This weekend is the 2023 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. One player joining the halls of Cooperstown this year is Fred McGriff. He was consistently one of the best power hitters during the 1990s. He will enter the Hall of Fame along with Scott Rolen, the only player elected by the writers’ vote this year. After a lengthy wait, McGriff was unanimously selected in December 2022 by the Hall of Fame Contemporary Committee. Welcome to Cooperstown, Crime Dog!
The Crime Dog is headed to the Hall!
Watch Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen’s @baseballhall inductions LIVE on @mlbnetwork at 1:30 p.m. ET this Sunday. pic.twitter.com/8odHKkQBtp
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2023
Welcome to Cooperstown, Crime Dog!
Fred McGriff’s Career
Fred McGriff was drafted in 1981 by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the amateur draft. He made his major-league debut in 1986 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Over the course of his 19-year career, McGriff played for six different teams: the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays, Chicago Cubs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. During his career, McGriff was given what is undoubtedly one of the best monikers in baseball history; “Crime Dog.” This nickname comes from a series of public service ads featuring an anti-crime bloodhound named “McGruff.”
Atlanta
Despite playing for six different teams, McGriff is best known for his time in Atlanta, which acquired him from San Diego in 1993. McGriff spent five seasons in Atlanta and proved why the Braves acquired him. In 1994, McGriff had a monster first half, hitting .318 with 34 home runs and 94 RBI. As a result, he was named an All-Star, and he took home MVP honors for the game. Unfortunately for McGriff, he would not add to his home run tally due to the strike that year. The following year, McGriff helped lead the Braves to a World Series title, the lone ring of his career.
Tampa, Chicago, and Los Angeles
In 1998, McGriff was acquired by Tampa Bay, serving generally as the DH. He subsequently spent four seasons in Tampa before being traded to the Cubs. In 2002 at age 38, McGriff showed Chicago and in effect, the rest of baseball, that he still had some pop left in his bat. McGriff hit .273 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI. He played one season for the Dodgers in 2003, and in 2004 he signed back with Tampa. McGriff played in only 27 games in 2004 and was on the disabled list much of the time. As a result, Tampa released him midway through the year. In the spring of 2005, McGriff officially retired from baseball.
Hall of Fame Statistics
McGriff’s 19-year career includes a .284 batting average, 493 home runs, and 1,550 RBI. He ended his career with a .377 OBP, a .509 slugging percentage, and a .886 OPS. His 493 home runs are tied for 26th all-time with Lou Gehrig. McGriff was a five-time All-Star and a three-time Silver Slugger. He is one of only a handful of players in baseball history to hit 30 or more home runs in a season ten times and 20 or more fifteen times.
The Wait is Over for McGriff
After a very long wait, Fred McGriff has finally been elected to the Hall of Fame. He will be enshrined wearing a blank cap because of the success he had with multiple teams over the course of his illustrious career. Despite never receiving more than 22 percent of the writers’ vote, the Contemporary Committee corrected an error that in any case, had omitted one of the most consistent power hitters of the last thirty-five years. Congratulations, Fred McGriff!
Photo Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Fred McGriff, Scott Rolen, Lou Gehrig
