No complaints
Mac: Second place in HR chase wouldn't be so bad
Posted: Tuesday September 15, 1998 08:32 PM
| |
Mark McGwire: "I've seen some of the headlines: 'Stuck on 62.' We've spoiled these people. Holy mackerel. I get singles now and they're, like, boo. I want to hit .300." AP |
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Mark McGwire
swears he won't mind if he finishes second to Sammy Sosa in the
home run chase.
"If he's ahead or I'm ahead, I would not have one complaint, one iota,"
McGwire said. "You know what? All I can do is control what I do."
Entering Tuesday night's doubleheader against Pittsburgh, McGwire had
just three singles in 18 at-bats in six games since hitting homer No. 62,
and had been caught by Sammy Sosa.
He also sat out the first game, in part to protect a bad back that forced
him out of a game in Houston after four innings on Sunday.
"Whatever I end up with, I end up with," McGwire said. "And does it make
it any less if I don't lead it? No."
McGwire has had a pair of 29 at-bat homer droughts this year, but winces
when they're mentioned. He prefers to look at the big picture.
"I've seen some of the headlines: 'Stuck on 62.' We've spoiled these
people," McGwire said. "Holy mackerel. I get singles now and they're, like,
boo. I want to hit .300."
McGwire entered the day batting .292 and wants to hit .300 for the third
time in his career. He said if he needs a home run to tie Sosa for the
title on his final at-bat of the season and also needed a hit to top .300,
he'd go for average.
McGwire wants people to know about the friendship that he's developed
with Sosa. Sosa ran from right field to embrace McGwire when he hit No. 62
in St. Louis; McGwire telephoned Sosa for a congratulatory call on Monday,
the day after Sosa hit two to tie the race.
"I won't tell you what we said, but I know what he's feeling and I know
what he's going through," McGwire said. "There's two weeks left and all we
can do is our best."
McGwire and Sosa genuinely like each other.
"So much has been said about guys being stuck on themselves and all they
think about is their stats and how much money they make," McGwire said.
"Now, all of a sudden, the country is looking at two guys from two
different countries coming together with total respect and understanding of
what they're going through."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
