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| St. Louis Sports Online |
Mark Mc Gwire is special; perhaps the most dominant player in the game.
During the winter months, debate raged as to whether or not he could make a legitimate run at Roger Maris' single season home record.
Breaking down the numbers, Big Mac needed to average a minimum of ten home runs a month and then pick up two more somewhere along the line to collect the coveted 62.
As this piece is written, the calendar has not turned to June. Yet, #25 has hit twenty-five home runs. Perhaps more remarkable, he has driven in 61 RBI's while opposing teams have issued 55 bases on balls to McGwire at this time.
My calculator tells me that if this pace continues, Big Mac will finish 1998 with 83 homers, 202 RBIs and 182 walks; all major league records.
This of course, is assuming he remains healthy and will get some degree of protection in the batting order by his teammates.
Should this scenario plays itself out, Mc Gwire could make things quite exciting in the Gateway City during the month of September.
Will Mc Gwire be the only point of interest for the Cardinals this September?? Actually this is the real question.
The Redbirds are currently one game over .500 and 5 games out in the National League Central. Aside from watching the McGwire air show, one would have to classify the first two months of the season as disappointing.
The pitching staff is in shambles with injuries and ineffectiveness.
The bullpen has been erratic and frustrating.
Memorial Day is traditionally the first benchmark for a baseball team during the long season. At first glance the team does not appear to be too far off the mark. After all, the Red Birds are in a mediocre division without a pure dominant team.
Also, the team still has many games remaining with those divisional rivals ahead of them in the standings. The Birds have yet to play Houston, have played only two games with Milwaukee, and have yet welcomed the Cubs to Busch Stadium this season.
These are all good things.
However, so far in 1998, the Redbirds are 9-15 away from Busch. This record includes two trips to Philadelphia and one time shots in Montreal, Colorado, and Pittsburgh. Road Warriors this team has not been in '98.
Also, the Pitching Staff has been as aggravating as local bridge traffic. At this writing, the team's Earned Run Average exceeds five runs per game. Only woeful Florida and Coors Field own Colorado Rockies have worse mound performances than our Birds.
How bad is it? Right now Mark Petkovsek is the Number 2 starter and Juan Acevedo must be considered as the team's closer with the uncertainty of Jeff Brantley.
These are bad things.
Hopefully, the ugly need not be addressed-but we'll reserve comment to a later date!!
In any event, June will be a pivotal month for the Red Birds. The team will play 21 of the upcoming 30 games from their suitcases, starting with the a series in San Diego, the leaders of the Western Division.
This month the Cards will be racking up frequent flyer miles with a west coast road trip, a series at the Great Indoors of the Astrodome, and visits to Cleveland, Minnesota, and Chicago's Comiskey.
You know that McGwire will see more and more bases on balls.
ATTENTION: Brian Jordan and Ray Lankford, come on down-it's your turn to bat behind Mark McGwire. You know you'll see good pitches!! If the Number 4 batter does not respond, Mc Gwire's turn at the plate will look like a Monopoly game: go straight to first base and do not collect a time at bat.
June may be busting out all over for Mark McGwire but could be a bust for his teammates.
Yes, it is a long season: some 110 games remaining, and yes, it is not time to overreact.
But with 30% of the season is in the book, the Red Birds have almost lost as many games as they have won. The fourth of July will be the next benchmark.
Until then, I'll leave you with this half-full or half-empty glass analogy for your consideration:
On July 4: I wonder how many home runs Mark Mc Gwire will have??
Or on July 4: I wonder how much higher the Red Birds ERA will be??
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Huss hosts "Sportstalk" on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 pm, on WGNU AM-920, St. Louis.
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