duffy knocks Griese story out of the park today. stop by after lunch.
thx for the heads up. I’ll go get my Thesaurus
October 27th, 2009 at 11:44 am
i think you guys are missing the point. just because you want to see mcgwire squirm and fidget for the press and issue an akward statement doesnt mean he is obligated to.
and just because he played in st. louis and is now a hitting coach in stlouis doesnt mean is oblibated to speak to the media. and i dont know how don mattingly or kevin long talking to the media makes it mandatory that all hitting coaches talk to the media.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Better bring the dictionary and 17th Century Lit syllabus, too.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Pass. I’ve had my fill of duffy’s smug anti-Americanism for the week already.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Since he is now essentially an employee of MLB, Selig should force him to speak under the best interest of the game rule.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Thought Griese mentioned tacos, not Fish ‘n Chips. This is out of Duffy’s element.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am
every single sports writer who covered mark mcgwire during 1998 knows he juiced, in some way, and that he took andro. big deal. if he says he did take steroids, everyone will say. “see! I was right the whole time!” and if he doesn’t say he took them, or denies he took them, everyone will say, “he must have taken steroids! why doesn’t he just admit it!”
the writers only want him to admit to it so they can finally print their mea culpa’s about turning a blind eye to it when it happened and pretend like the knew it all along but were blinded by the majesty of the home run race.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I pictured Duffy sitting in his bathrobe by the fire with a glass of hundred year old scotch sadly shaking his head after that NFL to London debacle yesterday.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:50 am
I dont like his soccer posts(not enough bicycle kicks), but i have grown to like Duffys posts.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:50 am
That reminds me, they are giving out free black tacos this Saturday night for Halloween!!
October 27th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Gave a big speech about how he saw how hard the man worked and how he ate right.
Yeah I heard that he was exagerating those points.
You can almost hear the media snicker in the back ground.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Yesterday I asked TBL: “Will McGwire get his own post? This is a big story”. His response was NO. I guess I should’ve asked this morning.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Do people really have trouble comprehending Duffy’s articles?
October 27th, 2009 at 11:56 am
i hope the duffy post goes like this:
“griese said something racist but it doesnt matter because europe > america. and did you really expect a rich old white man to not be racist?! pssshaw”
October 27th, 2009 at 11:56 am
fucking English majors dude.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Sometimes, less is more. Tony Reali’s not reading a post giving you a point for each big word.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Every time duffy writes a post, thesaurus sales skyrocket at Amazon.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
You forgot Rudy Jaramillo and Mark McGwire.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Every time I wrote a post, Jon Runyan waxes his shoulders.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Mac should have hit the calf machine.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
All good points, but particularly the first. It is beyond silly for people to criticize McGwire’s offensive production.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Guy made a bad joke. That’s really not a story.
October 27th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
It is if it provides an answer to our immigration policy, as I suspect?
/Haters hate and players play, Duffy
October 27th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
TBL, I like how you say ‘one dimensional’ as if that one dimension was singles. He hit HRs at a face melting pace. His average sucked, but he walked a ton, especially early in his career.