If the explosive power of Fred McGriff and combination of clutch hitting and top-shelf fielding displayed by Scott Rolen weren’t enough to get you collecting their memorabilia, then their Hall of Fame induction speeches on July 23 should have done the trick.
Both McGriff and Rolen came across as humble, likable, gracious and appreciative — qualities we admire in our sports heroes.
Both played in the shadows of “shinier” stars during their careers — headline-grabbing players like Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., Frank Thomas and Derek Jeter. But McGriff and Rolen belong in the Hall with them, so it’s about time they were honored.
McGriff, after playing from 1986 to 2004, first became eligible in 2010. After getting spurned by voting baseball writers for years, he
