batting coach will now cease to be a sideshow.
Mark McGwire's admission of steroids use while shattering
Roger Maris' season home run record in 1998 was seen by many on the team as a
first step toward rehabilitating a tattered image.
"I'm happy for him that he's taken the platform to kind
of change the last picture everybody saw of him, which was him sitting before
Congress," said catcher Mike Matheny, a teammate at the end of McGwire's career
in 2000-01. "He's one of the few guys who didn't stand up there and blatantly
lie. There's something to be said about that.
"There's more to be said about standing up like a man and
facing the music like he did today."
General manager John Mozeliak was relieved the subject
had finally been addressed.
"We knew this was going to be a difficult day, and it's
especially difficult for him," Mozeliak said in a telephone interview. "I think
you have to admire his courage and willingness to do this."
McGwire likely will appear at the team's annual Winter
Warm-up promotion, which starts Saturday and runs for three days. That might
give him the chance to apologize directly to fans.
By spring training, the team hopes, McGwire can slip into
the background and do his job.
"Fortunately, as a hitting coach it's not the same
expectations as the manager has with a face-to-face commitment to the media,"
Matheny said. "It's out in the open now and he can go do his job, which is to
help these guys out."
Taking the job as Hal McRae's replacement forced
McGwire's hand, although he took plenty of time crafting a statement after being
hired in late October.
Even if all those tape-measure shots launched during
baseball's "Summer of Love" are now unofficially listed with an asterisk, head coach Tony La
Russa spoke glowingly of McGwire's qualifications as the team's new batting
instructor.
"No one on the teams I managed worked harder or better
than Mark," La Russa said. "And now his willingness to admit mistakes, express
his regret, and explain the circumstances that led him to use steroids add to my
respect for him."
La Russa was McGwire's manager virtually all his 16-year
career in both Oakland and St. Louis. Also his fiercest defender, angrily
circling the wagons after the AP reported that McGwire used androstenedione
during his then-record 70-homer season in '98. Andro, as it was known, was made
a controlled substance until 2004, when it also was banned by baseball.
The manager said he didn't know until Monday that
McGwire used steroids, which weren't banned by baseball until the year after
McGwire's retirement.
"I've defended Mark because I observed him develop his
unique power-hitting skill through a rigorous physical and fundamental workout
program," La Russa said. "He has a lot to offer our team as our hitting coach."
Team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said the 46-year-old
McGwire did the "right thing."
"No one condones what Mark did more than 10 years ago,"
DeWitt said. "But we hired him as our hitting coach because we know there are
many contributions that Mark can and will make to our team and to this game.
"I'm glad Mark has gone public and the Cardinals welcome
him back as our hitting coach."
Albert Pujols was a rookie in 2001 and is the lone
former teammate still with the Cardinals. He declined comment on McGwire's
admission through his agent Monday, although recently he credited McGwire for
helping him with concentration and focus.
Matt Holliday is among a handful of Cardinals who
already have an idea of McGwire's coaching style after hitting with him in
southern California during the last offseason. McGwire said he called both
Cardinals stars on Monday.
"I think he'll do great. He's a very good communicator,"
Holliday said. "I think people are very interested to see what he has to say,
and he's someone I think everyone will respect."