More seriously yet, what can a guy who never sniffed a batting title, who took enough steroids to hit more extra-base hits than singles, and who couldn’t get 2,000 career hits, teach young batters? He may or may not be beter than Hal MacRae, but he ain't that good
Update: Yahoo’s Jeff Passan has a great column on this subject. Your No. 1 pull quote is near the end of the column:
La Russa has been the steroid era’s foremost ostrich.
That leads to this follow-up:
He may believe that if he declares McGwire’s past off-limits, and McGwire does the same, the issue will go away. ... Only McGwire is the exception. Steroids define him more than Alex Rodriguez(notes), more than David Ortiz, more than Ramirez – nearly as much as Bonds.
Passan calls on Big Mac to be a “real hero” on this issue, but I ain't holding my breath.
Why? Why? Why?
My guess is, after dithering about whether to return or not, 2010 is Tony the Red’s last year as Cardinal skipper, and this is his good-bye present to Big Mac: an attempted shot at repentance-free atonement.
Meanwhile, Ozzie Smith stands as still marginalized by La Russa. And, the Wiz, who learned how to hit within himself under Whitey Herzog, could teach more about hitting than McGwire.
Now, he probably is not looking for that position. But, this has to be another slap.
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