NEW YORK (AP) — Mark McGwire faced some questions and pitches from David Letterman on Monday.
Appearing on “Late Night with David Letterman,” McGwire said he figures a good pitch to hit for a home run is any ball “that’s over the white part of the plate.”
The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman found plenty of pitches in that area this season, finishing with a record 70 homers, nine better than the old mark set by Roger Maris in 1961.
McGwire said hitting 70 home runs “is like playing nerf ball in the backyard,” but admitted that while he could hit almost any pitch, a split-fingered fastball causes him problems.
“I’m taking a right turn for the dugout,” he said, referring to the path taken by those who struck out.
McGwire talked about the mutual respect he and Sammy Sosa, have for each other and said the two pushed each other the entire season. The Chicago Cubs right fielder, who was honored with a parade through Manhattan and threw out the first pitch to open the World Series Saturday, finished the year with 66 home runs.
“He had a better year than I did,” McGwire said of Sosa, “because he went to the playoffs.”
After the interview, Letterman and McGwire went outside the Ed Sullivan Theater on 53rd Street with the TV host becoming just another pitcher who was taken deep by McGwire.