McGwire, Cardinals Agree to $30 Million Deal

J U P I T E R, Fla., March 1, 2001 -- Big Mac is getting some big bucks.

Still, it's nowhere near what he would command on the free-agentmarket.

Mark McGwire and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed today to atwo-year extension worth about $30 million.

"I was telling my son the other day that I was going to signthis deal … basically averaging $15 million a year and people aregoing to talk about how I'm going to be underpaid," McGwire said.

"That's pretty ridiculous. It's a lot of money. I hate talkingabout it. I'm not out here trying to set precedents. I'm just doingwhat I think is right."

The new deal runs through 2003, the season McGwire could beapproaching Hank Aaron's home-run record of 755.

"I had no desire to play anywhere other than St. Louis,"McGwire said. "In my mind, there is no better place to be if youare a baseball player."

Seventh on Career Home-Run List

McGwire, 37, missed most of the second half of last season witha knee injury and had surgery during the offseason, but has beenhealthy this wpring.

McGwire and the Cardinals were talking about an extension thatwould pay him $14 million in 2002 and $16 million the followingyear, according to two baseball officials familiar with thenegotiations who spoke on the condition they not be identified.

"We could not be more pleased," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWittJr. said. "From day one, it has been a real'pleasure working withMark. He offers a great perspective when it comes to contractnegotiations, and he takes a real interest in securing a deal thathe believes to be fair not only for himself, but also for theteam."

McGwire negotiated the extension himself with the Cardinals anddid not go through his agent, Bob Cohen.

"I don't think it took anything but 25 minutes to do thedeal," McGwire said. "It's that simple. A guy in my position,what do you need to do? You just talk about it. He knows what I cando; everybody knows what I can do. We thought this was fair andthat's what it came down to.

"I'm happy where I'm at, that's the bottom line."

Big Mac is seventh on the career home-run list with 554, just201 behind Aaron, and would have to average 67 homers in the nextthree seasons to tie the mark.

McGwire set the single-season record with 70 homers in 1998,then hit 65 the following year. He hit 32 last season in just 236at-bats.

Sidestepping Free Agency

With an average salary of about $15 million, McGwire will rankabout eighth in baseball.

He could have commanded far more money if he became a free agent afterthis season, perhaps even top the average salary record of $25.2million set by Alex Rodriguez in his $252 million, 10-year contractwith Texas.

But McGwire has never been interested in obtaining top dollar.

"If somebody's going to complain about making $15 million,there's something wrong with him," McGwire said. "The sad thingthat we're coming down to today is it's all about money. It's neverabout what the game's all about. We all realize that we're going tomake just boatloads of money if you do the job and you're out thereevery year and you put up the numbers. But I just love the game andI love where I'm at. That's what it comes down to."

His current deal, agreed to after he was traded from Oakland toSt. Louis in the 1997 season, originally guaranteed him $28.5million over three years: a $1 million signing bonus, $8 million in1998, $8.5 million in 1999, $9 million in 2000 and a $2 millionbuyout of a 2001 option.

McGwire could have become a free agent in November, but chosenot to, instead agreeing to exercise an $11 million mutual option.

Disgusted with baseball's repeated work stoppages, McGwire saidlast year that he would retire if there's another one next winterafter the expiration of the current labor contract. He has sincesoftened that stance.

"I'd really have to weigh the situation," McGwire said lastmonth. "If it does happen, I'd really have to see how long itlasted. If something happens and it lasts a couple of days or aweek, it's not going to damage the game."