Mark, just apologize.

You owe this to your new employer, who is giving you an opportunity to work in the majors as a hitting coach. Most ex-players have to work in the minors before getting a shot to coach in the majors. You get a free pass to the big show -- no doubt in part to your friendship with Tony La Russa. He and the front office are showing you tremendous support considering your  alleged steroid use and your lack of willingness to address the situation.

You owe this to the St. Louis fans, who have stuck by you for the most part even after you wilted before Congress on that fateful St. Patrick's Day in 2005. The fans' rabid support of the team allowed the club to sign you to a lucrative long-term contract and helped you retire a very rich man.

You owe this to baseball fans across the country who packed stadiums during your pursuit of Roger Maris's single-season home run mark in 1998 -- only to learn later that you probably cheated your way to the record books. Some fans could care less about steroids, but for those who believe it has tarnished the game, they feel like you've turned your back on them.

You owe this to your hitters and fellow coaches, who will spend time answering the same questions about your past in every major league city. Just imagine the media circus in New York. The media vultures are circling. 

Finally, you owe this to yourself. It's time to talk about the past. This is a forgiving country, especially when it comes to ex-players who come clean about past PED use. Just ask Andy Pettitte. Just ask Alex Rodriguez. Just ask Jason Giambi. No one bothers these guys on this subject any more. Hold a press conference this winter and clear the air. Address the issue before spring training begins. Ease your burden.

Perhaps you don't care what the public or the media thinks about you, but you could make life miserable for everyone in the Cardinals organization if your silence on steroids continues.

Mark, it's time to think about other people for a change.

The clock is ticking.


Player Grades

As a kid, I always enjoyed the player grades that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch would hand out at the end of the baseball season. In the same vein, now that the dust has settled, here are the grades for our 2009 St. Louis Cardinals: 

A+
Albert Pujols -- What else can you say? El Hombre will likely take home his third MVP award this winter. Let’s hope he heals from last week’s elbow surgery and continue to inflict punishment on N.L. pitchers in 2010. One thing to watch: Will he receive a new deal that makes him the highest paid player in the game? 

Chris Carpenter -- The N.L. Comeback Player of the Year led the Senior Circuit in ERA at 2.24. I had my doubts about his durability, and aside from a stint on the DL for a rib injury, Carpenter threw 192.2 innings and won 17 games. Just think if he had stayed healthy all season long.

Adam Wainwright -- The 20-game, 19-game winner could take home his first Cy Young Award after his fabulous ‘09 campaign. He led the N.L. in wins, innings pitched and games started. He’s now established himself as one of the game’s best pitchers.

A
Skip Schumaker -- His conversion from outfielder to second baseman has simply been remarkable. He hit .303, marking the second straight .300 season as a full-time player, and his performance against lefties also improved (his average jumped 52 points to .220). It appears he’ll be the second sacker for the foreseeable future, providing stability at the position not seen since the days of Fernando Vina.

Trever Miller -- Lefties hit just .135 in 70 games against the veteran lefty. This was a terrific signing by GM John Mozeliak.

A-
Brendan Ryan -- His Gold Glove-quality defense and solid plate performance earned him the starting job after Khalil Greene's meltdown. Can Ryan repeat his performance in 2010? (Editors note: no extra credit for the mustache?)

Matt Holliday -- Aside from a rough postseason, Holliday was a terrific hitter during what was likely his short time in St. Louis. Good luck to him playing in New York or L.A. or Boston next year. Check this out.

B+
Ryan Franklin -- A late-season slide dropped the righty from the “A” column. He probably overachieved in the closer role, but he was a consistent force for most of the season. He’s probably better suited in the set-up role and it will be interesting to see if Jason Motte emerges as the team’s 9th inning man in 2010.

Joel Pineiro -- Like Franklin, a late-season slump caused Pineiro to drop slightly in these rankings. Behind his sinker, he threw a career-high 214 innings and won 15 games, which is more than most baseball folks could have possibly anticipated. He’ll likely ink a rich deal elsewhere as the Cards already have big-dollar contracts invested in Carpenter, Lohse and Wainwright and low-priced options to round out the rotation.

Yadier Molina -- He stole a career high 9 bases, which in itself is remarkable. He has become a solid hitter and with his Gold Glove defense, he has become one of the best all-around catchers in the game today.

B
Ryan Ludwick -- After a monster 2008, was it fair to expect more of the same? Probably not. He finished with 22 homers and 97 RBI -- not bad for a corner outfielder. He needs to be more consistent at the plate next season in order to provide protection behind Pujols. 

Dennys Reyes -- He was a solid, dependable lefty who provided innings all season long.

Kyle McClellan -- After a rough finish in 2008, McClellan pitched really well all season long in ‘09; hitters batted just .229 lefties (.198 against lefties). Could he fight for a spot in the rotation in 2010?

Jason LaRue -- He was a solid, dependable backup to Molina for the second straight year. Can he handle an increased workload in 2010 to help ease the burden on Molina? I’m not so sure the 35 year old (he turns 36 in March) is the man for that job.

Julio Lugo -- He was a pleasant surprise after a tough stint in Boston. Next season, he’ll be an ideal utility infielder and spot starter at second and short. His defense is suspect, but Jose Oquendo could do wonders for him with a full spring training.

Blake Hawksworth -- He was a bright spot as a midseason call-up, appearing in 30 games and limiting hitters to a .209 average. He seems to have a bright future as a starter or as a set-up man.

John Smoltz -- Although his time here was brief, Smoltz showed he can still pitch in the big leagues at 42 years old. It may be worth bringing him back as a fifth starter; he expressed interest in pitching here next season.

C+
Colby Rasmus -- I expected more from the youngster, but his first big-league season went OK as he displayed flashes of brillance. He’ll likely benefit from an offseason weight training program and could have a breakout season in 2010 as the team’s starting centerfielder.

C
Mark DeRosa -- We never saw him at his best as a wrist injury plagued him. Still, the veteran added some punch to the lineup and helped spark the team’s second-half resurgence. At the right price, I like to see him back in St. Louis in 2010. 

Mitchell Boggs -- He continues to show promise as a back-of-the-rotation or a reliever. I like what I saw from him out of the bullpen.

Jason Motte -- He was up and down all year, but finished strong down the stretch. You have to think he’ll have a chance to close games in 2010.

D
Rick Ankiel -- It’s been a rocky ride in St. Louis for Ankiel, who struggled all season long after crashing into the outfield wall in an early season game.  He’ll likely play elsewhere next season.

Joe Thurston -- He faded badly after a hot April and played in just 42 games after the All-Star break. You have to think his return is questionable as the Cards must upgrade their bench.

Brad Thompson -- The guy is moved around a lot, which is likely contributing to his inconsistency. He didn’t pitch much down the stretch. Is his run in St. Louis coming to a close?

F
Khalil Greene -- I don’t mean to pile on the guy, who is clearly going through a tough time. Still, Greene came here to be the starting shortstop and he failed to hold on to the job.

Todd Wellemeyer -- I wondered how he would pitch after a career season in 2008. As it turns out, the results were disastrous. Wellemeyer had the highest ERA (5.89) among all MLB starters.

Incomplete
Kyle Lohse -- Injuries plagued him all year long, and with the likely loss of Pineiro to free agency, Lohse will need to rebound next season if the Cards expect to repeat as division champions. He seems like a safe bet to repeat his ’08 season. 

David Freese -- Injuries limited his action at the big-league level but the St. Louis native appears likely to battle for the starting job at the hot corner in 2010.

Troy Glaus -- The Cards missed his bat all season long after a slow recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. Why did he and the club wait so long to undergo the surgery? A wasted season.

Tyler Greene -- He showed defensive brilliance but he needs to improve at the plate. He could be part of the bench mix in 2010 and push Ryan if necessary.

Nick Stavinoha -- He came up with some clutch RBIs during his two stints in St. Louis. Perhaps he could be part of the bench in 2010.

Brian Barden -- Like Thurston, Barden played exceptionally well in the early season, then faded before going to the minors for good.


What are your thoughts on McGwire? Would you change any of the player grades? 

Thanks for reading.

Gabriel Kiley is a freelance sports writer based in St. Louis. Post your comments below or follow him on Twitter.