McGwire to play in 2010 playoffs?

[Patrick425]

Was LaRussa drunk again when he gave this interview?:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4804082

[1992casey]

Quoth LaRussa:

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"If we're in contention, we'll put him on the roster Aug. 31. It's a nice little dream," said La Russa, who's managed the perennially contending Cardinals since leaving the A's after the 1995 season.

 

"Is it likely? Probably not. I don't think it's a zero possibility...."

It's not like unusual September roster additions haven't happened before, but I can't recall a retired player being added because of postseason playoff implications. When the Brewers put Harvey Kuenn on the active roster, it was to give him more credit toward his pension.

[endaround]

It would be LaRussa sticking it to MLB for making him stop juicing his players.

[Outlander]

It would work well for McGwire. If he plays then he is taken off the HOF ballott and by the time he goes back on again at least a couple of guys who took steroids will be elected and he doesn't look as bad.

[bigredrobbo]

Off the juice, I doubt he's hitting to Big Mac land anytime soon! Big Skip Schumaker Land doesn't have the same ring!

[Funketown]

This would be fabulous. At this point, I seriously doubt Big Mac could hit a beach ball with a canoe paddle. *Insert classy joke here/*

[JimH5]

I'm reminded of Jim Palmer's attempted comeback in 1991, as a reliever with the O's. He was already in the HOF at the time, and it seemed like a pretty sincere effort, though he got lit up in Spring Training, and hung them up for good.

 

Take away the steroids and McGwire sems like a guy worth rooting for. . .it's just that we'll neer know how much of his career was authentic and how much of it was ill-gotten.

 

As for LaRussa, he just likes to stir things up, and for a mid-winter random day, this adds a little interest to the off-season. We'll see if it becomes anything during the season.

[Team Canada]

Actually Neyer had the same wild idea that Outlander did, that this would delay his candidacy til after 2013-14 when the boatload of candidates hits. And then by 2025 or whatever no one would care about steroids anymore..

[Brian the Automator]

Wow, that would be terrible. He'd be nothing but a distraction at a pivotal time in the season.

[MessiahRp]

It would stall the HOF voting by 5 years but according to Jerry Crasnick on Twitter, it doesn't reset. He would be ineligible for the HOF voting next year and would start again 5 years from re-retirement with 4 years of eligibility used up.

 

I'm more curious to see if he can even hit MLB pitching at this point.

 

Rp

[Baldkin]

It would stall the HOF voting by 5 years but according to Jerry Crasnick on Twitter, it doesn't reset. He would be ineligible for the HOF voting next year and would start again 5 years from re-retirement with 4 years of eligibility used up.

So a guy retires, sits out a year, and changes his mind -- like Gabe Kapler -- he loses years on the HoF Ballot? That seems... odd.

[whizkid]

No, a guy who just sits out a year hasn't been on the HOF ballot yet. McGwire wouldn't recoup the years he's already been on the ballot.

[Team Canada]

Thinking back, I think Neyer did say 2016-2026 or something, so maybe that's true. I think the big key though is not years of eligibility but the threat of dropping off. 4 years off would get him around the years where there'll be a ton of other people to vote for and perhaps he would drop below 5%.