Cardinals hire McGwire as hitting coach

[HollywoodLeo]

Cardinals hire Mark McGwire as hitting coach - MLB- nbcsports.msnbc.com

According to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse, the Cardinals have indeed hired Mark McGwire to replace Hal McRae as the club's hitting coach.


ESPN's Buster Olney first caught wind of the report, which at first sounded a bit strange but does make some sense. McGwire has a great relationship with many members of the Cardinals' current coaching staff and trains with several players in California during the winter, including second baseman Skip Schumaker and free agent outfielder Matt Holliday. McGwire hit 220 home runs during four-plus seasons as a player in St. Louis. Of course, he has also refused to address steroid allegations on multiple occasions. He may need to own up to some of his past mistakes for this to run smoothly.

[Kingdom]

Brendan Ryan will hit 40 home runs next season. Mark it down!

The 65-year-old La Russa has been mulling his future since the NL Central champion Cardinals were swept in the division series by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 10. His two-year, $8.5 million contract expires at the end of the month.


"We're getting closer," La Russa, who has managed the team for 14 years, said earlier Sunday. "But nothing has been decided. I can't tell you anything yet."

You know you were returning, Tony. Where else would you go, Washington? Kansas City?

[catman]

I like McGwire as hitting coach. He can help some of the kids get better. Maybe Ankiel will get it together?

[Saber]

He'll ROID them!

There, I said it.

[realmofotalk]

Pujols can inject himself just fine.

[redsrbetter]

I just don't get this one. Perhaps it is a name that will excite the fans a bit. But this team isn't looking for any help in that aspect. Their fans are truly the most devoted in all of baseball. Perhaps in all of sports.

McGwire was always a slugger, but can you really teach that? I mean, the guy was never a hitter, just a slugger.

[love_that_reefer]

Great move by the Cards here. He helped both Schumaker and Holliday in the offseason so the man does have the ability to coach. Schumaker has hit over .300 the past two seasons and Holliday, well, we all know what he can do. This also might entice Holliday to return to St. Louis so good move. The media is hyping thisup to be some kind of distraction but he is a ****ing hitting coach so it will be gone by the second week of spring training.

[redsrbetter]

See I never knew he helped them out. I guess I should have done my research before slamming him. In which ways did he help them though? Did he see holes in their swing which they in turn patched up? Or perhaps a plate adjustment or tweak here and there?

[love_that_reefer]

Plate adjustment and pitch recognition. Just having a good approach at the plate and waiting for your pitch. Schumaker and Holliday swear by him and Pujols is on board too. He had nothing but good things to say about Mark and how he helped him as a rookie. Imagine Pujols getting better, yikes.

[redsrbetter]

Yeah I remember Pujols being taken in by Big Mac. I guess it could work. Will be a joy to watch...

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

Can Pujols get any better? That's a scary thought.

Is this really a good idea? McGwire wasn't really a great hitter (base hits per se), he will probably help to increase the strike out numbers by hitters.

[love_that_reefer]

McGwire had a .394 OBP for his career. He can help