n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”rich”},”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”• Rolen, McGriff have their day in the sun at Hall of Fame inductions“,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”McGriff encouraged everyone listening to pursue their dreams, because he not only achieved his, but he went miles beyond it.”,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-23T20:54:17.365Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/23/b4cbf2c4-f60f0a21-959bc0f5-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff thanks fans, former players, executives and his family for being with him on his Hall of Fame induction day”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:06:04″,”slug”:”mcgriff-on-being-in-hall-of-fame”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:144″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-139″,”title”:”Tampa Bay Rays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:139″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-141″,”title”:”Toronto Blue Jays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:141″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-135″,”title”:”San Diego Padres”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:135″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame-induction”,”title”:”Hall of Fame Induction”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”imagen-feed”,”title”:”Imagen feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”classic”,”title”:”classic”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/xfbxtbzhnl3nq2aselsl”,”title”:”McGriff on being in Hall of Fame”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/mcgriff-on-being-in-hall-of-fame”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”“This is baseball’s biggest honor,” said 59-year-old McGriff. “This is like icing on the cake. My goal was simply to make it to the big leagues, and I exceeded every expectation I could have ever imagined and then some. It is a great feeling getting recognized for your hard work.nn”And now to have a plaque forever hanging in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, it’s unbelievable.””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:”
Welcome to Cooperstown, Crime Dog! pic.twitter.com/VZvVKvlC2T
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 23, 2023
nn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”rich”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”McGriff was selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee, a fact that held particular meaning for him.nn“When your career is validated by former players and executives that saw you play, that’s as good as it gets,” he said.”,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”• Complete Hall of Fame coverage“,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”McGriff — who hit 30 home runs in a season 10 times for five teams and totaled 493 in his big league career — recalled the many turning points throughout his journey that led to him standing on stage on a warm summer Cooperstown day. He also made a point to note how many of those turning points came at the hands of fellow Hall of Famers.”,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:”
And Dexter McGriff seals in his brother Fred’s plaque. Congratulations to the McGriff family! #HOFWKND
(Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) pic.twitter.com/WgLnq26Mik
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) July 23, 2023
nn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”rich”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Above all, though, he made sure to honor the family members who have had his back since he was a child playing baseball for fun in Tampa, Fla. His remembrance of his late parents was especially poignant.nn“They never pushed me to play baseball,” McGriff said, “but they always supported me. … And I know they’re both looking down smiling today, so proud of their youngest son.””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-23T18:02:28.713Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/23/cf0d80fe-233f4d5d-3fee4e8b-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Chipper Jones joins the show to share his memories of Fred McGriff and his thoughts on being a Hall of Famer himself”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:02:48″,”slug”:”chipper-jones-talks-fred-mcgriff”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:144″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame-induction”,”title”:”Hall of Fame Induction”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”classic”,”title”:”classic”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-116706″,”title”:”Chipper Jones”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:116706″,”type”:”player”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/ycss4x7dlbmdp97brlhq”,”title”:”Chipper Jones talks Fred McGriff”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/chipper-jones-talks-fred-mcgriff”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”But McGriff also noted times when he had a little bit of fun with family members. His first anecdote took place on the night he received the call to the Hall. He had been warned not to let the secret out if he got good news, and he took that so far as to keep it even from his wife and daughter until the formal announcement.nn“I played calm, like I knew nothing,” he said. “I just told them, ‘Hey, they’re going to announce who got into the Baseball Hall of Fame at 8 o’clock on MLB Network, so let’s turn it on.’ It was pure joy and happiness on my wife and daughter’s faces when it was announced that I was the next electee to the Baseball Hall of Fame.nn“Then they both looked at me and said, ‘You knew.’””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”• Was Atlanta’s deal for McGriff the very best Deadline transfer ever?“,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-01-24T16:38:29.465Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-01/24/140250af-37bbac04-8c5bb8dc-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff talks with Harold Reynolds about being elected into the 2023 Hall of Fame, his mindset, his profession, and extra”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:05:58″,”slug”:”fred-mcgriff-on-hof-election”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlbn-hot-stove”,”title”:”MLBN Hot Stove”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/cwsfcfufafxjbsqq64pg”,”title”:”Fred McGriff on HOF election”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/fred-mcgriff-on-hof-election”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”In another light moment, he recalled being cut from his high school baseball team as a sophomore. He made it the next year, but said the tough news fueled him.nn“The next year I tried out again, and I made the team. But to this day, I know they still tease [legendary coach Pop Cuesta] about cutting me in the 10th grade.”nnAs McGriff took listeners through his baseball journey, he noted the many times that Hall of Famers, and in particular the ones on stage with him, played key roles on the path. He recalled rooting for Johnny Bench when he was growing up, and emulating George Brett as a young hitter.”,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-14T21:13:50.833Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/14/4619a011-e4082d16-cae115e6-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff talks about how he is wanting ahead to being inducted into the Hall of Fame, his mindset all through his profession and extra”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:01:22″,”slug”:”fred-mcgriff-on-hof-induction”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:144″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-139″,”title”:”Tampa Bay Rays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:139″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-141″,”title”:”Toronto Blue Jays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:141″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”send-to-news-mlb-feed”,”title”:”Send To News MLB feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/fmwdtexnadtnttmlp89c”,”title”:”Fred McGriff on HOF induction”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/fred-mcgriff-on-hof-induction”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Former Blue Jays general manager Pat Gillick traded for McGriff when he was in the very low Minors, and a few years later, then Braves general manager John Schuerholz also traded for him. He teamed with Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones to win a World Series in Atlanta, and joined fellow Tampa native Wade Boggs on the first Devil Rays team. McGriff also noted that Boggs gave him some very valuable advice early in his career.nn“When I was in the Minors,” McGriff said, “I looked for a lot of breaking balls. I guessed and so forth. And Wade told me, ‘Fred, look for that fastball on every pitch.’ And I did. And it worked.””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2021-08-18T16:38:38.187Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-08/18/83fd7ee0-58c6b888-7f686327-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff joins MLB Central to interrupt down his hitting within the Skybox”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:11:17″,”slug”:”fred-mcgriff-on-his-hitting-style”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlbn-mlb-central”,”title”:”MLB Central”,”type”:”taxonomy”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/formatInstructions/mlb/dcpnfo6habal6yulrrcc”,”title”:”Fred McGriff on his hitting model”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/fred-mcgriff-on-his-hitting-style”,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”And then, of course, there was the fire story, born when McGriff was traded from San Diego to Atlanta in 1992.nn“I was very excited to be joining a team that had been a couple plays away from winning back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992,” he said. “But I was nursing an injury when the trade happened. The day I drove to Atlanta, I left Tampa at noon. I didn’t expect to play.nn“But when I got to the ballpark, there was my name in the lineup. I was sweating, but I believe the man upstairs bought me some time when a food heat lamp upstairs caught on fire and the start of the game was delayed two hours. Long enough for me to get some more treatment, and I felt a little bit better.””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”1993-07-21T00:39:00Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/03/20/mlbtv_49791883_3gpp_128K.3gp”,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff’s first game with the Braves was delayed by a fire in Atlanta, but that didn’t stop him from helping his new team to a win”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:03:04″,”slug”:”mcgriff-s-braves-debut-c49791883″,”tags”:[“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-subject-mlbmobile-no-search”,”title”:”HBmig MLBMOBILE_NO_SEARCH”,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-subject-mlbcom-no-search-2700″,”title”:”HBmig MLBCOM_NO_SEARCH_2700″,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:144″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-team-id-144″,”title”:”HBmig 144″,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-subject-mlbcom-no-search-1200″,”title”:”HBmig MLBCOM_NO_SEARCH_1200″,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-subject-mlbcom-no-search-600″,”title”:”HBmig MLBCOM_NO_SEARCH_600″,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”hbmig-subject-mlbcom-vod-hd”,”title”:”HBmig MLBCOM_VOD_HD”,”type”:”unsupported”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”classic”,”title”:”classic”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”GameTag”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/formatInstructions/mlb/xkhcb6vaxewwtaolzzuv”,”title”:”McGriff’s Braves debut”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/mcgriff-s-braves-debut-c49791883″,”__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”McGriff hit a homer that night, starting a personal and team surge that saw the Braves rally to win the National League West — and earning the man known as the “Crime Dog” a second nickname.nnFirst and foremost, though, McGriff’s message was one of steadfastly pursuing your goals, and of the help he got along the way in doing that.nn“I honestly would’ve been happy just playing one day in the big leagues,” he said. “This means a lot to me, so I encourage you, whatever your dream is, to never give up. And always remember to stay true to who you are.nn“There will be fires along the way, but those fires can ignite the spark to the next season of your life.””,”type”:”text”,”__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-22T19:37:35.931Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL(“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”)”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/22/627cf063-e8af55cf-31eae7f0-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Fred McGriff, Hall of Fame Class of 2023, discusses the eases of the common season, the pressures of the postseason and robust management”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:02:18″,”slug”:”mcgriff-on-postseason-pressures”,”tags”:[“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-135″,”title”:”San Diego Padres”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:135″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-139″,”title”:”Tampa Bay Rays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:139″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-141″,”title”:”Toronto Blue Jays”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:141″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:”__ref”:”Team:144″,”type”:”team”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”press-conference”,”title”:”press conference”,”type”:”taxonomy”],”thumbnail”:”__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/kqg582v0lddvppsqvwzs”,”title”:”McGriff on postseason pressures”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/mcgriff-on-postseason-pressures”],”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — At turns funny and sentimental, Fred McGriff formally accepted baseball immortality on Sunday.nIn his induction speech for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, McGriff thanked the dozens upon dozens of people who helped him along the way while drawing connections to many Hall of Famers seated”,”tagline(“formatString”:”none”)”:null,”tags”:[“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”baseball-hall-of-fame”,”title”:”Baseball Hall of Fame”,”type”:”taxonomy”,”__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-118730″,”title”:”Fred McGriff”,”person”:”__ref”:”Person:118730″,”type”:”player”,”__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”matthew-leach”,”title”:”Matthew Leach”,”type”:”contributor”],”type”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/formatInstructions/mlb/p0nhcblpnnoytl2drptw”,”title”:”Fred McGriff inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame”}},”Team:144″:”__typename”:”Team”,”id”:144,”Team:139″:”__typename”:”Team”,”id”:139,”Team:141″:”__typename”:”Team”,”id”:141,”Team:135″:”__typename”:”Team”,”id”:135,”Person:118730″:”__typename”:”Person”,”id”:118730,”Person:116706″:”__typename”:”Person”,”id”:116706}}
window.adobeAnalytics = “reportingSuiteId”:”mlbglobal08,mlbcom08″,”linkInternalFilters”:”mlb”
window.globalState = “tracking_title”:”Major League Baseball”,”lang”:”en”
window.appId = ”
/*–>*/
July twenty third, 2023
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — At turns humorous and mawkish, Fred McGriff formally accepted baseball immortality on Sunday.
In his induction speech for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, McGriff thanked the handfuls upon dozens of people that helped him alongside the way in which whereas drawing connections to many Hall of Famers seated behind him as he spoke. And in fact, he shared the story of how the “Crime Dog” grew to become the “Fire Dog.”
McGriff inspired everybody listening to pursue their goals, as a result of he not solely achieved his, however he went miles past it.
“This is baseball’s biggest honor,” mentioned 59-year-old McGriff. “This is like icing on the cake. My objective was merely to make it to the massive leagues, and I exceeded each expectation I might have ever imagined after which some. It is a superb feeling getting acknowledged in your onerous work.
“And now to have a plaque eternally hanging within the National Baseball Hall of Fame, it’s unbelievable.”
“When your career is validated by former players and executives that saw you play, that’s as good as it gets,” he mentioned.
McGriff — who hit 30 residence runs in a season 10 occasions for 5 groups and totaled 493 in his massive league profession — recalled the numerous turning factors all through his journey that led to him standing on stage on a heat summer season Cooperstown day. He additionally made a degree to notice what number of of these turning factors got here by the hands of fellow Hall of Famers.
Above all, although, he made positive to honor the relations who’ve had his again since he was a baby taking part in baseball for enjoyable in Tampa, Fla. His remembrance of his late dad and mom was particularly poignant.
“They never pushed me to play baseball,” McGriff mentioned, “but they always supported me. … And I know they’re both looking down smiling today, so proud of their youngest son.”
But McGriff additionally famous occasions when he had somewhat little bit of enjoyable with relations. His first anecdote passed off on the evening he acquired the decision to the Hall. He had been warned to not let the key out if he received excellent news, and he took that as far as to maintain it even from his spouse and daughter till the formal announcement.
“I played calm, like I knew nothing,” he mentioned. “I simply advised them, ‘Hey, they’re going to announce who received into the Baseball Hall of Fame at 8 o’clock on MLB Network, so let’s flip it on.’ It was pure pleasure and happiness on my spouse and daughter’s faces when it was introduced that I used to be the following electee to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Then they both looked at me and said, ‘You knew.’”
In one other gentle second, he recalled being reduce from his highschool baseball staff as a sophomore. He made it the following 12 months, however mentioned the robust information fueled him.
“The next year I tried out again, and I made the team. But to this day, I know they still tease [legendary coach Pop Cuesta] about cutting me in the 10th grade.”
As McGriff took listeners by way of his baseball journey, he famous the numerous occasions that Hall of Famers, and particularly those on stage with him, performed key roles on the trail. He recalled rooting for Johnny Bench when he was rising up, and emulating George Brett as a younger hitter.
Former Blue Jays common supervisor Pat Gillick traded for McGriff when he was within the very low Minors, and some years later, then Braves common supervisor John Schuerholz additionally traded for him. He teamed with Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones to win a World Series in Atlanta, and joined fellow Tampa native Wade Boggs on the primary Devil Rays staff. McGriff additionally famous that Boggs gave him some very invaluable recommendation early in his profession.
“When I was in the Minors,” McGriff mentioned, “I looked for a lot of breaking balls. I guessed and so forth. And Wade told me, ‘Fred, look for that fastball on every pitch.’ And I did. And it worked.”
And then, in fact, there was the fireplace story, born when McGriff was traded from San Diego to Atlanta in 1992.
“I was very excited to be joining a team that had been a couple plays away from winning back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992,” he mentioned. “But I used to be nursing an damage when the commerce occurred. The day I drove to Atlanta, I left Tampa at midday. I didn’t count on to play.
“But when I got to the ballpark, there was my name in the lineup. I was sweating, but I believe the man upstairs bought me some time when a food heat lamp upstairs caught on fire and the start of the game was delayed two hours. Long enough for me to get some more treatment, and I felt a little bit better.”
McGriff hit a homer that evening, beginning a private and staff surge that noticed the Braves rally to win the National League West — and incomes the person referred to as the “Crime Dog” a second nickname.
First and foremost, although, McGriff’s message was certainly one of steadfastly pursuing your targets, and of the assistance he received alongside the way in which in doing that.
“I honestly would’ve been happy just playing one day in the big leagues,” he mentioned. “This means loads to me, so I encourage you, no matter your dream is, to by no means quit. And all the time bear in mind to remain true to who you might be.
“There will be fires along the way, but those fires can ignite the spark to the next season of your life.”
Content Source: www.mlb.com