Baseball

Ex-Rays manager McRae to join NL champs as coach

By MARC TOPKIN
Published December 6, 2004

ST. PETERSBURG - Former Devil Rays manager Hal McRae is heading back to the dugout as hitting coach of the NL champion St. Louis Cardinals.

McRae, whose hiring is expected to be announced today, managed the Rays to a 113-196 record over the 2001-02 seasons. He spent the past two years as a special assistant to Rays general manager Chuck LaMar.

McRae, who also managed the Royals, has been a hitting coach with the Expos, Reds and Phillies and was eager for a chance to return to the field.

"I was hoping to get a call," McRae said.

The Cardinals had an opening after dismissing Mitchell Page, who subsequently was treated for alcoholism.

Meanwhile, the Rays head into what could be a busy week as winter meetings open Friday.

First, they have to decide by Tuesday's deadline whether to try to retain any of their five remaining free agents: first baseman Tino Martinez, backup catcher Brook Fordyce, infielder Rey Sanchez and pitchers John Halama and Todd Ritchie. If they aren't signed by then or offered arbitration, which seems unlikely, the players essentially are being let go as they can't rejoin the Rays until May 1.

After Tuesday, the Rays will have a better idea of which free agents to pursue based on what players are offered arbitration by their teams and require draft-pick compensation.

Also, the Rays still are talking about acquiring veteran catcher Charles Johnson from Colorado. The Rockies are willing to pay $8.25-million of Johnson's $9-million salary but don't want to pay a $1-million bonus he gets for being traded. The Rays don't want to pay it, either. Johnson, who has a limited no-trade clause, has yet to give his approval for the deal.

ATLANTA - Hank Aaron, who has long supported Giants slugger Barry Bonds, now says he is disturbed by Bonds' reported statements to a grand jury investigating a California lab for illegal steroids distribution.

Based on testimony illegally leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds told the grand jury he wasn't aware that a clear substance and a cream given to him by his trainer contained steroids. He said he thought the substances were a nutritional supplement and a rubbing balm for arthritis.

"First, since I played the game myself, I know that you can't put something in your body to make you hit a fastball, changeup or curveball," Aaron told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"The only person who can do that is the good Lord. But, at that age (40), you have to ask: Did he accomplish all of this by rejuvenating his strength from day to day with those substances? I know that when you reach a certain age, you just don't bounce back as quickly as you think you can when you're playing all of those games."

Aaron added, "Any way you look at it, it's wrong."

Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has threatened to pursue federal legislation if baseball doesn't toughen its drug-testing rules, said he believes President Bush would sign a bill into law.

"There's not a doubt in my mind. He'd love to," McCain said, adding that Bush, too, would prefer for baseball to act on its own.

The players' union begins its executive board meetings today and is expected to discuss testing.

PAVANO ON ROAD: Right-hander Carl Pavano met with Yankees officials and Reggie Jackson last weekend, then was scheduled to travel to Baltimore to meet with the Orioles. The free agent also has met with Boston and Detroit.

DODGERS: Free-agent outfielder Ricky Ledee is near an agreement, Los Angeles' Daily News reported.

Information from Times wires was used in the report.

[Last modified December 6, 2004, 00:10:20]