Stephen J. Carrera/AP
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — As his career went on, first baseman Fred McGriff became viewed as a player who could put a contender over the top. One of those contenders was supposed to be the Cubs.
On July 27, 2001, the Cubs acquired McGriff from the Devil Rays to help them pull away in the National League Central, which they led by four games after beating the Cardinals to improve to 60-42. But the Cubs went 26-31 in the final two months of the season and finished 88-74, five games back of the division-winning Astros and wild-card Cardinals.