La Russa: “This is the time for Mark to join our club”
ST. LOUIS — Saying that he doesn’t know how many more years he has left before he steps out of the dugout and away from managing in the major leagues, Tony La Russa said he wanted to spend at least one year of his career with a favorite player as one of his coaches.
“Mark McGwire is going to be our hitting coach,” La Russa said this morning in a press conference at Busch Stadium. “He’s a very special talent.”
The St. Louis Cardinals scheduled the press conference to announce that La Russa will be returning to the club for a 15th season. GM John Mozeliak said La Russa agreed to a one-year contract, and he and La Russa announced that the coaching staff will return, with one exception. Hitting coach Hal McRae did not have his contract renewed, opening the way for McGwire to return to baseball. Pitching coach Dave Duncan is returning to the team as well, La Russa said.
Mozeliak said McGwire will be introduced to the media in a press conference, one that will most likely be held over a teleconference as opposed to in person.
La Russa said he first approached McGwire a week ago about the job. They spoke last Monday for awhile and then for several days after. La Russa said he could tell McGwire was taking it more serious than invitations in the past because of the questions he asked. McGwire has been invited annually to attend spring training, and at least one team, the Colorado Rockies, did approach him about being a coach.
La Russa said he would return as manager for 2010 if McGwire was not his hitting coach, but he felt stronger about returning because he wanted a chance to work with McGwire.
The manager cited the fan base and the Hall of Famers as another reason to return.
“You’ve got to be a mummy not to be affected by that,” La Russa said. “The next guy to manage is going to be lucky. Selfishly, to heck with them. I’m going to take it.”
La Russa became a believer in McGwire’s ability when he saw McGwire throw himself into becoming a better hitter later in his career. He also said he attended some of McGwire’s private workouts with the hitters he helps during the winter, hitters that include the major-leaguers and younger hitters.
Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said McGwire is “bubbling with enthusiasm” for his new role.
He said he would advise McGwire to address the questions about performance-enhancing drugs. La Russa said McGwire will be accessible to the media in the same way hitting coaches in the past have been.
La Russa did say he hopes being back in the game will restore some luster to McGwire’s public image.
“I’m hoping. I think that’s a byproduct — he’s back in uniform, and people can see his greatness,” La Russa said. He added that answering questions about his past won’t be part of his job description: “Mark’s not going to be hanging around the cage just watching BP. That work ethic is going to translate into a heck of a coach. … It’s a good time in his life. His kids are in school. His wife wants him to do it. He’s been hired to be our hitting coach because he can help our offense be better. …
“This is the time for Mark to join our club.”
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La Russa through the years with the Cardinals:
2009: 91-71 … NL Central champs
2008: 86-76 … 4th NL Central
2007: 78-84 … 3rd NL Central
2006: 83-78 … World Series champions
2005: 100-62 … NL Central champs
2004: 105-57 … NL champions
2003: 85-77 … 3rd NL Central
2002: 97-65 … NL Central champs
2001: 93-69 … NL Central co-champs
2000: 95-67 … NL Central champs
1999: 75-86 … 4th NL Central
1998: 83-79 … 3rd NL Central
1997: 73-89 … 4th NL Central
1996: 88-74 … NL Central champs
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(15 votes, average: 4.4 out of 5)
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
Welcome back Mac… This is going to be a great year.
The Steroidinals are at it again!
Can’t wait to see him back in St. Louis! Maybe he’ll get talked into taking a few BP swings for fun. I’d like to see one of his majestic longballs again!
Interesting that LaRussa only agreed to a 1 year contract. Always in the past it’s been at least two years.
Welcome back, Big Mac! Looking forward to seeing the impact this will make.
What a joke and circus this is going to be. If McGwire doesn’t man up and address the issues I really believe he’ll be such a distraction that by June he’ll be gone!
It’s great to have Big Mac back!! Go Cardinals!!!!!!
Leave it to Burwell to piss of TLR, what a joke he is. Guess its racist that we hired Mac instead of say Ozzie, or Willie! Burwell move on, I hear JC Corcoran just opened up a position for someone
If you are sick of it all, then go away. If what is going on in baseball assaults you that badly then you need to stop following the game.
And the steroidinals crap is a load of nonsense. How many guys on this roster have been suspended while they were wearing the birds on the bat? That is right, NONE, ZERO!
The past is the past, forgive and forget. If you cannot do that then it is time for you to move on, just like you would if you were exiting any kind of relationship that has come to a close.
It’s a shame that La Russa held the Cardinals hostage to get McGwire back. Mark didn’t like it here before and he won’t like it here now. McGwire needs to step up to the plate and be honest, not just hit a ball.
Anytime someone say’s that they will only come back if they can bring a buddy, they really didn’t want to come back anyway.