Xenophon Strategies

Let's Find Out if McGwire Is a Team Player

Blake Rhodes

With less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, many people have weighed in about Mark McGwire’s steroids admission and the poor execution of the communications strategy, or lack thereof.  What’s done is done.  Some people have asked me recently, “what can the Cardinals expect?” As we move closer to the St. Louis Cardinals reporting to their Spring Training home Feb. 17 in Jupiter, FL, it’s important to examine ways in which McGwire can try to take the spotlight off himself and back on the team.

Despite what some people might think, McGwire will indeed be a distraction to the rest of the club.  The key now will be finding ways to mitigate the level of distraction. 

Some people may ask, “How much of distraction can one person be?”  Well, imagine having to wade through upwards of 40-50 “visitors” in the hallway outside of your cubicle on your way to work one morning.  Before you can even put your cup of coffee down, turn on your computer, and make those last minute preparations before your big presentation to the boss, these “visitors” surround your desk and start asking you questions about how you feel about your co-worker. Not exactly a recipe for success. And it will not make you look forward to going to work the next day, right?

Well, this is what the Cardinals players can expect for the first few days of Spring Training and as they go to many different cities throughout the National League this season.  I know.  I saw this first hand as the director of media relations for the San Francisco Giants when Barry Bonds was dealing with the scrutiny of his own performance enhancing drug use allegations and federal charges of perjury, all while trying to break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.

If McGwire wants to alleviate this strain on the Cardinals players, coaches and staff and limit the level of distraction, he needs to step up and answer the media’s questions so the rest of the St. Louis clubhouse doesn’t have to answer for him.  As a coach, I would hope that McGwire would want his players concentrating on preparing for the season or game rather than having to answer questions about him.

First, I would suggest that the Cardinals hold a media conference in Jupiter on the day the pitchers and catchers report, Feb. 17.  By holding a media event in which it was made perfectly clear that this would be McGwire’s only availability for the spring, it allows all of the media – not just the ones selected for one-on-ones in January – to ask their questions and move on.  Sure, there will be media members who will stay around Cardinals camp for a few days to ask the players more questions, but the majority of the fifth estate will move on.  This proved to be extremely helpful for not only the media, but the entire Giants team, when Bonds took this tactic.

Prior to McGwire participating in this media conference, he must be prepared so that he knows the questions which might be coming – something he was not in January.  Tony LaRussa should also be prepped as well, since as the manager, he will be facing the media at least twice a day from day one of Spring Training until after the final game of the season, whether that’s game 162 or the seventh game of the World Series. I serve notice to LaRussa that he can expect to answer questions about McGwire all season.  Be prepared, Tony!

The next step is that all of the Cardinals players, especially Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, should be briefed and provided talking points to make sure they’re ready for any questions about McGwire and his steroid use.  This is especially important for Pujols as the star of the team and Holliday, who has a personal relationship with McGwire, since they will be sought out for comment on their new hitting coach throughout the season.  I would coach both of them and put them through mock interviews, so they are fully prepared for what they’re going to face.

Once the Cardinals break camp and start the season, they will see a difference between playing at home and on the road.  When they’re at Busch Stadium, it will be business as usual.  However, when they hit the road, they better be prepared to answer more questions about McGwire, especially on the first day in each city. Depending on the town they go to, they will revisit the scenario of “40-50” visitors I spoke of previously, especially in New York.  Yes, Cardinals players, coaches and staff circle July 27 when you visit CitiField in Queens for the first time.

One way which McGwire can help his teammates and mitigate the distraction for those road games, is by making himself available early in the day, say 1:00 pm for a 7:15 game.  There are many benefits to this strategy: first, he will be able to meet with the media prior to his work of getting the players prepared for the game.  (Many hitting coaches start working with their pupils as early 2:30 in the afternoon.)  Second, many members of the team will not be at the ballpark so they will not have to face the media throng.  Sure, there will be media who will wait to interview the players prior to the game, but many will return to their studios, etc.

By no means will these strategies eliminate the “40-50 visitors” scenario, but they will help cut down the number of times the Cardinals players, coaches and staff will encounter them.  To those players, enjoy the new two weeks of preparing for the 2010 season in anonymity.

Tweet this link

« return to blog | Feb 2, 2010 | crisis communications