Mac-backer La Russa not surprised by vote

ST. LOUIS -- Mark McGwire's poor showing in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility didn't surprise St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

"I kind of figured there was going to be a statement made about that situation, so I wasn't surprised, and I didn't really have an opinion," La Russa said. "I like what Tony Gwynn said. You know, this guy belongs in the Hall of Fame and, hopefully, sooner rather than later."

General manager Walt Jocketty's trade for McGwire in 1997 is perhaps his best, costing the Cardinals only three marginal players. One year later, McGwire hit 70 home runs to shatter Roger Maris' 37-year-old record.

McGwire, suspected of using steroids, was picked on only 23.5 percent of ballots in his first year of eligibility, far below the 75 percent needed.

"I'm disappointed but I'm not surprised, because I think he had a Hall of Fame career," Jocketty said. "Hopefully he gets the opportunity to get to the Hall of fame. "He was a great player and demonstrated that while he was here and in Oakland."

Second baseman Adam Kennedy, one of Cardinals' free-agent additions, met with McGwire on Jan. 12 at a charity event in California. Kennedy, a teammate of McGwire's in 1999 with the Cardinals before being traded to the Angels in 2000, said the two did not talk about the Hall of Fame.

"He seemed to be in good spirits," Kennedy said. "It was a good time. He enjoys living out there and the privacy he has, so he seemed to be doing well."

McGwire made his first public comments about the vote at the event.

He told a reporter from the Cal State Fullerton newspaper, "I had an absolutely wonderful career that I am very proud of. I'm not in control of what happens [with the Hall of Fame]; I was in control of hitting the ball."

Kennedy said McGwire "absolutely" was Hall of Fame material.

"Maybe just from playing with him or knowing the kind of person he is, you expect a little more respect for someone who did the things that he did in his time," Kennedy said.

The comments came last weekend at the team's three-day Winter Warmup fan festival.