QUESTION: What kind of credentials do most hitting coaches bring to the job at the major league level? And does Mark McGwire and his .263 lifetime average seem to measure up for such a position?

JOE STRAUSS

The Chicago Cubs just made Rudy Jaramillo the game’s highest-paid hitting coach and its second highest-paid coach of any description. Jaramillo never played above Double-A but is now the longest-tenured hitting coach in the major leagues. His defection from the Texas Rangers was the equivalent to Dave Duncan leaving the Cardinals as pitching coach. There is only a loose connection between major-league success and effectiveness as a hitting coach. Charlie Lau, whose philosophies revolutionized the craft, was a career .255 hitter with 16 home runs in fewer than 1,200 major-league at-bats. Don Mattingly, a borderline Hall of Famer, is recognized for doing strong work with the Los Angeles Dodgers after serving in the same capacity for the New York Yankees. Like McGwire, Mattingly served no apprenticeship in the minor leagues. Greatness as a player does not automatically translate into the ability to recognize flaws and to communicate fixes. The greatest hitter ever, Ted Williams, quickly became frustrated trying to help those less gifted than he. Tony La Russa on Monday described the job as more art than science. The inability to predict makes the Cardinals’ selection of McGwire all the more intriguing.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

What McGwire did as a hitter in the majors is largely irrelevant, especially his batting average. But to gauge McGwire’s intelligence as a hitter, take a look at his on-base percentage and the average number of pitches he took per at-bat. Charlie Lau was considered one of the best hitting coaches in MLB history and as a player he batted .255 in the bigs, with a mediocre .318 OBP and .365 slugging percentage. Another revered hitting coach was Walt Hriniak, who batted .253 in only 111 plate appearances. One of the current hitting coaches who garners rave reviews is Rudy Jaramillo, who was just signed to a $2 million deal by the Cubs. He never played in the majors and hit .258 in the minors. Terry Pendleton and Don Mattingly are among the former players who became MLB batting coaches with no coaching time in the minors.

McGwire was a smart hitter in the second half of his career; his cerebral approach was an important part of his success. And his work ethic and dedication as a hitter was underrated. But what is his hitting philosophy? Does it fit all hitters, from the power guys to the singles hitters? Can he communicate the philosophy in a simple way? Can he repair a hitter’s mechanical flaws? Can he connect in a way that will reach and lift a struggling hitter’s confidence? McGwire has been praised for his 1-on-1 work with hitters but how will he deal with a roster of position players — 14 or 15 hitters — at the same time? These are all legit questions, and obviously manager Tony La Russa believes that McGwire has the right combination of hitting intellect and people skills. We’ll see.

JEFF GORDON

Intuitively, you would expect a hitter who used all the fields (like Hal McRae) would offer more than a dead pull hitter (like Mark McGwire). But Big Mac is something of a freak when it comes to mental preparation, concentration at the plate and mastery of the strike zone. With an OPS exceeding 1.000 during his Cards heyday, McGwire became one of the toughest outs in baseball. Even without his intentional walks, his latter-day OPS was very good in St. Louis. If some of this can rub off on guys like Ryan Ludwick, great.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

There is no such thing as a “set of credentials” that a hitting coach can bring to the table. Their backgrounds are varied and there is no “path” to becoming a successful hitting instructor, no prerequisites that prove whether or not an individual will be good at the job. Some of the best hitting instructors of all time were mediocre hitters during their playing days, some of the worst had what would seem to be perfect pedigrees.

I believe McGwire will be a good hitting instructor for two reasons: because hitting is his passion in life and because he values preparation, much like Dave Duncan does when it comes to pitching.

What McGwire was really good at as a hitter was working counts in his favor so he could do what he did best…hit the ball over the fence. His career average may have been low but his on-base percentage was .394 and he hit a home run every 10.6 at-bats. In other words, he knew how to play to his own strength. That’s what he’ll be asked to do for the Cardinals hitters: refine their approaches and identify the occasional glitch so they, too, can emphasize their strengths at the plate. Plus, he’ll know when to leave well enough (read: Albert Pujols) alone.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: News came out Thursday that the names of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were on the list of 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive in a 2003 test for performance-enhancing drugs. While the names of baseball players continue to leak out and those caught are held up for scorn and derision, it seems that NFL players caught using banned substances receive much less criticism. Do you believe that is the case, and if so, why?

JOE STRAUSS
It’s absolutely the case. The NFL reigns supreme in its relationship with and control of media. The hypocrisy of the Shawne Merriman example versus anything within baseball is striking. The guy tests positive, receives the requisite wrist slap and returns to get the third most votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The perception is that NFL media are along for the ride, much as MLB media stand accused of during the 90’s. Why doesn’t the NFL require at least the same testing threshold as MLB? It’s not meant as a rhetorical question. Why does the NFL as an institution so tightly limit access to its players? It’s a fascinating question no one seems interested in answering.

JIM THOMAS
Many of the same media members who are railing against Ramirez and Ortiz were the same ones fawning over Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire 10 years ago. There is less romanticizing and moralizing in football. In football, you test positive, you get suspended, you do your time, and you get on with it. For all the talk about steroids in baseball, how many big name players actually have been suspended? In addition, the biggest stars in football — quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers — don’t necessarily play positions where steroids might help performance. You don’t need to be a mass of muscle to throw a football (See: Joe Montana), make a defensive lineman miss (See: Barry Sanders), or get separation from a defensive back (See: Isaac Bruce).

RICK HUMMEL
A very interesting question and one which baffles me. All I can surmise is that baseball has a much longer tradition than pro football and individual statistics and records mean so much more for fans in baseball than in pro football. But, it is interesting that a four-game drug suspension in football is treated like a hamstring pull while a similar penalty in baseball is treated like a major felony has been committed.

DERRICK GOOLD
Much less criticism? Less criticism and coverage is only the start. Mark McGwire, for example, cannot crack 25 percent on the Hall of Fame ballot because he is suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs due to his famously uncomfortable appearance before Congress and because a report in The New York Daily News linked him to possession of PEDs. There’s no positive test to hang the vote on. By contrast, San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman was suspended for four games for a positive test in 2006. There was proof. There was punishment. He missed four games. And he still finished third that season for the voting for the Defensive Player of the Year. Merriman was part of the promotion campaign for Madden ’09. Think Alex Rodriguez will be the face on Topps baseball cards next season? Those are anecdotal examples of what has become a confounding part of our sports culture. Steroids are a societal problem, not a baseball problem. Yet, steroid news gravitates toward baseball. Perhaps it’s because the NFL is the gladiator sport, the physical, rough-and-tumble show. Perhaps it’s baseball’s roots, its devotion to its history, the value it places on its numbers. Perhaps it’s the culture of the sport, of the coverage, of the fanbase. Or, perhaps the NFL is on deck, awaiting its turn to face the heat.

BILL COATS
That does seem to be the case, although the situation with the Carolina Panthers a few years ago caused a pretty good stir. I’m not sure why football is less criticized. Maybe because it’s a much more physical sport played by much bigger people who must spend many, many hours in the weight room to be able to perform in their game. Less suspicion because of that, perhaps?

JEFF GORDON
Excellent question. Performance-enhancing drugs play a big role in sports. It has been a massive issue in Olympic sports like track and field and weightlifting. It has been a massive issue in cycling. It has been on the football scene forever, from high schools on up. And yet revelations of steroid/HGH in baseball causes outrage — as if Our National Pastime is supposed to be above it all. Fans act like the Hall of Fame is some sacred place when, in fact, it is loaded with scoundrels. I guess baseball is the most romantic of all the major sports and that stirs feelings of betrayal. It shouldn’t. Ballplayers push boundaries in competition, just as all athletes do.

LUKE THOMPSON
Unfortunately, I think this is true, due to the way we perceive the two sports. Even though football is more popular, baseball remains America’s pastime, with a much more sacred history. Old records matter more, and we tend to relate better to our favorite players because they’re out there for 162 games for everyone to see. Meanwhile, football players seem less like everyday people, maybe because they only play 16 games and they’re all wearing helmets and pads that make them look even larger than they actually are. That makes it a lot easier to look the other way when these freakish athletes are caught with steroids or the average weight of offensive linemen increases by ridiculously unhealthy amounts in a fairly short period of time.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Besides Albert Pujols, which sluggers would you most like to see perform in the year’s Home Run Derby?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Let’s back up a moment. Actually, I DON’T want to see Albert Pujols in the HR Derby. He’s The Franchise. He has a partially torn elbow ligament. I don’t see how it makes sense whatsoever to put Pujols at risk by having him take multiple sets of maximum-intensity swings, just to give Chris Berman something to scream about on ESPN. Cardinals fans may want to see Pujols in the HR Derby; I’d rather see him play first base for the Cardinals for the remaining games on the schedule. Because if he snaps the elbow ligament, the Cardinals are doomed. Done. Finished. If the public has such an insatiable desire for homers, then give ’em what they want. MLB should turn the Home Run Derby into a showcase for the juicers. Invite Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, A-Rod, Ramirez, Sheffield and let’s have a freak show.

JOE STRAUSS
Aaron Miles, Cesar Izturis, David Eckstein, Brendan Ryan and Ryan Freel. Perhaps then the longest, most sponsor-driven night in American sport would take less time than the Game itself. This year’s selection process suggests that at least one player, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, was named to the NL All-Star team to ensure his participation in the Derby. Sounds like the tail wagging the dog to me.

JEFF GORDON
Start with the hometown kid, Ryan Howard. He would want to put on a big show, right? A pure hitter like Justin Morneau is fun to watch in an event like this, too. Josh Hamilton is a freak show. If he is healthy enough to answer the bell, that would be great fun. Evan Longoria and Adrian Gonzalez are on my fantasy baseball team, so I would rather they skip the event and save themselves for second-half statistical glory.

DERRICK GOOLD
Chiefly, Ryan Howard. It is, after all, the biggest reason he’s coming here as an All-Star — because he can flat crank with light-tower power. Howard was a manager’s pick for the National League team, a favor pick, if you will. There are more deserving bats in the NL (read: Pablo Sandoval) but there aren’t any more fitting bats for an All-Star Game than the slugger back home to hit homers in St. Louis. A duel between him and Pujols would be the Must-See TV that ESPN is certainly salivating over. You could argue that the derby should be exclusively first basemen, but others who should be in the derby, taking aim at “BIG MAC LAND” are: Ryan Braun (one of the best righthanded hitters in the league), Evan Longoria (young star on the rise), Mark Teixeira (see how he does outside of new Yankee Stadium) and … Ichiro Suzuki. Word is he can put on a show during batting practice with his pop. Time to flash that 5 o’clock power under the lights of the 7 o’clock derby.

DAN O’NEILL
Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Henry Aaron, Willie Mays, Harmon Killebrew, Ted Williams, Joe Adcock, Frank Howard, Ralph Kiner, Ernie Banks, Dick Stuart, Dick Allen, Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Willie Stargell, Jimmie Foxx, Reggie Jackson, Rocky Colavito, Yogi Berra, Duke Snider, Stan Musial and Johnny Mize.

Because with today’s bats and today’s balls, they would put on one heckuva show. And best of all, none of it would be chemically enhanced.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Most have assumed the Rams would grab either an offensive tackle like Eugene Monroe or linebacker Aaron Curry with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. However, with last week’s release of Orlando Pace and Torry Holt, the team is down to just three young WRs and face a draft class with a lot of talent at the top of the WR pool? Which direction do you believe this team needs to go in the draft: Offensive tackle, linebacker or wide receiver?

JIM THOMAS
Tackle. Tackle. Tackle. Alex Barron is the only player currently on the roster with substantial experience at the position. And his contract expires after this season. Assuming that he can make a seamless transition to left tackle and Jacob Bell can step right in at right tackle without a hitch goes a couple of steps beyond optimism.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Good question. I am planning to write a column on this subject. More than anything the Rams can’t afford to be prisoners of need. They have a new GM and coaching staff in place. This is the beginning of an era. This is the start of something new, and hopefully it will be built to last. The Rams have to draft with the next 10 years in mind. They can’t worry about immediate needs. They have to go with the player who will best help them win over the long haul. So I don’t care who they draft in terms of position. They have to rely on their scouting and trust the grades they give each prospect. If the top grade conclusively belongs to Aaron Curry, then draft the LB. The same principle applies to OT, WR or even QB. Trust your scouting. Go with the best player and you won’t go wrong.

BRYAN BURWELL
If only we could see what the Rams draft board looked like, it would make this an easier task. But I think you build your team from the offensive line because the ability to run and protect the quarterback is the most important key to having a functional offense. Go with a tackle in the first round, and I’d be tempted to get a block-out-the-sun guard like Duke Robinson in the second round if he’s the best player available, too.

BILL COATS
If the Lions don’t take Curry with the No. 1 pick, he’d be my choice. Otherwise, I’d target the offensive line. It’s so important, and the Rams really need to beef things up there. I don’t want to say wide receivers are a dime a dozen, but the Rams will be able to fill out that position without much difficulty.

JEFF GORDON
It appears that Curry is a cornerstone defensive player. Since Steve Spagnuolo wants to rebuild the Rams around its ground game and defense, Curry would be a great get. Crabtree is an attractive option, too, since he appears head and shoulders above the other WR prospects. There are lots of good tackles in this draft, but its debatable whether any merit a No. 2 overall pick and the huge money that comes with it.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I like the “best player available” theory. If the Lions take anyone not named Aaron Curry, the Wake Forest linebacker would be my selection. I’ve heard far too many NFL scouting types refer to Curry as the “cleanest” player on the board to think about passing him by, plus linebacker is an area of significant need.

Also of note, the offensive line and wide receiver positions are deeper in this year’s draft. There are several receivers that could be available at the top of the second round who are attractive to teams looking for bigger receivers. I’m a particular fan of Brian Robiskie of Ohio State — he’s got size (6’3”), good hands and great football sense.

Offensive tackles Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith are excellent prospects but they’re not “the next big thing” at their position. Taking one of them at No. 2 would be fine with me as they seem to be solid players and people but neither is at the level Orlando Pace was coming out of college. Heck, a couple of months ago Andre Smith was viewed by many as the top tackle in this year’s draft class.

Ideally the team would add a little more free agent depth so they could follow the “best player available” strategy.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND NOTES

CUTLER DESERVED BETTER: Sure, QB Jay Cutler may be a little over-sensitive right now about his situation in Denver, but coming off a Pro Bowl year, who can blame the guy for being upset after finding out his new head coach was trying to make backroom deals to ship him off for another (and in my opinion, inferior) quarterback in Matt Cassell? Perhaps this is what happens when you hire a 32-year-old wunderkind offensive coordinator to be your head coach, as it appears Josh McDaniels poked a stick in a beehive he has no hope of containing at this point. Cutler has now requested a trade and the Broncos may be left to move on with Chris Simms at QB, an underachieving sort who hasn’t thrown an NFL pass in two years. If I were a Bronco fan, I’d be spitting mad at McDaniels and team owner Pat Bowlen, who sat back and allowed this all to happen.

While some Denver columnists are pointing out there is plenty of blame to go around in this mess, the Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla says “good riddance” to Cutler today. I think he’s delusional, but that’s essentially his stance. He offers up three QBs he somehow thinks the Broncos can get now that will outperform Cutler. Good luck with that. You can check out Kiszla’s column here.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

BLUES FACE BIG WEEK: Heading to western Canada for a three-game road trip is never an easy task, but it’s one the Blues must face head-on this week. So far in recent weeks, this young Blues team has been up to the challenges it’s faced. Last week’s homestand featuring games against Dallas, San Jose, Detroit and Minnesota was vital before this team hit the road. The Blues came away with six of a possible eight points … very respectable. Canada can be a tough place to play for road teams given the raucous Canuck crowds, and the 9 p.m. starts can be tough on a team that is normally finishing up games by about 10 p.m. here in St. Louis. But the Blues must once again find a way to get two out of these three games — and it must start tonight in Edmonton. You just don’t want to start this road trip with a loss.

Coach Andy Murray has done a commendable job keeping the club focused solely on the game in front of them. If the team is able to do that tonight, and get out to a quick start, they should pocket the points this evening. And then it’s on to Vancouver …

Regardless, who among you would have believed near the end of December this team would be sitting just one point out of the playoffs on St. Patrick’s Day?

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ON THIS DATE

March 17, 2005 — Mark McGwire goes before a Congressinal committee and repeatedly tells them, “I’m not here to talk about the past.” They are words that will live in infamy in baseball lore, and have permanently damaged McGwire’s reputation among most of the sporting public. In fact, that performance is the likely catalyst for keeping McGwire out of the Hall of Fame.

Hard to believe it’s been four years already since that testimony. Time flies.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Rams signed cornerback Ron Bartell to a 4-year, $28 million contract Monday. Is Bartell really a $7 million a year player?

JIM THOMAS
Any time you make a deal in the first week or so of free agency, expect to overpay. It’s just the way it works. And New Orleans was ready to step up with a very similar offer anyway. The Rams couldn’t afford to be left short at corner, a thin position depth-wise even with Bartell under contract.

BRYAN BURWELL
There is a very reliable standard in sports that determines if an athlete is worth it: Did he get it? If he did, he’s worth it. Bartell is an ascending player who deseerves the money he has gotten from the Rams.

BILL COATS
Maybe not. But when you’ve won just five games over two seasons, you’re often going to have to pay a bit more to lure — or in this case, retain — players during free agency. Bartell is the Rams’ best cover corner, and they really couldn’t afford to lose him. So, they had to pony up.

JEFF GORDON
Bartell is a very solid cornerback on a horrendous defense. He also became a free agent at just the right time — when the free-agent cornerback pool was shallow. So, sure, he is a $7 million player. The Rams had to overspend a bit to prevent another leak from forming in the team’s secondary. I don’t know if this guy will ever become an elite “shutdown” corner, but at least he had enough pride to play at a consistently good level on a team that tanked two years in a row. Not many of his teammates can say the same.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Bernie Miklasz used an impressive array of stats in Tuesday’s Post-Dispatch to prove that Bartell is in the upper echelon of cornerbacks. From that perspective, he’s worth it. I think the opposite of the hometown discount (would that be the Stay-At-Home Surcharge?) applies to the Rams. With a 5-27 record the last two years, maybe they have to pay a little more to keep talent, as well as lure talent.

TOM ACKERMAN (Sports anchor on “Total Information A.M.” on KMOX)
Bartell is a dependable cornerback, so he’s worth the market price for such a player. Domonique Foxworth, for example, recently signed with the Ravens for a similar number. Bartell’s contract is incentive-laden; he’ll have to prove that he’s a $28 million corner. I’ve always liked Bartell. He’s worked hard to develop into an NFL-caliber defensive back. He always seems to be around the ball, and that instinctive ability should help him flourish in Steve Spagnuolo’s structured defense.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

A MILE HIGH, OR JUST HIGH? Can someone please explain to me why the Denver Broncos are so eager to kick QB Jay Cutler to the curb? All the former first-round draft pick did this past season — his third in the league — was pass for 4,526 yards, 25 TDs with only 18 INTs. Oh, and he was named to his first Pro Bowl. Still, Denver totally screwed up this past weekend by including Cutler’s name in a three-team trade involving New England and Tampa Bay that would have shipped Cutler to Tampa and brought Patriots QB Matt Cassell to Denver … where he could work with new head coach and former Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel.

Personally, I wouldn’t trade Cutler and his rocket arm straight up for the dink-and-dunk quarterbacking of Cassell, who by the way hadn’t started a game since high school before taking over for Tom Brady when he went down last year. And if including Cutler’s name in those trade talks wasn’t insult enough for the young QB, now word from the Minneapolis Star Tribune is that the Vikings are interested in attaining Cutler and talks are believed to be ongoing.

I just don’t get it. If the Broncos were to deal Cutler, their QB depth chart would consist of Patrick Ramsey (failure everywhere he’s been) and Darrell Hackney (really, Darrell Hackney?) As a rookie head coach, McDaniels made a major blunder causing this fissure with his 25-year-old franchise QB so soon after his arrival in Denver. Perhaps they’ll kiss and make up for P.R. reasons, but you can’t tell me Cutler’s now not going to want to take the first train out of Denver asap … and who can blame him?

If I’m missing something here, I’d love to have someone explain it to me.

SPEAKING OF QBS: Former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is getting the red-carpet treatment from the San Francisco 49ers as they try to lure him to yet another NFC West division rival. Warner reportedly has been offered a two-year, $20 million contract to return to the Cardinals, but according to the San Francisco Chronicle is seeking closer to $30 million for two years, a salary cap number the Niners could easily accommodate. How much is a two-time MVP and Super Bowl winning quarterback worth? Stay tuned to find out. Meanwhile, check out the royal treatment Kurt and Brenda received in San Francisco.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

BLUES, WINGS AND THE TRADE DEADLINE: I’ve read and heard a lot lately saying the decision of whether the Blues are buyers or sellers at tomorrow’s trade deadline depends largely on how they perform tonight against Detroit. I don’t really understand that rationale, and frankly, hope it’s not true. With 19 games remaining after tonight, why would this one game against the Wings carry such import? Are the Blues supposed to prove tonight they can hang with the likes of Detroit? Well maybe they can for one night, but I don’t think that necessarily signals this is a playoff team, and it certainly isn’t an indicator of whether or not they could actually contend if they were to make the playoffs. All year long we’ve heard coach Andy Murray say to not look forward, don’t watch the standings and the only thing that’s important is that the team gets two points in their next game. So why would emotions run so high for tonight’s game that one would make club-altering decisions based on this singular outcome? Makes no sense to me. But as I’ve said before, I’m no GM, so perhaps the “experts” see something here that I don’t.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ll be at the Scotty tonight and am looking forward to a rowdy crowd and great game. And who wouldn’t want to see the Blues pull one off under such circumstances? I just don’t see the logic in basing anything about the club’s future on the outcome of this one game. I’m just sayin’.

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STAT OF THE DAY

38 — Most home runs hit by a player in his first season. That distinction is held by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger — both hit 38 home runs in their first seasons. Many folks mistakenly think it’s Mark McGwire, who belted 49 HRs during his rookie season in 1987. However, while McGwire holds the rookie record, 1987 wasn’t his first season. He had 53 at-bats in 1986.

Here’s a look at the top 10 players who hit the most home runs in their “first” season:

Player/HRs/Year

1. Frank Robinson/38/1956
2. Wally Berger/38/1930
3. ALBERT PUJOLS/37/2001
4. Ryan Braun/34/2007
5. Jimmie Hall/33/1963
6. Ted Williams/31/1939
7. Pete Incaviglia/30/1986
8. Joe DiMaggio/29/1936
9. Evan Longoria/27/2008
10. Dan Uggla/27/2006
(Source: Baseballreference.com)

MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS:
THE STEROID EDITION

ALBERT, COME GET YOUR HARDWARE: Steroid talk is back in full bloom thanks to Alex Rodriguez. And Rick Reilly of ESPN.com says “It’s time to right some wrongs, one MVP at a time.” Reilly takes a stroll back through the Steroid Era, taking hardware away from those on the wrong side of the argument and handing it over to those he feels are the rightful owners. And no one would collect more in Reilly’s World than St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols.

Reilly writes, “You already have two MVPs, Albert, and you’re about to get three more, since Barry Bonds ripped you off worse than Bernie Madoff to win the award from 2002 to 2004.”

CARDINAL REDEMPTION? Joe Posnanski has a great piece on SI.com today about how things have been gone down over the years in the Steroid Era, from investigations to commissions, from committees to congressional hearings. And he points out that the day Mark McGwire and numerous other players appeared before Congress in a grilling Q&A session, perhaps McGwire took the best stance of all by just saying nothing.

Posnanski writes: “Nobody in baseball came across well that day. But the general consensus seemed to be that the big loser was a giant red-headed slugger named Mark McGwire. Nine times that day, McGwire said: “I’m not here to talk about the past,” or something very close to it. … Funny thing, though. Here it is, almost four years later, and since that day we’ve had the Rafael Palmeiro drug test, the Barry Bonds soap opera, the generally unhelpful Mitchell Report, the Roger Clemens ultimate fighting competition, witch hunts galore and now the Alex Rodriguez saga. … And looking back you have to wonder if McGwire is the one guy in this whole absurd steroid mess who actually got it, the one guy who has come out of this thing with his dignity reasonably intact.”

I don’t know how much his dignity is intact, but Posnanski does a great job making his case in this compelling piece. Check it out.

THE WATERCOOLER

He was young, he was stupid, he was naive. Those seem to be the prevailing answers A-Rod gave yesterday when asked why he tampered with steroids from 2001-2003. Young? Yes. Naive? Maybe. Stupid? Definitely. And this isn’t just about breaking baseball’s rules, this is about life and death. There were plenty of examples and literature available at that time to make folks aware of the dangers of using steroids. But perhaps the dangers just didn’t outweigh those lucrative contracts.

The whole saga got me to thinking about Ken Caminiti and how in a 2002 interview with Sports Illustrated he became the first former player to admit to using steroids. Two years later, at the age of 41, Caminiti was dead.

These slippery-slope thoughts led me to the question of the day for our panel. Please note in advance that these answers were not meant to imply wrongdoing by anyone and really have nothing to do with steroids. It’s just about players that left us too early. Perhaps you have some to add to the list.

QUESTION: History is littered with athletes dying too young (Remember Lou Gehrig’s speech in Pride of the Yankees?). Of all the athletes that have died too soon, who do you think you most missed having a chance to see play longer — or who you think might have had the greater impact on his sport if he had been around longer?

JOE STRAUSS
During the early and mid 80’s, Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan and Len Bias were arguably the three most influential players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sampson and Jordan’s career are well-chronicled. But few remember that many basketball mavens rated Bias one of the top collegiate forwards ever. His cocaine-related death after the Boston Celtics made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 1986 draft took down the Maryland basketball program and played a significant role in the Celtics going 22 years between their 16th and 17th NBA Championship. There are those who believe had Bias not ingested cocaine two days after being drafted that the Celtics would have challenged the Detroit Pistons’ reign in the late 80’s and the Bulls’ dominance with Jordan in the early 1990’s. Not too long ago Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski rated Jordan and Bias the two best players he’d coached against. Bias was arguably the last great college player before the NCAA adopted the 3-point arc. Bias possessed a great mid-range jumper, a shot now little appreciated in the college game. It’s hard to believe a generation has passed since his death.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
There’s no way Dale Earnhardt could have made a bigger impact on auto racing. His image was plastered on every piece of merchandise you could imagine and sold in gas stations from coast to coast. I wasn’t a big racing fan growing up, but Earnhardt made me watch. His legacy was cemented before his untimely death, but his glorious career had more to offer.

GERRY FRALEY
NASCAR took two hard body blows in 1993 when Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison, two of its best drivers, died in separate air accidents. Kulwicki, 39, was the defending Cup champion when he was killed in private-airplane crash near Blountsville, Tenn. Kulwicki had a degree in mechanical engineering from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and he was in the forefront of applying science to racing. Allison, 32, was the polar opposite. A second-generation member of the “Alabama Gang,’’ Allison was the classic hard-charging, push-it-to-the-limit driver. He had 19 wins and 66 top-five finishes in 191 Cup starts. Allison died when the helicopter that he was piloting crashed in the infield at Talladega Superspeedway. A year earlier, Allison’s younger brother Clifford died from injuries received during a wreck while practicing at the Michigan International Speedway.

DERRICK GOOLD
Tempted to say Len Bias becaues of the pyrotechnic talent he had on the basketball court, but I’ll side with Roberto Clemente because of what he would have accomplished off the field, too. Clemente, at 38, had all of the numbers of a Hall of Famer — 3,000 hits, an MVP in ’66 — and there’s no telling how much more time he had in the game. It’s what he meant as an ambassador for the game and as a humanitarian that was snuffed out too young.

BILL COATS
I was a huge Roberto Clemente fan. I marveled at his great defense and big arm, his unorthodox hitting style, and I loved the all-out approach he took to the game. When his plane went down, it was a real jolt. He finished with 3,000 hits, exactly. Who knows how many more he might have produced.

STU DURANDO
When athletes die at an early age, my sadness comes from what I know of them away from their sport. I think about the well being of the family and young children they leave behind. I wonder what will become of the good work they might be doing in the community. I don’t think I’ve ever given consideration to what will be missed in terms of their athletic contributions. So, I can’t answer the question in those terms. I would use the example of Adam Litteken as a death that hits home. Adam was a high school hockey player at Francis Howell Central who died suddenly on the ice in 2007. He and hundreds of other young athletes have died suddenly and in relative obscurity from undetected heart conditions. Each time I read about a similar death I am saddened to think about the lives that have ended before they had a chance to really get started.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB. 18, 1998 — Beloved Chicago Cubs broadcaster (and former Cardinal broadcaster) Harry Caray dies at age 84.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What is the most exciting and/or memorable sports moment you’ve witnessed live during your career?

(To all of our readers, after seeing what all the journalists have to say to this question, please go to the comments field below and share your favorite sports eyewitness accounts.)

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I have been blessed to witness so many spectacular moments from my perch along press row. There was Mike Tyson, in his prime, delivering a cold-blooded first-round knockout of Michael Spinks in 1989. Ozzie Smith’s dramatic HR to beat the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS. Joe Montana throwing the winning touchdown pass to John Taylor to lead the 49ers to a come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl 23. Adam Wainwright’s strikeout of Carlos Beltran to clinch Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS at Shea Stadium to send the underdog Cardinals to the World Series. And Wainwright doing it again (Brandon Inge this time) to wrap up the Cardinals’ 10th World Series championship. McGwire’s 62nd homer was awfully exciting at the time.

And before I name my No. 1 moment, let me make special mention of my runner-up: Michael Jordan sinking the winning jumper at Utah in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The clutch shot provided the Chicago Bulls with their sixth NBA title of the Jordan Era and it would be his last appearance in the NBA championship series. And what a way to go out: the Bulls down, Jordan stealing the ball from Karl Malone, and making his way upcourt to burn Bryon Russell with a crossover dribble to give MJ an open look on that winning 17 foot jumper for his 44th and 45th points of the night.

But the No. 1 is Mike Jones making “The Tackle” of Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson just short of the goal line to save the 1999 Rams’ thrilling victory in Super Bowl 34 on Jan. 30, 2000. So many things set up that moment, including Ricky Proehl’s TD catch to beat Tampa Bay in the 1999 NFC Championship, and Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce hooking up for that remarkable 73-yard TD pass to put the Rams ahead of Tennessee in that Super Bowl. But the Jones tackle made the dream season into something shocking and real: a Super Bowl championship for a St. Louis NFL team and before 1999 that was something I thought I would never see.

JEFF GORDON
The home-run pass from Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce in the Super Bowl edges out George Brett’s ALCS homer against Goose Gossage and Villanova’s title game conquest of mighty Georgetown. The whole Rams season was astonishing, then it ended spectacularly with Bruce’s catch and The Tackle. (For me, that play was more a case of Kevin Dyson not getting it done after making the catch.)

MIKE SMITH
In the “arena” at Lake Placid for the 1980 Winter Olympics, there was “press seating” next to the ice for 150 credentialed journalists. You had to line up hours ahead of time to claim one of the seats, but the shuttle bus from our “lodge” out in the Adirondack wilderness broke down that day. Three of us actually hitchhiked into town, putting us behind the first 150 camped out in line.

So, do you believe in miracles? Aware of some space at the back of the broom closet that served as the “broadcast booth” for the game, press officials sent gophers next door to Lake Placid High School to borrow risers from the music department. They schlepped the risers to the broadcast booth, set tiny school chairs on them and crafted an auxiliary press box for about a dozen of us.

And that’s how I got to watch the Miracle On Ice game, sitting three feet directly behind … Al Michaels.

RICK HUMMEL
Sitting at ringside and hearing the ring announcer declare St. Louisan Leon Spinks, an enormous underdog, the winner by a split decision in the world heavyweight championship bout against champion Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas in 1978. I remember climbing onto the ring apron and holding the ropes and saying to myself, “Now, what I am going to write?” because I, like the judge sitting next to me, felt that Spinks had fought well but hadn’t won the fight. I wasn’t prepared for the announcement that Spinks actually had won.

DERRICK GOOLD
One from each of the two beats I’ve had at the Post-Dispatch, and oddly neither of which was too “exciting” for the locals.

First, hockey: Back at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, I covered the tremendous Gold Medal game between Canada and Team USA. Never been at a louder rink and never seen as much at stake as there was for the Canadian team that day. Great game. Great history. Afterward, Wayne Gretzky handed me the “lucky Loonie” they had buried at center ice so I could check the date.

Second, baseball: In 2004, after Game 4 of the World Series, as Red Sox fans wept and got free admission into the ballpark to see the “curse” calmed after 86 years, I stood beside Johnny Pesky as he tried to get into a locked Boston clubhouse in between hugging anyone and everyone who happened by. I don’t think I’ve seen joy like Pesky’s unbridled joy too often in my life. And then the door opened and Pedro Martinez doused everyone with champagne.

BILL COATS
The finish of the 1982 Indianapolis 500. Veteran Gordon Johncock seemingly had the race won, but young Rick Mears began closing on him in the final laps. They pulled even down the front stretch with a lap to go and went wheel-to-wheel the rest of the way. Johncock nosed in front out of the final turn and won by 16-hundredths of a second in front of about 400,000 screaming fans.

GERRY FRALEY
The 2006 Rose Bowl, with the national championship on the line, came down to one play. Trailing 38-33 with 26 seconds remaining, Texas had a fourth-and-five from the USC eight. The play, “Sneak 928,’’ called for quarterback Vince Young to throw. With his first two options covered, Young pulled back the ball and ran to the right side. USC’s lauded defense, which included linebacker Rey Maualuga, could not catch him. Young got to the corner, ran through the tackle of lineman Frostee Rucker and scored the winning touchdown.

That bold play encapsuled Young’s remarkable game. He came as close as a player can come to winning a game single-handedly, running for 200 yards and throwing for 247 yards.

One question lingered for the group of reporters standing just outside the corner of the end zone for that play. Why were several USC song-girls cheering and shaking their pom-pons as Young scored?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The date was March 26, 2005. The venue was Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. I was covering the Illini basketball team, and with Dee Brown, Deron Williams, James Augustine, Roger Powell and Luther Head, they were hopeful to get to St. Louis for the Final Four. But here the Illini were trailing Arizona 75-60 in an Elite Eight game with four minutes remaining in regulation. A promising season was nearly extinct. Then in one of the most thrilling comebacks in NCAA Tournament history, the Illini went on a 20-5 run, tied the score on Williams’ improbable 3-pointer, and won 90-89 in OT. Some called it “The Resurrection at Rosemont.” I’ll never forget re-writing my entire game story, or watching the Illini travel to play in the NCAA championship game in my backyard. Of course, they lost to North Carolina in the final, but not before producing the best sporting event I’ve ever witnessed.

Editor’s Note: Jeremy provided the following link for anyone who might want to take a stroll down memory lane with that unbelievable come-from-behind Illini win.

ROGER HENSLEY: I’ll never forget being at Minute Maid Park in Houston for Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. The fans there were going absolutely berserk as the Astros led the series 3-1 and were just one out from securing a 4-2 win over the Cardinals that would propel them to the World Series. Albert Pujols stepped to the plate with two men on and two outs and the Houston crowd was yelling at the top of their lungs thinking closer Brad Lidge was about to turn out the lights on the series. As soon as Pujols made contact with the ball, I mean instantaneously, you knew it was leaving the park, and it flew all the way up onto those silly train tracks in Houston. I have never in my life witnessed a place go from being so insanely loud to pin-drop quiet so quickly. It was just an amazing moment to experience. Of course the Cards did go on to lose that series with Astros back at Busch Stadium, but it doesn’t diminish the memory of that moment one bit. (A close second may be Edmonds diving catch in centerfield in the 2004 NLCS.)

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

ALBERT TAKES A STAND: I thought Joe Strauss brought the heat in this morning’s Post-Dispatch when he quoted Albert Pujols as saying, “My goal is to try to win. If this organization goes the other way, then I have to go the other way.” Those are some pretty strong word’s coming from “The Franchise.” Pujols appears a pretty straight-shooter in the article and tries to be diplomatic by not pointing fingers at anyone, but it’s clear that as a guy who’s deferred millions of dollars in his own paycheck to give the club financial flexibility he is frustrated by the team’s tight purse strings. I wonder what team owner Bill DeWitt and general manager John Mozeliak thought when they read Pujols’ comments today? I know my reaction … “wow.”

If you missed the story, you can still check it out on our Web site. And in addition to the payroll questions, make sure you read to the bottom of the story to get Pujols’ take on steroids. He’s sticking by his guns on things he’s said in the past about performance enhancers and his convictions appear pretty strong on the issue. He doesn’t sound like a guy who’s worried his name is going to be on the list of 104 players who were randomly tested in 2003 (known now as the A-Rod list.)

SPEAKING OF STEROIDS: Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz tells the Associated Press that he believes players who test positive for steroids should be suspended from baseball for the whole season. Now you’re talking. Big Papi, who once said the only thing a test would find inside him was a whole lot of rice and beans, often has been a voice of reason in baseball. Just a big, fun-loving guy who genuinely seems to just have fun playing the game. A full-season suspension would hit players where it really counts — in their wallets — so I think this might be the most sensible thing I’ve heard yet. And today I’ve become a bigger fan of Ortiz.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE POWER PLAY DANCE: I don’t yet really know much about this latest craze going on at the Scottrade Center known as the “power play dance,” but I’m determined to find out. I’m taking my daughter to next Tuesday’s game with Phoenix, and if I see enough folks doing it we might just have to do a write-up in the paper about it. I need to see for myself if it’s just a couple folks doing it, or if it’s really catching on as a phenomenon at the games. I see a lot of posters on our forums discussing the merits of the dance — whether it’s cool or dorky or whatever — but I’m not sure why anyone would criticize others for getting fired up and showing their support in whatever way they so desire … within reason, of course. But if it’s really catching on at the Scotty, I’m betting my 10-year-old will be doing the dance by game’s end.

THE COMBINE’S VALUE: Hey, Rams fans, ESPN has a live chat going on all day today with a panel of their experts breaking down the upcoming NFL Combine and what it might mean to your favorite team. If you haven’t stopped in, it might be worth a look.

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STAT OF DAY

35 — The largest margin of victory in the regular-season goal-scoring race. Who did it? Brett Hull for the 1990-91 St. Louis Blues. Hull netted 86 goals that season. There were three runners-up for second-place at 51 goals apiece … Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely and Theoren Fleury. (Source: Hockey’s Top 100, the Game’s Greatest Records.)

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: It was not until he was 30 years old that Ryan Ludwick had his breakout season for the Cardinals, posting 37 home runs, 113 RBIs and a .299 batting average in 2008. Do you think Ludwick, who turns 31 in July, will come anywhere near duplicating those numbers in the next few years?

JOE STRAUSS
The key element within Ludwick’s career has always been his health. At whatever level he’s played, he’s been productive and shown power when able to see more than 500 plate appearances in a season. Last year was the first time he had done so in the Major Leagues. It is a fair assumption that enough doubt remains about his health going forward that the Cardinals have shown a willingness to trade him and a reluctance to commit to a multi-year deal with him. This season will go a long way toward confirming last season’s positive impression.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Health will be a prime concern as Ludwick moves forward. With his injury history, what are the chances of another breakdown? He’s a talented guy with a great attitude. Sure, there are holes in his swing and he can be pitched to. Some strikeout plagues are inevitable. But he can still put up good power numbers if his body holds up.

RICK HUMMEL
I think he can rival the power numbers, if he can maintain plate discipline and not swing at everything. He looked as if he hit a wall in early September last year, but he closed strongly. I do not think, however, he is a .300 hitter. He never has been.

JEFF GORDON
Ah, the operative words are “anywhere near.” I believe Tony La Russa can keep him out of major ruts by spotting him with one of the many lefty hitters in his arsenal. That will protect him to a degree. The worst-case scenario has him gravitating into the No. 2 spot ahead of Albert — not a great run production slot, but a good place to see fastballs. Cardinal National would take .275 with 30 homers and 95 RBI, plus his usual strong defense. The best-case scenario has him matching his ’08 numbers and spending more time behind Albert. But that would be a big, big step.

DAN O’NEILL
If Ludwick can stay healthy, there is no reason to believe he can’t come close to the same kind of numbers. After the All-Star Game in 2007, which is when he started playing more frequently, he batted .274 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 179 at-bats. His 2008 season was simply a carryover from that. What’s more, he always has been a good player — when he’s been healthy.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

A WORD OF CAUTION: An internet report surfaced yesterday about Mark McGwire’s brother, Jay, shopping a book where he says he introduced his home-run hitting brother to steroids. We discussed in our office whether or not to include something on the report in our newspaper’s coverage this morning. Two key reasons we did not:

First, do you trust the source reporting the news? If you’ve seen inaccurate reports from a source before, you tend to stay away unless you can confirm it yourself. This is not to say the current report is true or false, just that we won’t report it until we know it’s true.

Second, do you trust the word of someone “shopping” a book … particularly when no one has agreed to publish the book yet? Doesn’t it seem that if a publisher thought he/she had a tell-all book on Mark McGwire, the publishing house would be jumping all over it?

I’m certainly no apologist for McGwire, his testimony before Congress pretty much shaped my opinion. But I also don’t think anyone should be run through the wringer until facts can be confirmed. (After all, if you relied simply on internet reports, the Rams would have about 3 or 4 head coaches right now.)

I was surprised, however, to see that ESPN.com ran with the report this morning … making sure they fully attributed to the original source, of course, to keep their name clean. Read at your own risk, but be wary.

OK, time to climb down from my ivory tower.

BOSOX BUILD IT, FANS WILL COME: As evidenced by Cardinals GM John Mozeliak’s live chat here at STLtoday.com yesterday, Cardinal Nation is restless about the slow pace of movement this offseason. Many folks just aren’t buying that this team has done enough for the 2009 season. I know the Cardinals can’t rival the Red Sox in payroll, but the Boston Globe has put together an excellent series of vignettes on “Building the 2009 Red Sox.” You have to click there a few times as they take you through every move made by the team this offseason, what it cost the team and what they hope the payoff to be.

It’ll make you green with envy, but you’ll also see some relatively good buys among the Bosox’ moves. Check it out.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

BACKES DOWN, BUT NOT OUT: The pictures from the St. Louis Blues game on the front of the Post-Dispatch Sports cover today tell a great story … if not a complete one. First there’s the main photo of David Backes crumpled on the ice after taking a bone-crunching hit into the boards from the Blackhawks’ Cam Barker. (Barker received a five-minute major penalty for interference.) In the same photo you can see that Backes’ teammates took immediate exception to the hit, sticking up for the guy that’s become the de facto leader of this team by doing everything possible on the ice to help his team win. In the secondary photo, you see Backes doubled over in pain as he’s helped off the ice. Pictures truly can say a thousand words.

But here’s what the pictures don’t say: Backes put himself in the precarious position to take that hit because he was busting his tail to get to the puck just to avoid an icing call … in the first period. How many guys will expose their bodies like that early in a game just to avoid an icing call? But it’s exactly those sort of plays that often lead to a puck getting poked loose in the offensive zone and a team getting an unexpected goal. But again, it sometimes takes a player to sacrifice his body to get something like that started.

Now the second part of the untold story: When Backes was helped off the ice and immediately headed to the locker room, given the Blues luck with injuries this season, I thought, “There goes the team’s best player for the next month or so.” If you saw the hit you could envision a fractured shoulder, broken ribs, any number of maladies.

But before I could crack open another cold beverage, there he was, back on the ice … barely missing a shift. And for the rest of the game he continued to play the same aggressive, physical style of hockey Blues fans have come to appreciate from him.

I tell you, folks, this is one David that is becoming a Goliath for this Blues team. Hardly a veteran in just his third NHL season, the 24-year-old Backes embodies “Whatever It Takes” and leads by example for every player on this team.

Note to J.D. and Coach Murray: With the Blues team captain likely out the rest of the season with an injury, give this kid the “C” for the rest of this season and see where he leads them. He’s earned it.

OK, enough man-love for Backes. I’ve just been extremely impressed with his play in the last couple of months and the toughness he showed last night took it to another level.

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STAT OF THE DAY

419 – Receiving yards by Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald in three postseason games this year. Fitzgerald, the game’s best WR today, has numbers that rank with some of the best in history. Check out this short chart on nfl.com.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Assuming the St. Louis Cardinals do acquire a couple more players via free agency or trade sometime before the season starts, are there any players you’d specifically like to see the team pursue?

JOE STRAUSS
Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Braden Looper are names I’d key on at the first suggestion of a continued problem with Chris Carpenter (or any other member of the rotation). Let’s be blunt. Since acquiring Carpenter, the Cardinals have reached the postseason every year in which he’s delivered 28 or more starts (’04, ’05, ’06). They’ve tanked every year in which he has failed to do so (’03, ’07, ’08). There remains an alarming lack of depth within the rotation. I have a feeling one of the previously mentioned three would be willing to accept a one-year deal plus an option with the opportunity to re-file for free agency in a better economic climate. I frankly believe the Cardinals have a better chance of surviving the season with Jason Motte and Chris Perez closing than with their rotation exposed without Carpenter (or Wain’o). If Carpenter reaches spring training ready to go, great. But listing Kyle McClellan, Mitchell Boggs, Brad Thompson, Jesse Todd, etc. as a “No. 6 starter” suggests more crunch time for the bullpen.

RICK HUMMEL
I’m a big fan of lefthanded starting pitching. I’d like to see the Cardinals get either Randy Wolf or Oliver Perez. I would even take a chance on oft-injured righthander Ben Sheets.

DERRICK GOOLD
The more I look at what the Cardinals have done to improve the left side of the bullpen, the less convinced I am that they can 100-percent bank on actually being improved. Trever Miller is a clear upgrade, but the Cardinals themselves questioned his health. The other candidates are intriguing, but there’s isn’t a guarantee. So much hinges on the integrity of Miller’s labrum. To assure that the left side of the bullpen is better in 2009 than it was in 2008, bring on Will Ohman. Believed to be one of the first lefties who was going to sign this winter— with Atlanta, no less — Ohman is still out there. They wanted him in July, they can still get him in January. Beyond Ohman, for me the most fascinating free agent is — cue Joe Strauss’ signature derisive chuckle — Smoke Laval’s former ace, Ben Sheets. Sure his health is a concern, but he’s made at least 20 starts in all but one season and did pitch 198 innings in 2008. Roll the die on Cy: Get either Sheets or Chris Carpenter healthy and pitching to form and the Cardinals are in position to contend. Get both … and they are a favorite.

JEFF GORDON
This team needs a capable left-handed starter. In this favorable marketplace, it appears Oliver Perez could slip through the cracks IF the Mets sign Derek Lowe. Perez is a guy with huge potential. Maybe Dave Duncan could make him into something on a two-year basis. Failing that, Randy Wolf would be a good fit if the Dodgers don’t go overboard to bring him back to the West Coast. He’s been hurt a lot, but he knows how to pitch. This team also needs a stronger left-handed relief option. It would be a shame if the Cards struggled there this season after taking a pass on more credible lefties in the market. John Mozeliak has every opportunity to upgrade the left side of his pitching staff. Do it!

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

RICKEY MIGHTY HAPPY FOR RICKEY: Rickey Henderson, baseball’s all-time stolen bases and runs scored leader, and power-hitting outfielder Jim Rice were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Henderson got in on the first ballot, while Rice made it in on the last time he would be eligible. The pair will be inducted into the Hall July 26. Players must be named on 75 percent of the ballot for induction. Mark McGwire received just 21.9 percent of the vote.

Speaking of McGwire, I’m beginning to wonder if his omission from Hall of Fame voting has less to do with his suspected used of performance enhancers and more to do with how poor his Hall of Fame induction speech might be when he got to the podium and simply said, “I’m not here to talk about the past.”

SO LONG, TONY: 53-year-old Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy is expected to announce his retirement at a press conference this afternoon. Dungy’s success as head coach is undeniable … after 13 seasons (six with Tampa Bay and seven with the Colts), he ranks 19th in all-time victories in the NFL, leading his teams to 148 career wins including the playoffs, and he led the Colts to the 2006 Super Bowl championship. Dungy also ranks 3rd all-time in winning percentage for a coach who has coached at least 50 games with one team, going .759 with the Colts.

The NFL has lost a truly great coach, and perhaps even more importantly, an inspirational leader and a true gentleman of the game. We wish him the best in future endeavors.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

LIFE OF REILLY: I’ve read a lot of articles and columns belittling the BCS bowl process and the fact that an undefeated Utah team got completely snubbed in the process. But of all I read, perhaps no one said it better than Rick Reilly. If you’re not tired of the subject, check out what he had to say.

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STAT OF THE DAY

1 — Number of black head coaches to win a Super Bowl. That would be Tony Dungy.

THE WATERCOOLER
(Post-Dispatch columnists and beat writers share their thoughts on a question of the day.)

Question: If you had to choose among the Blues’ three young forwards — David Perron, T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund — who do you think is most likely to become a consistent 30-goal scorer in the NHL and why?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I’ll go with Perron. The kid seems to have an innate feel for the puck, and a real instinct for finding the open spaces. He’s slippery, and he’s clever and he plays with a bit of an edge. He has good hands. The goals will come. It’s just a matter of time. And once he starts pumping those goals in, we’ll see a lot of ’em.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Give me Oshie. I see Perron leveling off somewhere below 30 goals, in part because his skills will be directed elsewhere. Berglund may help other guys get 30 goals, but he won’t get ’em himself. Oshie, meanwhile, will scrap in front of the net, where there are goals to be found and he’s quick enough to make goals happen elsewhere.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
All three players have 30-goal potential, but I like Perron’s chances best. Perron scored 39 goals in 70 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League two years ago, and Berglund put up 21 goals in 35 games and 21 goals in 36 games in back-to-back seasons in Sweden. Typically when you’re a goal scorer in hockey, you find ways to score at every level, and once Perron adjusts to the NHL, he’ll find a way. Berglund will score at this level, too, but playing center, he has more dirty work than Perron in the defensive end, and offensively I see Berglund as more of a play-maker. Oshie might be as fun a player as there is to watch, but he wasn’t a prolific scorer in college. He had 24 goals in 43 games as a freshman at the University of North Dakota, but then dipped to 17 and 18 his next two seasons. Oshie has so much energy and wants so badly to hit everything that moves that his No. 1 focus isn’t scoring. Perron has the skill-set and the improving strength to be a 30-goal guy in the NHL more consistently than the others.

DAN O’NEILL
First, I must take issue with the notion that we can predict a “consistent 30-goal scorer.” In their 41-season history, only eight players have scored 30 goals or more in a Blues uniform as many as three seasons in succession. But because it is a mandate, and because Bernie Parent has retired, I suggest Oshie is the most likely to reach that kind of production. He has the skill to score pretty goals and the grit to score ugly. He appears to be a slightly inflated version of Theo Fleury.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Since none of the writers chose Berglund, I’ve gotta chime in (maybe because I’ve got him on my fantasy team, maybe not.) Though he lacks the flash of Perron or the pure grit of Oshie, I think Berglund has the kind of understated European goal-scoring ability that could lead to him putting up “quiet” 30-goal seasons somewhat consistently. I like all three of the Blues youngsters, but for upside scoring I’d go with Berglund.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: Pitcher Mike Hampton will return to the NL Central after signing a one-year deal with the Houston Astros. Does that scare you, Cardinal fans? Does it? Didn’t think so. Hampton’s biggest claim to fame is parlaying one 20-win season with the Astros (followed by a 15-win year with the Mets) into an eight-year, $121 million contract with the Colorado Rockies … then winning just 56 games over the life of that contract while with the Rockies and Braves. That means Hampton got paid just over $2.1 million per victory in that period. I’m thinking righthanded hitters will go long often against the lefty given the short porch in left at Minute Maid … assuming Hampton’s even playing. Remember he missed the 2006 and 2007 seasons following elbow operations and the first four months of last season with a torn pectoral muscle. Houston, you may have a problem.

BEER, BEER, BEER FOR OLD NOTRE DAME: That’s got to be the sentiment around South Bend after it was officially announced today that head coach Charlie Weis will be back for another year. This despite the fact that in his first four years Weis has compiled a 28-21 record and a .571 winning percentage, the worst since Gerry Faust led the Irish to a 30-26-1 mark (.535) from 1981-85. Wonder why Weis’ predecessor Tyrone Willingham didn’t get the same considerations after going 21-15 (.583) in his first three seasons? Think it has something to do with the 10-year contract extension Weis signed after his initial success at Notre Dame and the encumberances that a buyout could entail? Sorry, Irish fans, I guess it’s not over ’ til the Fat Man Cha-Chings at least one more year at Notre Dame. (Read Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Rosenbloom teeing off on the decision.)

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JUST A FEW THINGS TO PONDER

ANTI-DOPING? HOW ABOUT ANTI-CARING: Six players in the NFL were suspended yesterday on suspicion of violating the league’s anti-doping policy. YAWN. Please wake me when the Steroid Era and everything that goes with it has passed. The only kind of talk I care about anymore in relation to “performance enhancers” is how the Rams might put a better product on the field or how the Cards can avoid losing leads in the late innings. Now there’s a performance-enhancing topic I think we can all agree on.

BUT THAT REMINDS ME: Why does any talk of Mark McGwire in any context bring out such raw emotions in St. Louis? There seems to be absolutely no middle ground. Either folks love him for his Summer of Love home-run fest and will never admit he did anything wrong, or folks hate him because they feel he cheated them and that he’s a fraud. At what point will one side take its head out of the sand and the other side admit McGwire was simply a product of his era? If you really need a villain in this whole saga, why not just blame those “female” East German athletes from back in the ’70s … Lord knows what many of them could have done with a bat in their hands at Coors Field.

AH, THERE’S ALWAYS THE CUBS: OK, I’ll admit this item is a week old, but any chance to poke fun at the Chicago Cubs’ historic playoff crashes seems to entertain our readers. So in case you Cardinals fans out there have not seen it, I thought you might like The Onion’s report on a contract agreement that stipulates the Cubs will not be going to the World Series for at least four more years, with an option for a six-year extension.

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STAT OF THE DAY

ZERO — Winning seasons by the St. Louis Rams since Mad Mike Martz was run out of town on rails after the 2005 season. Martz’s record as Rams head coach was 56-36, good enough for a .609 winning percentage.