KEN DUNKIN: OFF THE WALL

Mark McGwire is one of the greatest home-run hitters in history. If you have watched any baseball games in the past 10 years, you have seen one of his epic blasts.

I can't even begin to describe how happy I was when the Cards traded for McGwire in July.

I had followed this guy's career since he was promoted to the majors with the Oakland Athletics.

When he hit the scene in '87, it was a huge explosion of home runs.

I was in awe, eight states away, of every blast he would hit. I was only 11 years old, but I knew that he would become one of the best home-run hitters in baseball history.

The man is a walking history book. He holds the all-time rookie home run record with his 49 in 1987. He is also in the record books with Babe Ruth.

He and the Great Bambino are the only two players in baseball history to have back-to-back 50 home run seasons.

This comes from a guy many thought was washed up early in the decade.

He was down on his luck injury wise and struck out quite a bit. Still, he hammered out home runs. He has had a lot of downs in his career.

He has been horrible in the World Series. Injuries and severe slumps have plagued his career.

But with the Cardinals he has been healthy. And despite his slumps, he has still been the best hitter on the team.

And do we really need to worry about his hitting in the World Series? I don't think so.

How can anyone dispute that he should be kept at all cost? He is cheered with every at bat.

Fans have flocked to the stadium in droves wanting to see the Big Mac.

I went to a game just to see the big man. His first at bat he hit a mile high pop.

It didn't clear the infield and the short stop caught the ball.

He was cheered on his way back to the dugout. I know St. Louis is a baseball town, but how many people are cheered even when they make an out?

Later in the game he went out and slammed a home run.

I still can't believe the Cards actually did what it took to get him in the red and white. Now the question is will they keep him?

If the price is right, he's ours. If they play around as they did with Jack Clark, Todd Worrell and so many other free agents, they will lose.

They can't afford to lose McGwire. Both in the lineup and as a player, he puts fans in the seats.