Actually, I have no idea! I find it baffling that Fred McGriff is not considered a strong candidate for election. Even some Braves fans consider him borderline. I’m not saying he’s an obvious, slam-dunk, inner-circle kind of HoFer, but I think the Crime Dog is criminally underrated.
The problem faced by McGriff is that he peaked during an era in baseball that was very favorable for pitchers, and did so right before one of the game's greatest hitter eras. The result is that his dominance is forgotten, lost in the haze of big (some would argue fake) numbers posted in the late 90s.
So, my goal is to jog the memories of Hall voters, to remind them how dominant McGriff was in his prime, a time that was tough for hitters; and, to highlight that he remained good even as others around him were posting bigger numbers during the steroid era. Follow the links before to learn more about the greatness of Fred McGriff!
McGriff’s
Career Stats and Highlights
The Importance of Context
Similar Players
The PED Question