Mark McGwire is back in the major leagues. Not as an aging, tarnished and decrepit former freakish juiced up home run monster, but as a little old hitting coach for Tony LaRussa's St. Louis Cardinals. Yes, the once and still disgraced by steroids first baseman is bringing, not only his supposed knowledge on the art of hitting (a career .263 hitter who averaged almost a k/game during his 16 yr. career?), but a tarnished image back to his old team, his one and only ever head coach, and all of baseball. McGwire's employment is in stark contrast to the the Cardinals current employed big man at first - the game's purest, most legit all around hitter. Albert Pujols has repeatedly denied any involvement in juicing and claims his monster power numbers are legit. I believe him. Because I want to believe him. Plus, he's never been found guilty of cheating and everything I've read about him points to him being the real deal, that is, a 'legitimate' awesome power hitter who hits for average, gets walked a ton and plays the game hard day in and day out. The key word here being, 'legitimate.' Do the Cardinals really need the unwanted and probably negative attention that Big Mac will bring? Flying syringes from the stands? Bare Ass Mask Giveaway Day? Hitting for the cycle will have a completely different meaning. Ever since his not at all convincing and scared looking and sounding denial to congress about his steroid use, number eight on the all time homer list with 583 and number one on the Mitchell Report has been in hiding for fear of a fan led mutiny - so why bring such an obvious and guilty cheater back to the game? A game that is trying (with minimal success, eg. ManRam, A-Hud, Bonds, etc.) to clean itself up and ultimately (if it's even possible) win back the trust of the fans. The same freckled red headed giant who had Jose or his brother Ozzie Canseco stick a needle in his ass so he could hit more home runs is allowed back - but not Pete Rose. If Pete Rose were the commissioner of baseball none of this steroid shit would have happened at all. Players would have been too busy hanging out with the old time greats, knocking out catchers and betting on horses. If Pete Rose, his 4256 hits (more than 3000 more than McGwire) and .303 career avg were the Cardinal's hitting instructor, they might not have had to stoop (a pity ploy by LaRussa?) and get the one dimensional, over rated McGwire to teach their team to hit - because they would already know how. I'll take a Charlie Hustle over a Big Mac any day - especially in the National League where the fundamentals are key. Has Mark McGwire ever even bunted before? Sacrificed any one over on purpose? His only opposite field hits were sky high fouls and weak grounders to first. Speaking of weak grounders to first, and those who should not do, you don't see Bill Buckner showing the Boston Red Sox how to field ground balls do you? Or Ray Finkle giving field goal lessons in Miami? Is Jose Canseco an outfielders coach in Texas? I don't think so. Chris Webber is not drawing up end of the game plays for Michigan basketball either and Greg Norman is not giving golf seminars on how not to collapse in the last round of a major when leading by six strokes or more. Are they? No. There's a time and a place for everyone. McGwire had his, during the steroid era (hopefully) and now there shouldn't be room for his repeatedly punctured ass on anyone's bench.
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