In fact , his hitting woes stretched all the way back to May of 1989 .
After finishing that season with a pitiful . 201 batting average and a career - low 22 home runs , McGwire had never felt so inept at hitting a baseball .
McGwire 's hitting woes stretched all the way back to May of 1989 .
After finishing that season with a pitiful . 201 batting average and a career - low 22 home runs , McGwire had never felt so inept at hitting a baseball .