Cardinals Taking Big Gamble By Bringing Back McGwire

Mark McGwire has not been in a Major League baseball uniform for nearly a decade. That will change at the beginning of spring training next year when he will again be wearing the familiar colors of the St. Louis Cardinals.

McGwire has been hired to become the next hitting coach for the Cardinals. It is a big gamble for an organization that likes to fly under the radar when it comes to controversy. With Big Mac back, there will be plenty of media descending on St. Louis this year.

The risk is equally as dangerous for McGwire. At a time when the public was searching for answers on the steroid issue, McGwire ducked into the background. He never has made any sort of concessions to when, or why, he used substance enhancing drugs.

Now, McGwire will have to answer these questions. The media will hound him for the entire season should he decide to leave the past in the past. At some point, perhaps sooner than later, McGwire will have to give the answers that fans have been waiting for.

Of course, there could be an upside to McGwire's return to baseball. Hall of Fame voters have been emphatically denying McGwire anywhere near the amount of votes needed to gain entrance into the Hall. If McGwire shows remorse, and begins serving the game as an ambassador against steroids, that could change voters' views.

McGwire has been working with hitters even though he has not officially been a coach. Last summer, McGwire worked with Matt Holliday, who ironically played the end of last season with St. Louis and is a free agent that the Cardinals are looking to re-sign this off season.

He has also worked with several other players including Skip Shumacher of the Cardinals. McGwire felt that the time has come to return to the game he once dominated, and like A-Rod, McGwire has enough public support to overcome his steroid plagued past. All he has to do is come clean.

October 26, 2009
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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