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McGwire maintains silent presence, quietly helps hitters
Updated 7/1/2008 12:11 PM | Comments185 | Recommend33 E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |
Enlarge 2001 photo by Roberto Borea, AP
Former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire hasn't made a public appearance in a ballpark in three years.
MARIS' SON HAS NO ANIMOSITY TOWARD MCGWIRE
There may be resentment among those who love Roger Maris and wish his home run record still stood, but for Kevin Maris, there are only warm memories and forgiveness toward Mark McGwire.
"So many people come up to me and say that dad still owns the record," says Kevin Maris, Roger's second-oldest son. "That if everyone was clean, the record should still be 61. But that's all right. I don't hold anything against Mark. He's about a genuine a guy as you'll ever meet.
"People talk about the other stuff (steroid allegations), but everybody makes a bad choice at times, but that doesn't take away the type of person he truly is. One bad choice shouldn't scar you forever."
Kevin Maris, a spitting image of his father, who died in 1985, has been a baseball coach for Oak Hall School in Gainesville, Fla., the past 18 years. He receives a check for $6,200 each year from McGwire in honor of his father's celebrity golf tournament in Fargo, N.D.
Maris says he would love for McGwire to visit and talk to his baseball team. The kids, he said, would benefit from hearing his thoughts about baseball and the art of hitting.
"I don't know anyone better than having him talk to our kids about hitting, and whatever else," Maris says. "Maybe he can talk about his mistakes, too. He might be the best advocate to tell these kids that steroids isn't all that it's all cracked up to be."
By Bob Nightengale
QUICK QUESTION
Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
Once the most famous man in baseball, Mark McGwire lives at the end of a cul-de-sac in a gated community in Irvine, Calif., where the world is not permitted to see him.
He hasn't made a public appearance at a major league ballpark in three years, has declined interview requests and passed on annual invitations to visit his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals, in spring training.
McGwire, the greatest show on earth a decade ago when he hit a single-season record 70 home runs, had his last moment in the spotlight in 2005, a tortured day in front of a congressional hearing on steroids from which his words — "I'm not here to talk about the past" — still resonate.
"The perception of Mark is so completely different than the reality," says Craig Daedelow, a friend of McGwire who often sees and talks to him. "People think he's out of the game, but they have no idea just how much he's still in the game."
Although McGwire declined to comment for this story, friends, colleagues and those in the game say he is slowly returning to baseball. They point to the secret hitting lessons he gives to a small group of major leaguers, minor leaguers and college players, and the time two years ago he nearly became the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Minnesota | New York Yankees | Baltimore | Toronto | Southern California | St. Louis Cardinals | Major League Baseball | Florida State | National League | Arizona Diamondbacks | Randy Johnson | Red Wings | Mark McGwire | Matt Holliday | Irvine | House Committee | Government Reform | Chris Duncan | Huntington Beach | Dan O'Dowd | Shelley Duncan | Chris. | Jack Rye | Class AAA Rochester | Total Baseball
They say they are convinced the 44-year-old will be in a baseball uniform in the near future, and not because he is in search of glory or a place in the Hall of Fame after two failed bids, but because his enduring passion for baseball is driving him back after he retired in 2001.
"He would be a tremendous hitting coach," Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd says. "Really, he'd be great at just about anything he wanted to do in baseball. He has so much passion for the game, and so much to offer."
Mike Gallego, McGwire's long-time friend and former teammate, says the former slugger still has conflicted feelings. McGwire has never publicly admitted to using steroids nor denied allegations. He refused to answer whether he used steroids as a player during his March 17, 2005, testimony before the House Committee on Government Reform.
"The game of baseball means so much to him," Gallego says, "that he's embarrassed what he did. He feels like he let a lot of kids down. They looked up to him. He was their hero. And he disappointed them.
"Mac was always a people pleaser.
"And he feels like he hurt them."
McGwire has lost touch with some friends and acquaintances, with former Southern California teammates such as Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks unable to even remember the last time they saw him.
"It's sad," Commissioner Bud Selig says. "He gave so much to this game, but now you don't see him or even hear from him."
Quietly helping hitters
McGwire may have vanished from the public eye, but there are those who know exactly where to find him.
There is no routine, and he doesn't show up every day, but McGwire can be seen in the early mornings or late afternoons at Daedelow's batting cage, Total Baseball, in Huntington Beach, Calif.
This is where he teaches hitting, conducts lessons and discusses philosophies of the game with his protégés.
"He's the most outgoing person there is when it comes to wanting to help people," says New York Yankees utilityman Shelley Duncan, who works with McGwire each winter. "He really revolutionized my swing and changed things around for my career. When I worked with him, my eyes really opened up to the mental side of the game.
"He loves the game, and he really wants to get back into it. He'd be a tremendous hitting coach."
McGwire has hitting disciples throughout baseball, including defending National League batting champion Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies; Skip Schumaker and Chris Duncan, Shelley's brother, of the Cardinals; Howie Clark of the Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings; and Jack Rye, who recently completed his senior year at Florida State.
Clark, 34, has 302 major league at-bats with Baltimore, Toronto and Minnesota, and 4,395 minor league at-bats dating to 1992. He says his life changed in 1996 when he started to work with McGwire.
"He's one of the greatest people I've ever met in life," he says. "I've spent 15 years in the minors, and he treats me like a teammate. He's the one who gave me hope, telling me never to give up on my dreams, that I can play in the big leagues.
"When I finally made it, after nine years, Mark was one of the first ones to call me."
McGwire's teachings, his students say, are hopefully the beginning of his reconciliation with Major League Baseball. One day, perhaps as early as this winter or next spring, they believe McGwire will return in an official capacity.
He might be a major league hitting coach or a roving minor league coach. The Cardinals have discussed sending their top prospects to work with him, Daedelow said, citing a recent conversation with McGwire. But those with whom he's worked insist McGwire will return to the game in an official capacity.
"Absolutely," says Schumaker, who along with Chris Duncan spends one week each winter with McGwire, hitting for nearly six hours a day. "He has so much to give, I know he wants to get back into it.
"Really, he needs to be back in this game. Everybody that's ever been around him wants him back. I know he probably wants some things to calm down, and he doesn't want to be a distraction, but I think he can make this work.
"The game needs him. It's time."
Nearly 600 homers, but no Hall
McGwire made his last public baseball appearance during the final weekend of September 2005. He returned to Busch Stadium to commemorate the final regular-season games there.
It also was the last time he spoke publicly, except for a brief comment at a charity event, six months after his congressional testimony.
"When I left Washington, that's the last time I'm going to ever talk about it," McGwire told reporters. "That's really about it. I've moved on. I wish the media would move on from it.
"I'm enjoying life right now. I love the game of baseball. I miss the game of baseball. And I can't wait for someday when somebody offers me a fantastic job to get back in baseball."
McGwire remains haunted by allegations of steroid use. He has 583 home runs, but in Hall of Fame voting conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America, he has received only 23.5% and 23.6% of the vote in two years of eligibility. A candidate needs 75% for induction.
If McGwire makes the Hall, the Cardinals will unveil the bronze statue of him that is sitting in a downtown St. Louis warehouse.
"I'm all for you get what you earn, you deserve," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa says, "and he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. It's not even a tough call."
Interviewed with Rockies
Two years ago, the Rockies needed a hitting coach. Names were suggested. Résumés poured into O'Dowd's office. And three members of O'Dowd's coaching staff came forth with one recommendation.
Walt Weiss, Jamie Quirk and Gallego, all of whom played with McGwire in Oakland, told O'Dowd he needed to talk to McGwire.
"I thought he'd be perfect," Gallego says. "He has an unbelievable gift of teaching hitting. He was serious about it."
O'Dowd telephoned McGwire and conducted an informal interview. McGwire later pulled himself out of the running, but two years later, O'Dowd has not forgotten.
"I couldn't believe how much he really understood hitting, and how great he was in the interview," O'Dowd says. "There was absolutely no doubt in my mind he'd be great. I still believe that."
So do many people in baseball.
"The guy is unbelievable," says Holliday, who met McGwire two years ago. "I was able to talk to him and pick his brain. I still have him (text-message) me if he sees something.
"I'd love for him to help out, whether it's with us or someone else, and I think he will once he can coach and not have a circus around him."
La Russa, who managed McGwire in Oakland and St. Louis in 14-plus seasons of his 16-year career, has tried the past five years to persuade McGwire to join him as a coach.
He thought McGwire was ready last spring to help out for a week as a spring training instructor. McGwire, married with two young boys and a grown son from his first marriage, waited all spring before finally declining.
"He hasn't been to camp since he retired, but I really thought we were close this time," La Russa says. "He will. It's just a question of when the time is right with his boys.
"I can't wait when he does. He has so much to offer."
Rye's family lives in the same Southern California neighborhood as McGwire, and he introduced himself to McGwire four years ago. Rye, an outfielder, says McGwire never lost touch with him when he went to college and provided hitting lessons when Rye came home. When Rye was drafted in the 13th round by the New York Yankees last month, one of the first congratulatory text messages was from McGwire.
"If I make it" to the big leagues, Rye says, "Mark will be a big reason why. He's helped me so much. He took me under his wing and helped me become the player I am."
Daedelow, whose seven-year minor league career ended because of injuries, says he believes it's a matter of when — not if — McGwire returns to a major league ballpark.
"I just don't know if he's ready to put his name out there and face all of the crap he'd get," Daedelow says.
"When this all blows over, everyone's going to see him again, people will find out the real Mark McGwire. They'll see just how much he loves this game, and really, what he still means to this game."
Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz in Oakland
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Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?Posted 6/30/2008 10:06 PM
Updated 7/1/2008 12:11 PM E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |
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Comments: (185)Showing: Newest first Oldest first
RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/15/2008 1:36:36 PM
The steroid era is far from over. Players get tested once a year. Once that test is done it’s juicin’ time! The league MAY test players again if they wish but as any ballplayer will tell you that is HIGHLY UNLIKELY!
After all, MLB wants this to go away and testing A-Rod is not good for the game. The steroid era lives on!! Just watch the power numbers rise we get deep into the season. We won’t be fooled again. No No.
And no HOF for McGwire! It's not even close.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWvv-3UwT8c
Recommend2 | Report Abuse
trmjr wrote: 7/12/2008 7:16:01 AM
Baseball cannot stop a team that wants to hire McGwire. But he shouldn't be allowed even as little as ticket to sit in the audience at Cooperstown if he does not come clean about what he did, or did not, do.
The article claims in certain quotes that McGwire is ashamed of what he did. And McGwire himself makes the point of saying "I'm never discussing it again". That's his right, but then it's baseball's right to make sure that, no matter his achievements on the field, he is blackballed from the Hall like Pete Rose is until he sets things right. Either he's sincerely sorry about the pain he caused, or he is not. But as long as he's not here to talk about the past, he should know that the past is the only thing that interests us about him. Until he puts that to rest, blackball him as he deserves to be.
As for "He couldn't have cheated because it wasn't illegal": just because something is legal doesn't mean it is ethical, doesn't mean it doesn't violate the game's integrity, doesn't mean it was the correct thing to do. He didn't break a rule, but because he confessed to taking something that allowed him to gain a competitive advantage unfairly over other players, his actions tainted every game in which his acts affected play. It violates a sense of fair play, and baseball shouldn't, and won't for a long time, honor him for figuring a way to avoid his personal integrity and baseball's ethics. No Hall, no way, no how. And THAT'S not even a tough call.
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pineapple DH wrote: 7/10/2008 12:18:59 PM
I do not think he took roids in his rookie. He was griffey size
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RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/7/2008 1:15:22 PM
McGwire in Hall of Fame = NO
Most fans agree he does not belong in the HOF... he was doing steroids his rookie season... he could tell you himself but he does not want to talk about the past... sad... very sad.
No Hall!
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pineapple DH wrote: 7/6/2008 6:48:32 PM
I am going to go with McGwire my all time fave I would love to see him come back.
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bigwookie wrote: 7/6/2008 1:37:09 AM
I don't think a big lumberjack like McGwire needed help to hit homeruns. He hit 49 when he was a rookie in '86 or '87. People should just leave the guy alone so he will return to baseball. I would love to see what he could do as a hitting coach.
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RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/2/2008 12:16:31 PM
When the records were broken by Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds I was as excited as the next guy. Sure, like all the announcers were saying, the ball was juiced and the stadiums were small but the playing field was balanced and fair. Everyone played on the same field and with the same ball. The game was healthy. America’s pastime thrived. Baseball was back
Then I read a book. Actually I read two books. One was called Juicing the Game and the other was called Game of Shadows�
I was stunned.
The ball wasn’t juiced. The players were!
Today I am sufficiently convinced, like many other baseball fans, that there were players who decided to secretly take advantage of an illegal drug to enhance their performance. Now I could go into all the reasons this is wrong but that discussion has been had and at the end of the day either you agree or you don’t.
As time passed I watched ESPN and other baseball broadcasts in hopes of hearing that the statistics of the steroid era must be taken with a grain of salt. I waited to hear that there is integrity in obeying rules and that those who cheat will, in the end, not prevail. I waited for the truth. But to my surprise I heard mostly silence. Nothing. Crickets.
There they were, the same baseball announcers and ex-ballplayers who were so verbose about juiced baseballs and shrinking ballparks. Those same talking heads that went on and on about� where does the mud that baseballs are rubbed down with came from? Where were the ***** made? Corked bats! And now those television talking heads were silent. Like the people in that basement back in Illinois. I waited for them to talk about the stain that had been placed on the game. I waited for a voice in the wilderness to stand up and say�”this is wrong”. And what I heard was silence. Even today ESPN and FOX baseball voices only apologetically cover the issue of the steroid era. And the Clemens issue has only made them more defensive.
Future baseball fans will certainly look back on this time... the steroid era... and they will wonder why no one took a stand and called foul.
So this year, we stand up for the past, to show the future, that the now matters. And we will make our stand... in the stands... at the ballpark... for all to see. We knew what was going on and we did not stand by and ignore it.
We make no attempt to single out Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds. They just happen to be carrying the steroid banner presently. McGwire, Sosa, Fehr, Selig etc... All of them in our opinion are guilty of drinking from the steroid trough.
We protest the “steroid era” and like good custodians we do not accept the “everybody did it” excuse... the integrity of the game is at stake.
We were not blind. We were not fooled. And we did not stand by and look the other way while the integrity of the game was hijacked by greed.
McGwire did something wrong... he knows it... and that is why he cried in congress and stated "I don't want ot talk about the past."
He did something wrong and he must deal with the results... no Hall of Fame. PERIOD.
Recommend2 | Report Abuse
CharlieE wrote: 7/1/2008 11:53:56 PM
"WestCoastGuy wrote: 2h 1m ago
I have to come down on McGwire's side on this one; after all, he didnt fail one drug test, took over the counter stuff that WAS LEGAL AT THE TIME."
What drug test? There was no drug testing in baseball in 1998.
As for his Hall of Fame prospects, his career numbers are not even close to HoF numbers. His home runs are in question, but his career batting average (.263) and hit totals (1626) are pretty average. If you're going to consider McGwire for the Hall, then you've also got to look at the likes of Phil Garner (.260, 1594 hits) or Dave Kingman (.236, 1575 hits).
McGwire, at best, qualifies for the Hall of Good.
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coop77 wrote: 7/1/2008 11:01:57 PM
Hey Macer and others who call "alleged" steroid users cheaters. When you can answer the question as to why alledged spit ball pitcher ******* Perry is in the Hall of Fame, let me know. No, I'm not doubting ******** pitching prowess but, spitballs were illegal then and now. Whereas, its never been proven that he used the spitter and its never been proven that McGwire used steroids. Yet, he's not in the Hall of Fame...go figure.
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coop77 wrote: 7/1/2008 10:31:16 PM
I agree with Nusefreek and Daily Llama. No proof...leave him alone. But frankly, if he ever admits to use, you can't cheat if there's no rule. And if he prove sorry if he does admit, he deserves his due as a Hall of Famer. If yo ever listen to my Cardinal podcast(shameless plug) Redbirds of a Feather on iTunes, you'll see I'm a huge Cardinal and McGwire fan. I hope he returns to baseball, preferably with the Cards sooner than later.
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McGwire maintains silent presence, quietly helps hitters
Updated 7/1/2008 12:11 PM | Comments185 | Recommend33 E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |
Enlarge 2001 photo by Roberto Borea, AP
Former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire hasn't made a public appearance in a ballpark in three years.
MARIS' SON HAS NO ANIMOSITY TOWARD MCGWIRE
There may be resentment among those who love Roger Maris and wish his home run record still stood, but for Kevin Maris, there are only warm memories and forgiveness toward Mark McGwire.
"So many people come up to me and say that dad still owns the record," says Kevin Maris, Roger's second-oldest son. "That if everyone was clean, the record should still be 61. But that's all right. I don't hold anything against Mark. He's about a genuine a guy as you'll ever meet.
"People talk about the other stuff (steroid allegations), but everybody makes a bad choice at times, but that doesn't take away the type of person he truly is. One bad choice shouldn't scar you forever."
Kevin Maris, a spitting image of his father, who died in 1985, has been a baseball coach for Oak Hall School in Gainesville, Fla., the past 18 years. He receives a check for $6,200 each year from McGwire in honor of his father's celebrity golf tournament in Fargo, N.D.
Maris says he would love for McGwire to visit and talk to his baseball team. The kids, he said, would benefit from hearing his thoughts about baseball and the art of hitting.
"I don't know anyone better than having him talk to our kids about hitting, and whatever else," Maris says. "Maybe he can talk about his mistakes, too. He might be the best advocate to tell these kids that steroids isn't all that it's all cracked up to be."
By Bob Nightengale
QUICK QUESTION
Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
Once the most famous man in baseball, Mark McGwire lives at the end of a cul-de-sac in a gated community in Irvine, Calif., where the world is not permitted to see him.
He hasn't made a public appearance at a major league ballpark in three years, has declined interview requests and passed on annual invitations to visit his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals, in spring training.
McGwire, the greatest show on earth a decade ago when he hit a single-season record 70 home runs, had his last moment in the spotlight in 2005, a tortured day in front of a congressional hearing on steroids from which his words — "I'm not here to talk about the past" — still resonate.
"The perception of Mark is so completely different than the reality," says Craig Daedelow, a friend of McGwire who often sees and talks to him. "People think he's out of the game, but they have no idea just how much he's still in the game."
Although McGwire declined to comment for this story, friends, colleagues and those in the game say he is slowly returning to baseball. They point to the secret hitting lessons he gives to a small group of major leaguers, minor leaguers and college players, and the time two years ago he nearly became the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Minnesota | New York Yankees | Baltimore | Toronto | Southern California | St. Louis Cardinals | Major League Baseball | Florida State | National League | Arizona Diamondbacks | Randy Johnson | Red Wings | Mark McGwire | Matt Holliday | Irvine | House Committee | Government Reform | Chris Duncan | Huntington Beach | Dan O'Dowd | Shelley Duncan | Chris. | Jack Rye | Class AAA Rochester | Total Baseball
They say they are convinced the 44-year-old will be in a baseball uniform in the near future, and not because he is in search of glory or a place in the Hall of Fame after two failed bids, but because his enduring passion for baseball is driving him back after he retired in 2001.
"He would be a tremendous hitting coach," Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd says. "Really, he'd be great at just about anything he wanted to do in baseball. He has so much passion for the game, and so much to offer."
Mike Gallego, McGwire's long-time friend and former teammate, says the former slugger still has conflicted feelings. McGwire has never publicly admitted to using steroids nor denied allegations. He refused to answer whether he used steroids as a player during his March 17, 2005, testimony before the House Committee on Government Reform.
"The game of baseball means so much to him," Gallego says, "that he's embarrassed what he did. He feels like he let a lot of kids down. They looked up to him. He was their hero. And he disappointed them.
"Mac was always a people pleaser.
"And he feels like he hurt them."
McGwire has lost touch with some friends and acquaintances, with former Southern California teammates such as Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks unable to even remember the last time they saw him.
"It's sad," Commissioner Bud Selig says. "He gave so much to this game, but now you don't see him or even hear from him."
Quietly helping hitters
McGwire may have vanished from the public eye, but there are those who know exactly where to find him.
There is no routine, and he doesn't show up every day, but McGwire can be seen in the early mornings or late afternoons at Daedelow's batting cage, Total Baseball, in Huntington Beach, Calif.
This is where he teaches hitting, conducts lessons and discusses philosophies of the game with his protégés.
"He's the most outgoing person there is when it comes to wanting to help people," says New York Yankees utilityman Shelley Duncan, who works with McGwire each winter. "He really revolutionized my swing and changed things around for my career. When I worked with him, my eyes really opened up to the mental side of the game.
"He loves the game, and he really wants to get back into it. He'd be a tremendous hitting coach."
McGwire has hitting disciples throughout baseball, including defending National League batting champion Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies; Skip Schumaker and Chris Duncan, Shelley's brother, of the Cardinals; Howie Clark of the Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings; and Jack Rye, who recently completed his senior year at Florida State.
Clark, 34, has 302 major league at-bats with Baltimore, Toronto and Minnesota, and 4,395 minor league at-bats dating to 1992. He says his life changed in 1996 when he started to work with McGwire.
"He's one of the greatest people I've ever met in life," he says. "I've spent 15 years in the minors, and he treats me like a teammate. He's the one who gave me hope, telling me never to give up on my dreams, that I can play in the big leagues.
"When I finally made it, after nine years, Mark was one of the first ones to call me."
McGwire's teachings, his students say, are hopefully the beginning of his reconciliation with Major League Baseball. One day, perhaps as early as this winter or next spring, they believe McGwire will return in an official capacity.
He might be a major league hitting coach or a roving minor league coach. The Cardinals have discussed sending their top prospects to work with him, Daedelow said, citing a recent conversation with McGwire. But those with whom he's worked insist McGwire will return to the game in an official capacity.
"Absolutely," says Schumaker, who along with Chris Duncan spends one week each winter with McGwire, hitting for nearly six hours a day. "He has so much to give, I know he wants to get back into it.
"Really, he needs to be back in this game. Everybody that's ever been around him wants him back. I know he probably wants some things to calm down, and he doesn't want to be a distraction, but I think he can make this work.
"The game needs him. It's time."
Nearly 600 homers, but no Hall
McGwire made his last public baseball appearance during the final weekend of September 2005. He returned to Busch Stadium to commemorate the final regular-season games there.
It also was the last time he spoke publicly, except for a brief comment at a charity event, six months after his congressional testimony.
"When I left Washington, that's the last time I'm going to ever talk about it," McGwire told reporters. "That's really about it. I've moved on. I wish the media would move on from it.
"I'm enjoying life right now. I love the game of baseball. I miss the game of baseball. And I can't wait for someday when somebody offers me a fantastic job to get back in baseball."
McGwire remains haunted by allegations of steroid use. He has 583 home runs, but in Hall of Fame voting conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America, he has received only 23.5% and 23.6% of the vote in two years of eligibility. A candidate needs 75% for induction.
If McGwire makes the Hall, the Cardinals will unveil the bronze statue of him that is sitting in a downtown St. Louis warehouse.
"I'm all for you get what you earn, you deserve," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa says, "and he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. It's not even a tough call."
Interviewed with Rockies
Two years ago, the Rockies needed a hitting coach. Names were suggested. Résumés poured into O'Dowd's office. And three members of O'Dowd's coaching staff came forth with one recommendation.
Walt Weiss, Jamie Quirk and Gallego, all of whom played with McGwire in Oakland, told O'Dowd he needed to talk to McGwire.
"I thought he'd be perfect," Gallego says. "He has an unbelievable gift of teaching hitting. He was serious about it."
O'Dowd telephoned McGwire and conducted an informal interview. McGwire later pulled himself out of the running, but two years later, O'Dowd has not forgotten.
"I couldn't believe how much he really understood hitting, and how great he was in the interview," O'Dowd says. "There was absolutely no doubt in my mind he'd be great. I still believe that."
So do many people in baseball.
"The guy is unbelievable," says Holliday, who met McGwire two years ago. "I was able to talk to him and pick his brain. I still have him (text-message) me if he sees something.
"I'd love for him to help out, whether it's with us or someone else, and I think he will once he can coach and not have a circus around him."
La Russa, who managed McGwire in Oakland and St. Louis in 14-plus seasons of his 16-year career, has tried the past five years to persuade McGwire to join him as a coach.
He thought McGwire was ready last spring to help out for a week as a spring training instructor. McGwire, married with two young boys and a grown son from his first marriage, waited all spring before finally declining.
"He hasn't been to camp since he retired, but I really thought we were close this time," La Russa says. "He will. It's just a question of when the time is right with his boys.
"I can't wait when he does. He has so much to offer."
Rye's family lives in the same Southern California neighborhood as McGwire, and he introduced himself to McGwire four years ago. Rye, an outfielder, says McGwire never lost touch with him when he went to college and provided hitting lessons when Rye came home. When Rye was drafted in the 13th round by the New York Yankees last month, one of the first congratulatory text messages was from McGwire.
"If I make it" to the big leagues, Rye says, "Mark will be a big reason why. He's helped me so much. He took me under his wing and helped me become the player I am."
Daedelow, whose seven-year minor league career ended because of injuries, says he believes it's a matter of when — not if — McGwire returns to a major league ballpark.
"I just don't know if he's ready to put his name out there and face all of the crap he'd get," Daedelow says.
"When this all blows over, everyone's going to see him again, people will find out the real Mark McGwire. They'll see just how much he loves this game, and really, what he still means to this game."
Contributing: Jorge L. Ortiz in Oakland
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Updated 7/1/2008 12:11 PM E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |
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Comments: (185)Showing: Newest first Oldest first
RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/15/2008 1:36:36 PM
The steroid era is far from over. Players get tested once a year. Once that test is done it’s juicin’ time! The league MAY test players again if they wish but as any ballplayer will tell you that is HIGHLY UNLIKELY!
After all, MLB wants this to go away and testing A-Rod is not good for the game. The steroid era lives on!! Just watch the power numbers rise we get deep into the season. We won’t be fooled again. No No.
And no HOF for McGwire! It's not even close.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWvv-3UwT8c
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trmjr wrote: 7/12/2008 7:16:01 AM
Baseball cannot stop a team that wants to hire McGwire. But he shouldn't be allowed even as little as ticket to sit in the audience at Cooperstown if he does not come clean about what he did, or did not, do.
The article claims in certain quotes that McGwire is ashamed of what he did. And McGwire himself makes the point of saying "I'm never discussing it again". That's his right, but then it's baseball's right to make sure that, no matter his achievements on the field, he is blackballed from the Hall like Pete Rose is until he sets things right. Either he's sincerely sorry about the pain he caused, or he is not. But as long as he's not here to talk about the past, he should know that the past is the only thing that interests us about him. Until he puts that to rest, blackball him as he deserves to be.
As for "He couldn't have cheated because it wasn't illegal": just because something is legal doesn't mean it is ethical, doesn't mean it doesn't violate the game's integrity, doesn't mean it was the correct thing to do. He didn't break a rule, but because he confessed to taking something that allowed him to gain a competitive advantage unfairly over other players, his actions tainted every game in which his acts affected play. It violates a sense of fair play, and baseball shouldn't, and won't for a long time, honor him for figuring a way to avoid his personal integrity and baseball's ethics. No Hall, no way, no how. And THAT'S not even a tough call.
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pineapple DH wrote: 7/10/2008 12:18:59 PM
I do not think he took roids in his rookie. He was griffey size
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RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/7/2008 1:15:22 PM
McGwire in Hall of Fame = NO
Most fans agree he does not belong in the HOF... he was doing steroids his rookie season... he could tell you himself but he does not want to talk about the past... sad... very sad.
No Hall!
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pineapple DH wrote: 7/6/2008 6:48:32 PM
I am going to go with McGwire my all time fave I would love to see him come back.
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bigwookie wrote: 7/6/2008 1:37:09 AM
I don't think a big lumberjack like McGwire needed help to hit homeruns. He hit 49 when he was a rookie in '86 or '87. People should just leave the guy alone so he will return to baseball. I would love to see what he could do as a hitting coach.
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RoidsTasteGood wrote: 7/2/2008 12:16:31 PM
When the records were broken by Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds I was as excited as the next guy. Sure, like all the announcers were saying, the ball was juiced and the stadiums were small but the playing field was balanced and fair. Everyone played on the same field and with the same ball. The game was healthy. America’s pastime thrived. Baseball was back
Then I read a book. Actually I read two books. One was called Juicing the Game and the other was called Game of Shadows�
I was stunned.
The ball wasn’t juiced. The players were!
Today I am sufficiently convinced, like many other baseball fans, that there were players who decided to secretly take advantage of an illegal drug to enhance their performance. Now I could go into all the reasons this is wrong but that discussion has been had and at the end of the day either you agree or you don’t.
As time passed I watched ESPN and other baseball broadcasts in hopes of hearing that the statistics of the steroid era must be taken with a grain of salt. I waited to hear that there is integrity in obeying rules and that those who cheat will, in the end, not prevail. I waited for the truth. But to my surprise I heard mostly silence. Nothing. Crickets.
There they were, the same baseball announcers and ex-ballplayers who were so verbose about juiced baseballs and shrinking ballparks. Those same talking heads that went on and on about� where does the mud that baseballs are rubbed down with came from? Where were the ***** made? Corked bats! And now those television talking heads were silent. Like the people in that basement back in Illinois. I waited for them to talk about the stain that had been placed on the game. I waited for a voice in the wilderness to stand up and say�”this is wrong”. And what I heard was silence. Even today ESPN and FOX baseball voices only apologetically cover the issue of the steroid era. And the Clemens issue has only made them more defensive.
Future baseball fans will certainly look back on this time... the steroid era... and they will wonder why no one took a stand and called foul.
So this year, we stand up for the past, to show the future, that the now matters. And we will make our stand... in the stands... at the ballpark... for all to see. We knew what was going on and we did not stand by and ignore it.
We make no attempt to single out Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds. They just happen to be carrying the steroid banner presently. McGwire, Sosa, Fehr, Selig etc... All of them in our opinion are guilty of drinking from the steroid trough.
We protest the “steroid era” and like good custodians we do not accept the “everybody did it” excuse... the integrity of the game is at stake.
We were not blind. We were not fooled. And we did not stand by and look the other way while the integrity of the game was hijacked by greed.
McGwire did something wrong... he knows it... and that is why he cried in congress and stated "I don't want ot talk about the past."
He did something wrong and he must deal with the results... no Hall of Fame. PERIOD.
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CharlieE wrote: 7/1/2008 11:53:56 PM
"WestCoastGuy wrote: 2h 1m ago
I have to come down on McGwire's side on this one; after all, he didnt fail one drug test, took over the counter stuff that WAS LEGAL AT THE TIME."
What drug test? There was no drug testing in baseball in 1998.
As for his Hall of Fame prospects, his career numbers are not even close to HoF numbers. His home runs are in question, but his career batting average (.263) and hit totals (1626) are pretty average. If you're going to consider McGwire for the Hall, then you've also got to look at the likes of Phil Garner (.260, 1594 hits) or Dave Kingman (.236, 1575 hits).
McGwire, at best, qualifies for the Hall of Good.
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coop77 wrote: 7/1/2008 11:01:57 PM
Hey Macer and others who call "alleged" steroid users cheaters. When you can answer the question as to why alledged spit ball pitcher ******* Perry is in the Hall of Fame, let me know. No, I'm not doubting ******** pitching prowess but, spitballs were illegal then and now. Whereas, its never been proven that he used the spitter and its never been proven that McGwire used steroids. Yet, he's not in the Hall of Fame...go figure.
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coop77 wrote: 7/1/2008 10:31:16 PM
I agree with Nusefreek and Daily Llama. No proof...leave him alone. But frankly, if he ever admits to use, you can't cheat if there's no rule. And if he prove sorry if he does admit, he deserves his due as a Hall of Famer. If yo ever listen to my Cardinal podcast(shameless plug) Redbirds of a Feather on iTunes, you'll see I'm a huge Cardinal and McGwire fan. I hope he returns to baseball, preferably with the Cards sooner than later.
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