McGwire returns to baseball, offers fresh apology to fans

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Mark McGwire’s first day on the job began with a wrong turn into the media room instead of the spring training clubhouse. It ended with another apology for steroid use.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ new batting coach spent time in the batting cage with hitters, sat in on a lengthy staff meeting and then answered questions from reporters for more than 15 minutes. He left more than six hours later Wednesday, but not before signing several autographs.

The 46-year-old McGwire seemed at ease in his first extended media availability since admitting a month ago that he used steroids and human growth hormone during his remarkable home run power surge in the 1990s. Echoing remarks he made in January, several times he asked for forgiveness as he seeks to rehabilitate a tarnished image.

“It’s something I regret,” McGwire said. “I can’t say I’m sorry enough to everybody in baseball and across America, and whoever watches this great game.

“I think people understand how truly sorry I was for what I did.”

McGwire refused to back off his assertion, much criticized, that steroids allowed him to recover from injuries and stay on the field, but didn’t help him break Roger Maris’ single season home run record in 1998.

McGwire said it was the evolution of his swing and not a body enhanced by drugs that enabled him to hit 70 homers that year, smashing Maris’ 37-year-old record of 61, and 65 more in 1999.

“Like I’ve said, people are going to have their opinions,” McGwire said. “Listen, it got me the opportunity to get out there and get more at-bats, and I got the chance to play.”

Still, he said, he felt he owed it to the Maris family to call them before his steroids admission became public, saying it was the “right thing to do.” He said Pat Maris, Roger Maris’ widow was “upset and disappointed.”

McGwire said his team was a source of instant understanding after his confession. Especially manager Tony La Russa, a staunch supporter over the years.