Fred McGriff

Trivia

• McGriff has appeared in commercials for Tom Emanski Baseball Training videos on ESPN since 1991, which are still aired to this day on the network (one of television's longest running commercials ever).
• In 2000, the production company Rocco's Jobbers produced a pilot for a television series based loosely on McGriff and the "Crime Dog" nickname.
• He retired with 493 home runs, tied with baseball legend Lou Gehrig, and becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2009.
• McGriff had 30 home runs during a strong 2002 campaign, which earned him a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2003 season.
• McGriff's career experienced a minor renaissance in 1999 when he hit a career-high .310 with 32 home runs.
• With only 22 home runs in 1997, McGriff appeared to be in decline.
• The quiet star hit .295/.365/494 with a career-best 107 RBIs on his way to another World Series appearance in 1996.
• McGriff's production remained steady in 1995 as he continued to be a successful clean-up hitter for the Braves. He hit two home runs in the 1995 World Series as he won his only championship ring.
• He continued to flourish in the National League, hitting .278/.396/.474 for San Diego in 1991.
• On December 5, 1990, McGriff was traded to the San Diego Padres with Tony Fernández in exchange for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter - two players who would be integral in Toronto's back-to-back World Series titles in the early 1990s.