I have to admit this one surprised me. Mark McGwire coming back as the Cardinals' hitting coach.

Once I moved on from the shock, I was excited.

No, I am not turning away from McGwire's steroid cloud. I hope Big Mac addresses the situation and says either "I did or didn't do it." Confession they say is good for the soul. Yea or nay, it will be good for McGwire, the Cardinals and Cardinal fans.

McGwire was such a presence with his somewhat brief Cardinal stay. He is basically returning to the Cardinal family. He turned down an earlier offer from Colorado. I think McGwire loves the Cardinals, their tradition, fans etc.

So, he doesn't have coaching experience. He will need on the job training. My guess is he will do just fine. Sounds like he can communicate with hitters. Communication is 75 percent of the battle in life. McGuire definitely experienced highs and lows in his career. That should make him a better teacher.

And this may help the Cardinals in the Matt Holliday sweepstakes. He and McGwire have worked together in the offseason. Maybe that is why the Rockies tried to hire Big Mac when Holliday played in Colorado.

What do you think the pros and cons of Big Mac's hiring are?