Big Mac being resurrected (as in Mark McGwire)

A promo ran last night on one of the XM MLB channels featuring a montage of historic baseball highlights. It sounded like a generic spot produced by XM MLB radio, I can't say what its main point was, but one of the clips excitedly yelled:

• "NUMBER 70, HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU GIVE US, BIG MAC!
• NUMBER 70!!!"

It sounded like it was a tape of a live call, as did the other clips in the montage.

• Yesterday I noted an MLB.com article reminding us of the endearing qualities of "legendary slugger" Sammy Sosa, and how he might hit home runs for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

• Now I hear a promo advancing the excitement and historic achievement of Mark McGwire.

"Baseball" thought home runs would revive apathetic fans after the 1994 strike.* Not held to any standards whatsoever, "baseball" seems to be returning to that idol. Which pundits will gather at the nearest tv camera to lament the "shame" of it? Answer: None.

• *From Joel Sherman's book, "Birth of a Dynasty," page 67:

"The ball flew in April of 1996....If it was not simply a livelier ball, then there was a collaboration of factors that helped explain the phenomenon,

• including smaller ballparks and

• tiny strike zones.

The players were bigger, and more substantive discussions were ongoing about the use of illegal performance enhancers such as steroids. It all created

• a run-scoring orgy that made it open season on pitchers, which influenced how the games were being played. Starting pitchers were more averse to throwing strikes and having muscular hitters have their way."....

(Sherman's book was published in 2006 and told the story of the 1996 Yankees).

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