In 2018, McGee was something of a hybrid coach, in charge of the outfielders but also available for hitting, bunting and baserunning instruction. This time, McGee said his role would encompass mostly outfield instruction rather than the hitting game — the Cardinals already have two hitting coaches in Jeff Albert and Mark Budaska.
Manager Mike Shildt sees McGee’s ability to relate to young players through his own experiences to be as important as McGee’s impact on the actual outfield play.
Edmonds liked to play shallow, McGee deeper when he played. But McGee explained that was the way he had to play in spacious Busch Stadium II, where the center-field wall was 414 feet and the power alleys were 386 and the field was Astroturf.