Various media outlets are reporting that Mark McGwire will soon be named the new Cardinals hitting coach and this is apparently just waiting confirmation that Tony LaRussa will stay on with the team as expected.
First off, this seems to be a big "screw you" to the baseball establishment by Tony LaRussa who of course has repeatedly and indignantly denied that Mark McGwire ever took steroids but frankly that is not what this post is about.
Putting aside the steroid issue, would Mark McGwire even make a good hitting coach?
*When did Mark McGwire ever hit behind a runner?
*When did Mark McGwire ever "go with the pitch"?
*When did Mark McGwire ever hit the opposite way?
*When did Mark McGwire ever shorten his swing with two strikes?
*1596 sure is a lot of strikeouts.
*Does he know how to bunt?
*He had 6 career triples in 6187 at bats. Not hitting many gaps there though his turtle-like speed in his Incredible Hulk days is acknowledged.
*An incredible power hitter but his career batting average is .263.
Not everybody on the Cardinals is going to be groomed, or has the potential, to be a one-dimensional power hitter.
What does he say to the other guys?
4 comments:
Maybe Mark has some dirt on Tony and is leveraging it.
Really, if he was that good or that important, wouldn't he have been brought on earlier?
"Thank you for your five years of service, Mr. McRae, but we won't be needing them anymore."
verification word: oustr
"What does he say to the other guys?"
"I'll make you a baseball god," that's what. Once they're fired up on the juice, one-dimensional power hitter is a realistic possibility for everyone in the lineup. Hooray baseball!
Mark,
That brings up another thought. When the Cardinals underachieve one year and at least one coach is the scapegoat and must go, I bet the bullpen coach is gonna get real nervous because I don't think Tony's pet is going anywhere regardless of how bad they hit.
Kevin
CCC,
I don't think that even if you had a monstrous payroll to handle it, that you would win with a power hitter at every position.
Kevin
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