The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - Three years after Mark McGwire retired, the St. Louis Cardinals still miss his larger-than-life presence.

The former home run king will make his first appearance at Busch Stadium today since his retirement after the 2001 season, and a large crowd is expected for the occasion. His ex-teammates are eager to see him throw out the first pitch, too.

"He was the modern-day Babe Ruth," center fielder Jim Edmonds said. "That's the way people perceived him."

RED SOX: A bronze statue of Ted Williams - a tribute to the "Splendid Splinter's" devotion to children with cancer - was unveiled Friday outside Fenway Park.

"Ted Williams did two great things, that was play the game of baseball and care for children," daughter Claudia said while crying. "And it's beautifully represented in this statue."

Williams, who died in 2002, was the last major league player to hit .400, and is regarded by many as the greatest hitter in baseball history. He put his baseball career on hold twice, fighting in both World War II and the Korean War.

Williams also made hundreds of trips, most unreported, to local hospitals to visit sick children during his playing career. His support was critical to the founding and continued success of the Jimmy Fund, which raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

DEVIL RAYS: Batting coach Lee Elia underwent tests at an area hospital after experiencing abdominal discomfort earlier in the week. Elia, 66, could be released today.

"All the tests they've done on him have been negative," Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said before Friday night's game with the Chicago White Sox. "They haven't found anything. But he had some discomfort in his stomach and back area in New York on Wednesday. He'll be getting out tomorrow."

The Devil Rays received permission from major league baseball to have senior adviser Don Zimmer in uniform to fill in for Elia.

Zimmer served as the Yankees' bench coach the previous eight seasons before leaving because of a strained relationship with New York George Steinbrenner. "We can activate Zim while Elia is not here," Piniella said.

Zimmer is allowed to be in uniform for pre-game workouts, but not during games in his senior adviser role.