At Mark McGwire’s first public appearance since admitting to steroids he received a standing ovation from fans but evaded hard-hitting questions from reporters.

From ESPN.com:

His scheduled news conference, however, was shifted to an overcrowded hallway at the last minute, and McGwire evaded questions about the criticism he’s received from ex-players. The former home run king emphasized repeatedly he was ready to move on.

Dressed in jeans, a sweater and running shoes, the 46-year-old McGwire walked on stage to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, the hard-rock song played before his at-bats with the Cardinals.

He was cheered by fans who secured seats as much as 3½ hours earlier.

This is already playing out poorly. While McGwire’s confession was admirable, his claims that steroids didn’t increase his hitting power are ridiculous. Reporters are going to continue hammering him with embarrassing questions until he states the obvious.

Tony La Russa will be back next year to manage the St. Louis Cardinals.

Per ESPN.com:

“I’m coming to an understanding of what I’m doing and intend to get it settled one way or the other shortly,” La Russa told the Post-Dispatch.

La Russa, who during the offseason lives in Alamo, Calif., east of Oakland, was scheduled to arrive in St. Louis for a Bruce Springsteen concert Sunday night.

The 65-year-old La Russa has been mulling his future since the NL Central champion Cardinals were swept in the division series by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 10. His two-year, $8.5 million contract expires at the end of the month.

La Russa is obviously one of the top managers in the game, so Cardinals fans should be more than pleased. Still, does the team really need to give Mark McGwire a job? The Cards have fired hitting coach Hal McRae and are considering McGwire as his replacement.

Why bring in McGwire? The team should just take tips from Albert Pujols.