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While questioning LL's baseball opinions is like asking the Dalai Lama whether he really 'knows' Buddhism, I think I'll take the risk and suggest that it isn't really fair to describe McGriff's hanging around in the same breath as you might expect, say, Rickey Henderson too. I think Dodger-glasses are doing it again!
Last year was only the second year since his rookie year he didn't get 500 ABs (and the other one was 480!). He wasn't terrible for the Dodgers either - as a 39 year old, he posted a .748 OPS in an extreme pitchers park. The problem was, it was a huge dropoff (in raw numbers) from a great campaign the year before - .273/.353/.505. Now, there's little doubt his skills are declining, but that much - .181 in 72 ABs isn't very good, but his eye's still good (9 walks), but down at Durham he was okayish. I don't think that McGriff had any reason to feel he didn't have another year left in him somewhere, especially if you strike off last year to injury, he's only 12 months removed from an OPS that would have him as a good starting 1B/DH on over half the teams in the AL.
This year is the only year of his career he hasn't yet deserved his roster spot. I think a HOFer-candidate is allowed one year of embarrasment before he goes!
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