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No. 11 Fred McGriff

A mainstay for the Devil Rays, Fred McGriff is closing in on 400 career homers. ROBERT BURKE/Tribune photo
Fred McGriff: Jefferson '81 Highlights: McGriff was an All-Western Conference selection in 1981. ... Was selected by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the 1981 June amateur draft. ... McGriff has been an All-Star four times and was the Midsummer Classic's MVP in 1994 when he helped the National League to an 8-7, 10-inning victory against the American League with a game-tying two-run homer off all-time saves leader Lee Smith. ... McGriff was the Braves' first baseman when they won the 1995 World Series against the Indians and also played in the World Series in 1996 when the Braves lost to the Yankees. ... He is one of 11 players in major-league history to hit 30 ore more home runs in seven or more consecutive seasons; eight of those 11 players are in the Hall of Fame. ... He is one of only three players to have won home run titles in each league (36 with Toronto in 1989; 35 with San Diego in 1992). ... Has 390 career home runs, the sixth-best active mark and tied with Graig Nettles for 34th on the all-time list. Also has 1,946 career hits. ... Has eight 30-homer seasons. ... One of 10 active players to have 100-RBI seasons in both leagues. ... Became the second player in major-league history to hit 30 home runs with four different teams (Toronto, San Diego, Atlanta, Tampa Bay). ... Owns the record for homering in the most major-league ballparks (36), adding Jacobs Field, The Ballpark at Arlington, the new Comiskey Park and Safeco Field. Today: McGriff, 36, signed a two-year extension to remain the Devil Rays' first baseman. He lives in Tampa with his wife, Veronica, and their children, Erick (9) and Ericka (7).

"Crime Dog'' was a pup the first time Tino Martinez saw the future major-league star.

"I think he was 14 or 15 at West Tampa Little League,'' said Martinez, who now plays first base for the New York Yankees. "I was probably 11. You know how you like to stick around and watch other guys play. I'd watch Fred play.

"He was always tall. He was real thin. But he had that wiry pop in his bat. He wore these square-rimmed glasses. He's always been the same. Real quiet and a real good baseball player.''

McGriff called himself a "late bloomer'' until he reached Jefferson High School. McGriff was pointed in the right direction by teammate Al Pardo.

"Al Pardo, he got me going to Nautilus, lifting weights, trying to get stronger,'' McGriff said. "I had decent height. But I was thin. [With the weight training] I got a lot stronger.''

McGriff showed the potential to become a major leaguer as a two-year starter for the Dragons.

"What I remember most [playing high school baseball] is playing Hillsborough High School with Dwight Gooden and Vance Lovelace,'' McGriff said. "I was able to hit a home run off Dwight in high school. Back then that was the ultimate. He was a great story, back then he was striking out everybody.''

Facing Lovelace, a 95 mph left-hander who often veered from the strike zone, was another matter. McGriff laughed when he recounted getting hit in the back by Lovelace.

"He was so wild, I screamed before he even hit me,'' McGriff said. "Lovelace will probably go down as the toughest pitcher I ever faced. If he could have ever been able to control his stuff, he would have been another Randy Johnson.''

McGriff persevered and was drafted by the Yankees in the ninth round of the June 1981 amateur draft. The University of Georgia also wanted McGriff, but he opted to pursue a dream.

"I had pretty much decided I was going to sign with the Yankees,'' McGriff said. "Life was a gamble. To me it had always been a dream to play professional baseball.''

McGriff found out what a hard road it was from the beginning when he reported to the Yankees' rookie league team in Bradenton that same year.

"I got down to rookie league and it was tough,'' McGriff said. "You get up at 9 to work out and play all your games at noon. The only fans at the games were parents of guys on the team.''

The Yankees' farm system was chock full of prospects, so McGriff played little that season, finishing with a .148 batting average in 29 games, no home runs and just nine RBIs.

But he didn't get discouraged.

"Nah, 'cause the first year I had gotten drafted at 17,'' McGriff said. "I got a few at-bats, but not a lot of them. The Yankees were stacked.

"Back then [Yankees owner George] Steinbrenner never called up his guys in the minors. Guys kept repeating year after year until they got traded for major-leaguers. I knew what was going on.''

McGriff started getting the hang of things the following season when he repeated at Bradenton, hitting .272 with a league-leading nine home runs and 41 RBIs in 62 games. In December of that year, McGriff was traded to the Blue Jays along with Dave Collins and Mike Morgan for Dale Murray and Tim Dodd.

Needless to say, it wasn't one of the Yankees' better deals.

McGriff blossomed in the Jays' organization, reaching the major leagues to stay in 1987. In his third season with the Blue Jays, McGriff won his first of three home run titles. Subsequent stints with the Padres, Braves and, now, the Devil Rays have seen McGriff show his mettle in the clutch as well as push his career home run total close to 400.

And off the field, McGriff has sponsored a celebrity golf tournament for pediatric cancer that has raised $800,000 during its four-year run.

"To raise money for kids' cancer research and we found this way to do it ... I didn't think it would evolve to this, but it has,'' McGriff said. "If I could, I'd do all I could to see that kids everywhere are all healthy. You do what you can.''

Up next, No. 10: Betty Jo Springs was Florida's first great prep female distance runner, winning 15 state titles, then capturing two NCAA championships. Now she's a full-time mom.