Fred McGriff did not disappoint the Padres with his 1991 performance. As a key player in the December 1990 blockbuster trade with the Blue Jays, he became a quality hitting companion to perennial great, Tony Gwynn.

Fred continued to swing a powerful bat as he hit 31 round trippers, the 4th straight year he has hit 30 or more. He was a league ranking hitter in HR, RBI (106-a career high), Slugging (.494), on-base-percentage (.396) and led the majors with 26 intentional walks.

Padres fans can look for a decade of great performances from him.

Fred McGriff was one of baseball’s most consistent power hitters of the late 1980s and 1990s, finishing with 493 home runs and a reputation for quiet excellence at first base. His famous nickname, “The Crime Dog,” came from a clever marketing moment early in his career when someone noticed his name sounded like crime-fighting TV character McGruff the Crime Dog. The comparison stuck, and McGriff embraced it, even appearing in crime prevention ads that made him a fan favorite with kids. While he wasn’t flashy, pitchers knew he was dangerous every time he stepped in the box, and his steady production eventually earned him a well-deserved place in the Hall of Fame.

I am hooked. I participated in my first live break sometime last week, and it feeeeeels much more satisfying as it seems you hit a little more for less money. Here were my first two “hits” from the 2025 Topps Black & Whites. I need to relax and slow down my participation. But it’s been a lot of fun.

Some people sleepwalk, others sleepbid. Now they’re all showing up 😅