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Is it really a good idea to make Mark McGwire the hitting coach for Albert Pujols?

AllenAllen Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
There have been enough eyebrows raised by Pujols' feats and his Mac-tastic bulging forearms. Bringing in the pioneer of the steroid era to be his hitting coach just seems like a bad idea. What if Albert has a monster power year, what is everyone going to say? What if he picks up 15 more pounds of muscle? Doesn't matter how he did it- h will be guilty by association. The La Russa comes out and says he had no idea Mark McGwire used steroids which leads me to believe that Pujols could be doing anything and La Russa would have no clue. This just seems like such a bad idea and I see no way it can work out well for Albert Pujols.

Comments

  • TheVonTheVon Posts: 2,725 ✭
    Not only that, but he was a career .263 hitter who struck out almost as often as he got a hit.
  • BCarltonBCarlton Posts: 29


    << <i>Not only that, but he was a career .263 hitter who struck out almost as often as he got a hit. >>



    True, but batting average is a terrible way of judging a batter, as it would overlook his 1317 walks (which are just as good as a hit) and his career .394 OBP (good for 78th all time, and better than guys with high batting averages like Rod Carew). Does this make him qualified to be a hitting coach? Probably not, but not because his batting average was low, but because really good or great former players typically make poor coaches.
  • sagardsagard Posts: 1,899 ✭✭✭
    Pujols is already guilty by association. Am I to believe that a guy like him is so superior naturally that he has been the best in the league? Better than all the juicers?

    Baseball doesn't do blood work and doesn't really even try to catch doping.

    Getting Big Mac is fine, he presence isn't going to change baseball either way.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    image
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,689 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does Albert need any kind of hitting tips from anyone? I dont think Big Mac is going to even try to teach Albert anything...

    As far as Tony Larussa and "Not Knowing" it is one of these... Dont look, dont see it, dont want to know anything just crush the ball and Im ok.
  • markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
    What difference does it make who his hitting coach is?
  • sagardsagard Posts: 1,899 ✭✭✭


    << <i>...As far as Tony Larussa and "Not Knowing" it is one of these... >>



    image That was the biggest joke of the press conference.

    BM: Hey Tony.
    TL: Hey Big Mac.
    BM: (giggling) I guess it turns out I was on the juice those 10 years I worked with you.
    TL: (lol) NO WAY! I am shocked. SHOCKED I SAY.
    BM: See you in Florida.
    TL: Cool. Hope the family is well.
  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>What difference does it make who his hitting coach is? >>



    Does it EVER make a difference who the hitting coach is?
    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • lanemyer85lanemyer85 Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭
    Rudy Jaramillo has quite the loyal following...
  • AllenAllen Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭
    It is not that he will teach him anything, it is the fact that he will be in the clubhouse with him. I may not be a drug dealer, but if I hire a tennis coach who is a drug dealer and I hang around him all the time at the country club, people may not believe me when I tell them my eyes are red from swimming in the pool.
  • MCMLVToppsMCMLVTopps Posts: 4,841 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think Big Mack is in for a very rude awakening as he travels with the Cards. He is going to have to endure taunts from the fans that may make him wish he'd stayed out of the baseball spotlight. I agree with the orginal poster, what is Mack gonna teach Pujols? Nada. Perhaps Big Mack could have educated some minor leaguers and done some good, but I will be very surprised if his upcoming "experience" will be enjoyable.

    I still think his mea culpa thing is BS. The only thing I can figure is it's his only remote shot at the HOF, which any cheater does not deserve, OR, have it etched at the bottom of his plaque "admitted steroid user".
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    This thread has potential.

    image
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • VintageCardLoverVintageCardLover Posts: 584 ✭
    well at least they already have someting in common :0)
  • lsutigers1973lsutigers1973 Posts: 11,093 ✭
    Those who can't do, teach
  • SabermanSaberman Posts: 677


    << <i>Those who can't do, teach >>



    And those who can't do, nor teach, live in Louisiana and sell baseball cards image


    But really, a hitting coach at the MLB level is almost pure window dressing, created as a job for nearly the sole purpose of being the perfect scapegoat for when things go bad.



    Are you sure about that five minutes!?
  • VintageCardLoverVintageCardLover Posts: 584 ✭
    first post is to bash a board member, stay classy.
  • stownstown Posts: 11,321 ✭✭✭
    How come Fandango's Pujols senses haven't gone off yet?

    image
    So basically my kid won't be able to go to college, but at least I'll have a set where the three most expensive cards are of a player I despise ~ CDsNuts
  • VintageCardLoverVintageCardLover Posts: 584 ✭
    he must have his nose buried in jockstrap somewhere lol.
  • SabermanSaberman Posts: 677
    Vintage card lover, when somebody bashes an entire profession with that ignorant comment, "those who can't do, teach," you should be jumping on him...not me.

    The odd thing is that the ignorant comment does not even fit with McGwire becoming a hitting coach. McGwire could certainly DO, as pre steroids he was still a heckuva hitter. Even in the .230 batting average years(where MLB was not a high octane offensive enivronment those years), he was still better than average.

    His worst year before the roids, he had an OPS+ of .103. His OPS from '86-1991(which is suppose to be the pre steroid McGwire), he had an OPS+ of 135. So he certainly could do. Something certainly did help him in the second half of his career(but that isn't the point here).

    The point is, when you make a comment to somebody to stay classy, at least be fair, and tell the other guy who made an ignorant comment the same. No need to be protecting a boyfriend.

    Are you sure about that five minutes!?
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,061 ✭✭✭
    Is Saberman another Fandango alt?
  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I think Big Mack is in for a very rude awakening as he travels with the Cards. He is going to have to endure taunts from the fans that may make him wish he'd stayed out of the baseball spotlight. I agree with the orginal poster, what is Mack gonna teach Pujols? Nada. Perhaps Big Mack could have educated some minor leaguers and done some good, but I will be very surprised if his upcoming "experience" will be enjoyable.

    I still think his mea culpa thing is BS. The only thing I can figure is it's his only remote shot at the HOF, which any cheater does not deserve, OR, have it etched at the bottom of his plaque "admitted steroid user". >>



    If anything, it completely obliterated any shot he had at the HOF. After all, you don't see anyone lobbying for Michael Johnson (the Olympics guy who got caught doing 'roids) to go into the Olympics HOF (if there is one). And now we know for sure that Mr. McGwire did indeed take 'roids AND did so during his peak. So how can we in good conscience vote him in now?
    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭✭
    Estil,
    What are you talking about? Michael Johnson did not get caught doing roids. The guy who held the 200 mark before Bolt. I'm certainly not aware of this.
  • SabermanSaberman Posts: 677
    Larryallen,

    My comments stand for truth, justice, and the American way. I don't see how you can compare solid logic with that of a jock sniffing crazy fan of Albert Pujols like Fandango.

    Vintagecardcollector needs to apply his theories to everyone, not just guys he doesn't know. If my comment was classless, then so was LSUTIGERS comment. Be fair, be straight.


    By the way, I have posted here plenty of times before here, and Fandango I am not. I stand for truth in baseball evaluation. He is a guy with man goo on his chin.
    Are you sure about that five minutes!?
  • TomGshotputTomGshotput Posts: 1,358


    << <i> And now we know for sure that Mr. McGwire did indeed take 'roids AND did so during his peak. So how can we in good conscience vote him in now? >>



    With the same conscience "we" voted for other drug users. . .
    Tom
  • TomGshotputTomGshotput Posts: 1,358


    << <i>It is not that he will teach him anything, it is the fact that he will be in the clubhouse with him. I may not be a drug dealer, but if I hire a tennis coach who is a drug dealer and I hang around him all the time at the country club, people may not believe me when I tell them my eyes are red from swimming in the pool. >>



    If the country club hires a drug dealing tennis instructor, who would care if the hiring had any impact on the drug choices you make?
    Tom
  • AllenAllen Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>It is not that he will teach him anything, it is the fact that he will be in the clubhouse with him. I may not be a drug dealer, but if I hire a tennis coach who is a drug dealer and I hang around him all the time at the country club, people may not believe me when I tell them my eyes are red from swimming in the pool. >>



    If the country club hires a drug dealing tennis instructor, who would care if the hiring had any impact on the drug choices you make? >>



    This isn't supposed to be an argument right?
  • EstilEstil Posts: 7,058 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I think Big Mack is in for a very rude awakening as he travels with the Cards. He is going to have to endure taunts from the fans that may make him wish he'd stayed out of the baseball spotlight. >>



    Surely he had seen the way Mr. Bonds was treated when he played road games where the opposing fans would wave asterisk cards and giant syringes at him, right? So I'm sure similar treatment will not come as a total shock to Big Mac.
    WISHLIST
    D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
    Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
    74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
    73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
    95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
  • BlackborderBlackborder Posts: 2,797 ✭
    They need someone to blame when they find all those syringes in Pujols locker.
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