La Russa close to extension...McGwire signed as new hitting coach

[24HOR]

McGwire comes back to baseball. Wonder if the time he put in with Holliday will help the Cardinals resign him.

And...La Russa announcement coming soon on his extension.

[Moose Milligan]

Wonder if McGwire will drop a "I'm not here to talk about the past" line or two during spring training.

Hitting sessions will include a chemistry exam.

[geschinger]

Great move, good to get McGwire back into the game.

[NewMarketSean]

How awesome is it that a guy who once had 29 HR and a .187 batting average is a hitting coach?

[oh-wee-ohs]

I really think this is a politics move to improve their chances of signing Holliday. They keep Holliday and there's a good chance that they keep Pujols too.

[Great8]

I don't remember him being anything but a great power hitter, but he does have a high career OBP (.394) and of course OPS (.982). Mediocre career BA (.263). Curious to know what his teaching philosophy will be - "Swing for the fences!"?

[Arthur_Bryant]

A funny bit about McGuire as hitting coach, on the Mariners' blog, Lookout Landing:

McGwire: You only want to swing at strikes. Take balls. Hit strikes for dingers.

McGwire: Now let's break up and practice. Group A, get in there. I want to see you guys hitting dingers. Group B, practice your dinger swings.

[RShack]

Let's watch and see how many of them start batting pigeon-toed...

[Moose Milligan]

Militant Redbird has been strangely quiet on this one.