TLR: McGwire could pinch-hit

[Banedon]

The Contra Costa Times reports: Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is excited about Mark McGwire's return to baseball as the team's hitting coach and raised the bizarre possibility of putting the former slugger on the active roster for use as a pinch-hitter.

 

"If we're in contention, we'll put him on the roster Aug. 31. It's a nice little dream," said La Russa, adding that he expects McGwire -- who dodged steroid questions before Congress and has been silent since accepting his new job with the Cardinals -- to address the media soon.

 

"Is it likely?" La Russa said of the pinch-hitting scenario. "Probably not. I don't think it's a zero possibility. The point is, you'll see him in spring training. He won't be leaning on the batting cage chatting it up. He'll work his (butt) off, and hitters will be thrilled he's there helping them."

 

That's gonna be a circus.

[Garwilly]

Seems to me like he might want to restart/pause his HOF clock. Get back on the ballot in 5 years.

[Roast]

Seems to me like he might want to restart/pause his HOF clock. Get back on the ballot in 5 years.

That's kinda what I was thinking.

 

By the way, he's gonna go down on 3 pitches.

[Guest]

I hope this serves as a distraction for the entire season.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

LaRussa likes attention.

[Maclowery]

What a stupid, stupid thing to say in public. Ugh.

[chopsx9]

LaRussa likes attention.

 

 

..and a little drinkie-poo...and not necessarily in that order.

[jaydee]

tlr loves his coaches on PEDs as well as his players

[CubbieBum]

It would be an ill fated Big Mac comeback.

[Magdal]

Seems to me like he might want to restart/pause his HOF clock. Get back on the ballot in 5 years.

You hit the nail on the head. That's precisly the reason he hired him as hitting coach. How can a team have a hitting coach that never hit to the opposite field or bunted in his entire career? Is he gonna teach Pujols how to hit 50 HR a year and bat .270 like him?

 

All he can really teach 'em is proper 'roid and HGH use. It's a damn sham but I bet the Card fans give the slob a huge ovation every time he sticks his fat head out of the dugout. :roll:

[fromthestretch]

How can a team have a hitting coach that never hit to the opposite field or bunted in his entire career? Is he gonna teach Pujols how to hit 50 HR a year and bat .270 like him?

 

All he can really teach 'em is proper 'roid and HGH use.

 

This has to be a joke, right? A player's personal hitting style does not necessarily dictate how he teaches hitting once he becomes a coach. Gerald Perry had a career OPS of .708. It's not like he taught players how to hit .265 with little to no power.

[SouthSideRyan]

Is he gonna teach Pujols how to hit 50 HR a year and bat .270 like him?

 

I'd hate it if our hitting coach did that. I hope Rudy is showing Aramis the finer points of drag bunting instead.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is he gonna teach Pujols how to hit 50 HR a year and bat .270 like him?

 

I'd hate it if our hitting coach did that. I hope Rudy is showing Aramis the finer points of drag bunting instead.

 

Screw that, you have to make sure you get that bunt down, square around and give yourself up, none of this hedging your bets and trying to get a hit while moving a guy over.

[Soul]

Oh Big Mac will teach 'em how to hit alright. That stabbing motion to the inside of the elbow will be particularly instructive.

[Magdal]

Oh Big Mac will teach 'em how to hit alright. That stabbing motion to the inside of the elbow will be particularly instructive.

LOL!....but I think they shoot up in the ass muscle. A direct shot to the blood stream could result in mad roid rage (see Roger Clemons and a broken bat)

[NonProfitCow]

I think the reports of how much smaller he is were a little exaggerated.

 

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516784E.jpg

[Soul]

I think the reports of how much smaller he is were a little exaggerated.

 

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516784E.jpg

 

He's been...ehem....preparing to pinch hit.

[17 Seconds]

that picture is definitely conclusive

[NonProfitCow]

that picture is definitely conclusive

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516777E.jpg

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516769E.jpg

[Roast]

He's still freakin huge, but I seriously doubt he's taking any 'helpers.' He couldn't be that colossally stupid, right?

[17 Seconds]

that picture is definitely conclusive

 

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516777E.jpg

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516769E.jpg

 

i just realized that mark mcgwire is also james hetfield

[17 Seconds]

He's still freakin huge, but I seriously doubt he's taking any 'helpers.' He couldn't be that colossally stupid, right?

 

dude, its hard to stay healthy all year when you're the hitting coach of a major league team. he's just trying to help the club.

[Mark Priors Calves]

that picture is definitely conclusive

 

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516777E.jpg

 

http://stltoday.mycapture.com/PHOTOS/STLT/924655/27516769E.jpg

 

i just realized that mark mcgwire is also james hetfield

and the cowardly lion.

[XZero771679666304]

that picture is definitely conclusive

 

McGwire was always a tank. Picking on his size as an indicator is barking up the wrong tree. It's not like he underwent a Bonds/Sosa type transformation.

[Sammy Sofa]

that picture is definitely conclusive

 

McGwire was always a tank. Picking on his size as an indicator is barking up the wrong tree. It's not like he underwent a Bonds/Sosa type transformation.

 

http://www.homeruncards.com/imagesrc/mcgwire87tp.jpg

 

http://www.collectselltrade.com/images/mark_mcgwire.JPG

 

http://cdn1.ioffer.com/img/item/124/881/871/43juNrBX7BdkjOn.jpg

 

McGwire wasn't tiny by any means, but there was definitely a pretty significant mass increase that seperates him from guys like, say, Frank Thomas, who were always huge.