St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa believes Mark McGwire would have been a premier home run hitter in the 1990s with or without the steroids. La Russa said in an interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday night that the key to McGwire's success, even when breaking Roger Maris' home run record in 1998, was improved mechanics in his swing and not a drug-fueled power boost.
Archive for January 12th, 2010
Gossage: No Hall for McGwire, PED users (AP)
Goose Gossage watched Mark McGwire's televised confession to steroids use and was happy his former teammate came clean. That's where the praise ended, with the Hall of Fame reliever saying there should be no place in Cooperstown for McGwire or any other player who used performance-enhancing drugs.
White Sox hang on to C Castro for $1M (AP)
Free-agent catcher Ramon Castro has agreed to return to the Chicago White Sox for a $1 million, one-year contract. Castro gets $800,000 this year, and the White Sox have a $1.2 million option for 2011 with a $200,000 buyout. Castro came to the White Sox in a trade from the New York Mets last May for pitcher Lance Broadway.
Bonds’ son pleads not guilty to battery (AP)
The 20-year-old son of former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds has pleaded not guilty to five misdemeanor charges related to a fight with his mother. Nikolai Bonds was accompanied by his famous father when he appeared at San Mateo County Superior Court on Tuesday. Police say Nikolai Bonds threw a doorknob at his mother, 45-year-old Sun Bonds, and spit in her face during a Dec.
Indians sign 2B Grudzielanek (AP)
Former Gold Glove-winning second baseman Mark Grudzielanek has signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. A .290 career hitter, Grudzielanek did not play in the majors last season. He spent 2009 in Minnesota's minor league system after signing with the Twins in July. In 2008, he batted .299 with three homers and 24 RBIs in 86 games for the Kansas City Royals.
McGwire admits using steroids in 1998 (AP)
Ending more than a decade of denials and evasion, former major league slugger Mark McGwire admitted Monday that steroids and human growth hormone helped make him a home run king. "The toughest thing is my wife, my parents, close friends have had no idea that I hid it from them all this time," McGwire told The Associated Press in an emotional, 20-minute interview.
