Would you hire Mark McGwire? LaRussa did.

[troy]

I don't understand the logic of Tony LaRussa adding Mark McGwire to his coaching staff. Is LaRussa's goal to give McGwire a 2nd chance? Is he hiring him out of loyalty to McGwire? Is spite involved?

 

[Robbymac]

Maybe he hired him because he felt he'd be a good hitting coach?

Its not his 2nd chance. Its his first chance. He's never coached in the majors. He has been a private hitting instructor for several current big leaguers.

 

[bricky]

who would take hitting advice from this guy he was a terrible hitter just that whenever he made contact it flew as a cub i like this move

 

[Robbymac]

who would take hitting advice from this guy he was a terrible hitter just that whenever he made contact it flew as a cub i like this move

The Cubs just hired a hitting coach who had a .256 lifetime batting average...

...in the minor leagues.

 

[troy]

Maybe he hired him because he felt he'd be a good hitting coach?

Its not his 2nd chance. Its his first chance. He's never coached in the majors. He has been a private hitting instructor for several current big leaguers.

As a Cardinals fan, I think this could be a potential PR nightmare for the team. I also see it as LaRussa imposing his will to get his guy 'Big Mac" back into the fold. Does LaRussa really think the public has forgotten about the "steroids" era?

 

[Robbymac]

As a Cardinals fan, I think this could be a potential PR nightmare for the team. I also see it as LaRussa imposing his will to get his guy 'Big Mac" back into the fold. Does LaRussa really think the public has forgotten about the "steroids" era?

He's a hitting coach. I think people are over-estimating the role and the scruitiny of the position. The media doesn't have access to the coaching staff after games. Only the manager. They can talk to him before the game if he agrees, but he is under no obligation to do so.

My guess would be when Spring Training begins McGwire will be introduced at a press conference. He'll read some carefully scripted prepared statement which vaguely describes what he did and why he did it. He'll apologize, he'll say I'm not talking about it anymore, and that will be the end of it.

This idea that there will be some media circus surrounding the Cardinals in every NL City is ludicrous. Outside of a handful of fans at BP no one will even get a chance to boo him, as the hitting coach never leaves the dugout.

I'm fairly confident the guy will be a tremendous hitting instructor provided they take care of the elephant in the room the second they get to Jupiter.

 

[troy]

He's a hitting coach. I think people are over-estimating the role and the scruitiny of the position. The media doesn't have access to the coaching staff after games. Only the manager. They can talk to him before the game if he agrees, but he is under no obligation to do so.

My guess would be when Spring Training begins McGwire will be introduced at a press conference. He'll read some carefully scripted prepared statement which vaguely describes what he did and why he did it. He'll apologize, he'll say I'm not talking about it anymore, and that will be the end of it.

This idea that there will be some media circus surrounding the Cardinals in every NL City is ludicrous. Outside of a handful of fans at BP no one will even get a chance to boo him, as the hitting coach never leaves the dugout.

I'm fairly confident the guy will be a tremendous hitting instructor provided they take care of the elephant in the room the second they get to Jupiter.

Good points! I can't remember a hitting coach get booed, either. That Congressional hearing testimony is still out there, though. I wonder if that will come up. Maybe if McGwire gets out in front of it, things will go away. I see your point that the hitting instructor is more of a behind the scenes coach. Thanks.