Oh Brothers, McGwire Gets Unusual Advice

It seems like everybody wants to help Mark McGwire as he chases Roger Maris’ single-season home run record. Now Dr. Joyce Brothers is in the act.

Reacting to McGwire’s comment that he felt like a “caged animal” because of all the attention paid him, the noted psychologist gave this recommendation:

“When you’re alone, Mark, visualize your swing in exactly the right way. Time spent visualizing you making all those homers--doing it just right--sends a message to your mind and your muscles that you can get into the flow and routine, and that it will happen.”

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More McGwire: Cleveland first baseman Jim Thome was so impressed when he saw McGwire hitting balls out of the park that he sent the St. Louis Cardinal slugger a 12-pack of beer.

“He autographed it, and I will not break it open,” McGwire said.

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Trivia time: The U.S. Senior Open will be played in two weeks at Riviera Country Club. Who won golf’s first senior Open?

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Page Jenny Craig: David Wells, the New York Yankees’ perfect game pitcher, refuses to diet even though he weighs almost 245 pounds. He says he has a weakness for burritos, pizza, ice cream and chocolate. For dessert, he likes beer.

“I’m a hardheaded degenerate. If it wasn’t for baseball, I might be a convict,” Wells said in an interview in Details magazine.

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Where were you? Only six years ago, on this day in 1992, the Major Indoor Soccer League folded after 14 seasons.

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He should know: Recent criticism from New York Times and Baltimore Sun columnists that it’s time for Cal Ripken Jr. to halt his consecutive-game streak doesn’t sit well with Oriole shortstop and teammate Mike Bordick.

“Cal is an icon,” Bordick said. “He goes out there and plays hard every night with the sole purpose of helping the team win. If you have someone with that type of attitude, how can you knock that?”

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The name game: The second-place finisher in the high jump of the U.S. track and field championships was Nathan Leeper of Kansas State.

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Short on image: Sergei Fedorov is a hockey superstar, but somehow helping the Detroit Red Wings win successive Stanley Cups hasn’t made him catch on with the public the way Michael Jordan and Ken Griffey Jr. have in their sports. Mike Bernacchi, a University of Detroit marketing professor, explained why to the Detroit News:

“Jordan knows how to blink, Griffey how to wear a hat backward. Fedorov knows how to play hockey.”

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Trivia answer: Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina, in 1980.

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And finally: Before the Dodgers’ Gary Sheffield would agree to represent the team in the All-Star game and festivities, he demanded that the Dodgers pay for flying his family from Tampa, Fla., to Denver for the game. Recalling that Sheffield received a $5-million bonus for accepting the trade from the Marlins, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune commented:

“He’s better in business than right field.”