| Fred McGriff | |
|---|---|
 McGriff with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007 | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: October 31, 1963 Tampa, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 17, 1986, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 15, 2004, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .284 |
| Hits | 2,490 |
| Home runs | 493 |
| Runs batted in | 1,550 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2023 |
| Vote | 100% |
| Election method | Contemporary Baseball Era Committee |
Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963), nicknamed Crime Dog, is an American former first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1986 through 2004. He was one of the most consistently productive power hitters of the 1990s, posting over 80 runs batted in (RBI) every year from 1988 through 2002, and became the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both leagues in home runs — the American League (AL) in 1989 and the National League (NL) in 1992. A five-time All-Star, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1994 contest after his pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth inning tied the score at 7–7, with the NL winning in 10 innings. McGriff finished in the top ten in voting for his league's Most Valuable Player Award every year from 1989 through 1994, during which time he led the major leagues in home runs.
After spending the first third of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, McGriff became a major component in the Atlanta Braves' long run of division champions, posting over 90 RBI for five straight years after joining the club in a midseason 1993 trade, and helped lead the team to the 1995 World Series title over the Cleveland Indians. In 50 career postseason games, McGriff batted .303 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI. He then joined his hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays when that club was established in 1998, and was the team's main power hitter for its first four seasons, establishing various franchise records which lasted several years before being broken. He hit 20 or more home runs fifteen times, becoming the first player to hit 30 home runs with five different teams, drove in 100 runs eight times, and batted .300 four times.
McGriff's 493 career home runs were tied for tenth in major league history among left-handed hitters when he retired, and put him only seven away from joining the 500 home run club; his 462 home runs as a first baseman ranked fourth. He also ended his career with 1,550 RBI, and a .509 slugging percentage. One of the most durable first basemen in history, he ranked third in career games at first base (2,239), ninth in assists (1,447) and third in double plays (1,775). His nickname "Crime Dog", a word play on McGruff the Crime Dog, was coined by Marty Barrett and popularized by Chris Berman.[1][2] McGriff currently works in the Braves' front office as Special Assistant to Baseball Operations.[3] He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 2023.
- ^ Gildea, William. "The Braves Are Cookin' with McGriff in the Mix," The Washington Post, Thursday, September 2, 1993. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Chris Berman's Nicknames". www.upstartfilmcollective.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Front Office". MLB.com. Retrieved January 15, 2019.