News Conference Planned For McGwire

When the St. Louis Cardinals hired Mark McGwire as batting coach, the team said the former home run king would participate in a telephone news conference "sooner rather than later."

A team spokesman said Thursday that the team hopes to schedule the news conference after the World Series.

Manager Tony La Russa announced that he had hired McGwire on the same day La Russa agreed to a one-year contract to return for a 15th season. At that news conference, general manager John Mozeliak said the team would not make an effort to shield McGwire from questions about steroids.

The now 46-year-old McGwire retired after the 2001 season, three years after hitting 70 homers to break Roger Maris' 37-year-old record. Albert Pujols endorsed the hire in a radio interview with WXOS-FM on Thursday.