COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Truth be told, Fred McGriff didn’t run into the Cubs’ open arms when they acquired him from the Devil Rays on July 27, 2001. They needed weeks to convince McGriff to leave his hometown team for a chance to deliver the Cubs their first World Series title since 1908.
At the All-Star break, Rays general manager Chuck LaMar told McGriff the team, then the worst in baseball, had a trade in place. McGriff, who had a full no-trade clause, pushed back on the deal.
