La Russa Signs Extension With Cardinals

McGwire would definitely bring something extra special to the hitting coach role. It comes in a syringe.

Duncan stays then as well?

probably some extra revenue for the big mac sign out in LF too. need $$ for pujols andall the other upcoming FAs

Although you can say he will pump up the team, his close connection with Skip Schumaker has had no affect on his power thus far.

Well back on topic. I am glad to see LaRussa's contract extended and they FINALLY got rid of McRae.

now, te cubs should hire sammy sosa to be their hitting coach. Then at the end of the year, we will see which team hit more HRs. :)

I hope they know something I don't. Being a good hitter doesn't mean somebody will be a good hitting coach.

The good player will automatically be a good coach/manager delusion has been replayed so many times that it's comical. Pete Rose, one of the greatest players of all time, had to become a great Manager. Right? Right?

Duncan will be back if TLR is Big Mac could at least draw a walk when he wanted too...see how it plays out it is bust Onley for christ sake.....

So if taking steroids makes you a better hitter, then why were there a lot of mashers with high obp from being walked, and high hr totals sitting around with low averages and hr totals prob 1/3 of their toal hits? Maybe because the steroids were for power, and the people who could actually hit, hit the bal FURTHER not more consistently with steroids, jesus christ are you serious.

McGuire worked with Holliday... when he was sucking...
then Holliday went back to his old methods, and starting hitting again, and then got traded shortly after.

he also worked with bobby crosby...
who somehow managed to get worse this year

There's a perfectly good explanation for those players sucking under his tutelage.

He only knows how to stick a needle in his arm. Outside of that, he's a lost puppy.

Its clear that before he got hurt in the early 90s, he wasnt on roids. From 87-92 show what kind of hitter he truly was: Jay Buhner.

Wow, now MLBTR is PREDICTING mlb news feed.

Mac is a roid-infested stooge

so larussa, torre, and cox are all possibly retiring after 2010? those are some big names and big jobs opening up... possibly. (farve and jordan have kind of ruined "retirement" for me)

Mac has worked with Skip Schumacker the last two off seasons and Skip has batted .300 both seasons I believe.

And last time I checked mac has not been linked to anything like aroid...maybe he did, maybe it was the andro which was legal at time...who cares. this sport has so much crap going on its not funny.

"I know it's a little off topic, but although McGwire may or may not have been in steroids, you still have to know how to hit if you want to succeed like he did.I think that hiring him as the hitting coach would be a good move for the Cards."

I don't know whether or not McGwire will be a good coach, I don't really have an opinion on that particular signing, but I totally agree with your first point. It isn't like you or I could roid up and make the major leagues. You still have to be able to hit. Not excusing it, but it is wrong to think a guy who has steroid questions wouldn't have been any good without them.

Aroid has been linked and confessed. Mac has not been linked or confessed (and prob would not unless linked to be real and honest). Just stating facts. Don't get your panties in a bunch.

I don't think I implied that Mac did not do them. Said maybe he did, maybe he didn't. However he is one of the few guys who's numbers did not change all that much over his career. But I am not gonna talk about the past :)

And my hometown guy is not Mac...that would be El Hombre. He I would put money on being clean. Mac not so much...

Why not get someone like Larry Walker? He could at least hit over .250.

"Androstenedione was manufactured as a dietary supplement, often called andro (or andros) for short. Sports Illustrated credits Patrick Arnold for introducing androstenedione to the North American market.[2] Andro was legal and able to be purchased over the counter and consequently it was common use in Major League Baseball throughout the 1990s by record-breaking sluggers like Mark McGwire. The supplement is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and hence from the Olympic Games.

On March 12, 2004, the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 was introduced into the United States Senate. It amended the Controlled Substance Act to place both anabolic steroids and prohormones on a list of controlled substances, making possession of the banned substances a federal crime. The law took effect on January 20, 2005. Surprisingly, andro was legally defined as an anabolic steroid, even though there is scant evidence that androstenedione itself is anabolic in nature.

On April 11, 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of Andro, citing that the drug poses significant health risks commonly associated with steroids.

Androstenedione is currently banned by the US military.[3]
[edit] Biological Effects

Androstenedione has been shown to increase serum testosterone levels over an eight-hour period in men when taken as a single oral dose of 300mg per day, but a 100mg dose had no significant effect on serum testosterone. However, serum levels of estradiol increased following both the 100mg and 300mg doses. The study also reported that the serum level of estrogens and testosterone produced varied widely between individuals.[4] A 2006 review paper summarized several studies which examined the effect of androstenedione on strength training. At dosages of 50mg or 100mg per day, andro had no effect on muscle strength or size, or on body fat levels. One study utilized a daily dosage of 300mg of androstenedione combined with several other supplements, and also found no increase in strength when compared to a control group that did not take the supplements. The review authors speculate that sufficiently high doses may indeed lead to increased muscle size and strength. However, due to the federal ban on androstenedione supplements, it is difficult to carry out new research on its positive and negative effects. The review authors conclude that individuals should not use androstenedione supplements due to the lack of evidence of beneficial effects, the wide variation in individual responses to the supplement, and the risk of unknown side effects.[5]

Because androstenedione is converted in part to estrogens, people taking this supplement may have estrogenic side-effects, although none of the studies cited above used a sufficiently high dosage to draw any conclusions."

You morons hating on Big Mac, really take the cake on special ed. HE TOOK IT WHEN IT WAS LEGAL REGARDLESS OF EFFECT! Not to mention the man just flat out knew how to hit. I love this move. The real fans know what i mean

hugecardsfan: I agree it is a great move...He'll have to deal with a few questions in spring training then it will all be gone. He played the game for a long time and was a great hitter. He's a pleasure to be around and the fans in St. Louis will adore him and during road games the opposing fans probably won't even notice he's in the dugout.

Great to have you back MAC!

La russa good deal for you.

But sooner or later you will have to retire and somebody will take over.

Posted by: kooopeeeer | October 26, 2009 at 03:41 PM

Really? thanks for the inside information.

hugecardsfan: I agree it is a great move...He'll have to deal with a few questions in spring training then it will all be gone.

He will have to deal with questions for sure. But he survived the '98 media frenzy ok. I think he will be just fine. The people that verbally crucify him now, are the same ones who were at the edge of their seats during his '98 run. At least he started his career a power hitter and not a tall skinny lead-off hitter that played centerfield with 15-25 hr's and 20-50 STOLEN BASE lines, only to blow up muscles everywhere and hit 70 HR's with minimal speed. Sound like a worthless Pirate/Giant anyone know?lol

stlcards16
I was a huge McGwire fan and am a huge Cardinals fan. BUt McGwire is not a good or disciplined hitter because he had a good on base percentage, he was intentially walked. He didn't draw a walk. Maybe you should look at his career hits versus his career strike outs before you trash other people.
And Larry Walker was an excellent hitter for average, for power and a smart situational hitter, I'd take any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Dickhead.

BLAH BLAH BLAH roy... c'mon.

Kevin Long-Batting Coach for yanks...who? Pretty good team. But who is Long..lol

Milt Thompson-Batting coach for phils...Milt..lol decent off the bench guy.lol

Dave Magadan--Red sox..Not too bad but not memorable either..

This list goes on...and on. Crappy players, but they know the game.

u see the point yet...good teams, mediocre coaches. Big Mac; elite status in his day, screw the asterik. I'm sure knowledge of the game and inside the batters box, will only help this team.

I understandthat Mac has been working out every day. I feel that he might be able to help. Also, with Albert on the mend, we migh have a shot next year.

LaRussa is a great manager and i'm very happy to have him back for at least another year. The people who worry about finding another manager need to look at the cards 3b coach. He's ready to step in when Tony retires.