Of the three sluggers chasing the Roger Maris one-season home-run record, it was more or less agreed Monday that Mark McGwire has the best chance to succeed.
Asked for his prediction on the eventual winner of the Maris derby, the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa was unusually swift with his response:
“Mark McGwire,” Sosa announced. “I have my money on him.”
Quickly, Sosa expressed regrets to Ken Griffey Jr., who is also in the Maris chase.
“I know you’re my buddy,” Sosa said to the Seattle center-fielder who was seated alongside him at a mid-afternoon press warmup for Tuesday night’s All-Star Game.
Then Sosa offered a slight disclaimer.
“Who knows?” he said. “It might be me or Griffey.”
Sosa brightened.
“If it’s me,” he said, “I’ll let you know.”
It was Griffey’s turn. Who was his choice?
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“Mark,” Griffey replied.
Why?
“He’s the biggest of the three,” Griffey said.
The questioning veered into the different types of batting styles.
Sosa explained the St. Louis first baseman has a short stroke and a seemingly effortless swing. Griffey, Sosa said, also has an easy swing and doesn’t appear to be aiming for the fences. In describing himself, Sosa made a rare admission.
Laughing, Sosa said, “If I don’t swing hard, I feel like I’m cheating myself.”
It’s possible that all three of the window-breakers will tie or exceed Maris’ 1961 record of 61 home runs in an expansion season when the schedule was increased from 154 to 162 games.
McGwire is the current leader with 37, two ahead of the Maris pace. Griffey is second with 35, which equals Maris’ production at the All-Star break. Sosa, with 33, is two games behind Maris and is coming off a 20-home run June, the most homers in one month in major-league history.
Sosa is suffering from a sore shoulder. He had to sit out Sunday’s game and also will miss the All-Star Game. He expects to be 100 percent on Friday, possibly as soon as Thursday. He was not asked if he would have a big July nor did he express any indication how he will do during the second half of the season when the degree of difficulty increases.
The three sluggers were scheduled to appear simultaneously but McGwire, for some unannounced reason, was a half-hour early and had the stage by himself.
He refused to predict how many home runs he will have at the finish. Most statisticians insist he can hit 70 or more if he isn’t injured.
“We have the longest season, 162 games, a game a day for six months,” McGwire said. “And we play a lot of these games during the hottest time of the year. When you add it all up, it takes a toll on your body.”
McGwire didn’t speculate on the late-season pressure. Thus far he has been handling the growing attention without a major problem and said “it blows my mind” when his name is coupled with Babe Ruth, Maris and Mickey Mantle.
“It makes me feel good,” he said. “I wish more ballplayers could feel that. It has been overwhelming, but I don’t think it will hit me until I retire.”
Some naysayers insist McGwire & Friends are fattening up because of the weakened pitching that always accompanies an expansion season.
But Greg Maddux, the best pitcher of his, and possibly any, era, believes the quality of today’s pitchers is not a factor.
“The pitching is as good as it has been,” said Maddux, who will make the start for the National League and appears to be en route to a fifth record Cy Young Award.
“How good are these guys?” Maddux said, repeating a question. “Over the years they have been getting bigger and stronger. That’s the difference.”
Jim Leyland, who will be managing the NL team, tipped his hat to McGwire.
“If he earns it, God bless him,” Leyland said. “And if he or Sammy (Sosa) or Griffey breaks the record, it will be great for baseball.”