Sports
Westplex Today Sports Page: February 26th, 2010:
By Bob Hudson
Feb 26, 2010 - 9:14:15 AM

Former Cardinals slugger and current hitting coach Mark McGwire was back in front of reporters Thursday at spring training camp in Jupiter, Florida reacting to the pending release of his younger brother Jay's tell-all book that chronicles his decent into steroid and HGH use as a player. "Big Mac" told reporters that he’s saddened by his brother's betrayal and he doesn't plan to ever see him again. Jay reportedly admits how he got Mark started on performance-enhancing drugs to help him stay healthy and alter the course of his career. The book, "Mark and Me: Mark McGwire and the Truth Behind Baseball's Worst-Kept Secret," is scheduled to be released on Monday.

The Rams have less than a week to decide which pending restricted free agents they will make offers to.  The deadline to make one-year qualifying offers is next Thursday.  Players not tendered become unrestricted free agents that can sign with any team.  Players are tendered become restricted free agents, allowing the Rams to match any offer from another team or receive draft pick compensation if they decide not to match.  Citing league sources, the "Post-Dispatch" reports the Rams intend to tender safety Oshiomogho Atogwe and offensive tackle Alex Barron, but not offensive guard Mark Setterstrom.  The Rams will then hope to re-sign him for less than the minimum tender offer of $1.176-million.  All three were to have been unrestricted free agents, but their status reverted to restricted free agency because of 2010 being an uncapped year.

Blues forward Cam Janssen will have to sit out five games when the team resumes regular-season action next week.  The NHL suspended him for five games Wednesday because of a hit he made on Washington Capitals forward Matt Bradley February 13th. Janssen was given a five-minute major penalty on the play for interference, with the Blues beating the Capitals 4-3 in a shootout.  Because the league is on a two-week break for the Olympics, Janssen's hearing was delayed until Thursday.

The Saint Louis men's basketball team hosts Duquesne Saturday night at Chaifetz Arena.  SLU had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 73-71 home setback to Xavier on Wednesday.  The Billikens are 18-and-9 overall and 9-and-4 in the Atlantic-10.  The Dukes are 15-and-12 and 6-and-7.  Saint Louis won the first meeting 79-75 at Duquesne on January 13th.

The Missouri Tigers baseball team is in Auburn,  Alabama this weekend for the Auburn Classic. This afternoon, Mizzou takes on Florida Atlantic starting at 2 p.m. Then on Saturday, the Tigers will play host school Auburn at 3 p.m. MU wraps up the weekend stint Sunday against Boston College at 11 a.m.  Missouri kicked off the 2010 season last weekend by going 2-and-1 at the Cactus Classic in Arizona.

The Missouri softball team is in Columbus, Georgia this weekend to take part in the 2010 Leadoff Classic.  The five-game set opened this morning, when Mizzou faces Michigan in a contest between teams tied in one of the polls.  The Tigers and Wolverines are both ranked fourth in the ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings.  Missouri moved up one place in the poll after earning a split with number-two Arizona in Tucson last weekend.  Also today, the Tigers will face Virginia Tech at 5:30 p.m. Tomorrow, they'll take on number-20 Louisiana Lafayette and number-24 Massachusetts. The weekend wraps up Sunday morning against Radford.

The Missouri men's basketball team is on the road tomorrow night taking on sixth-ranked Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum. The Tigers are coming off a 92-63 blowout of Colorado at home on Wednesday. Mizzou is 21-and-7 on the season, including 9-and-4 in the Big 12. The Wildcats are 23-and-4 and 10-and-3.  MU won the first meeting 74-68 in Columbia on January 9th. Don’t miss Mizzou B-ball from Manhattan Kansas 6:30 pre game Saturday night on 99.9FM KFAV