Former MLB OF Rodney McCray turns 50 today. Of course, McCray will forever be known as the player who ran through the RF wall while playing for Vancouver against Portland. The highlight is one of the more replayed clips in recent baseball history, even though it happened 22 years ago.
The play was on a ball hit by Chip Hale, who would later coach 3B for the Diamondbacks and Mets then joined Bob Melvin's staff in Oakland. McCray would not come up with the ball and seemed dazed after the play. He was drafted in the 9th round of the 1984 player draft by San Diego. He would join the White Sox, taken in the 1987 minor league draft. He made his MLB debut in 1990, a year before the historic highlight crash. McCray was a throwback from the early 1970s Oakland Athletics teams when they had a designated pinch runner. Most of McCray's MLB appearances were either as a pinch runner or as a defensive replacement. In 1990, he got into 32 games, but had just 7 plate appearances and 6 ABs. He was 0-6, striking out 4 times, but scored 8 runs and 6 stolen bases. In 1991, he fared a little better, going 2-7 in 17 games. His last MLB season would be in 1992 with the New York Mets, as he is tied for the team record for highest batting average (minimum 1 at bat). He got in 18 games, scored 3 runs and stole 2 more bases. His only at was an run scoring single for his only MLB RBI. His MLB career stats: .214 average (3-14), 13 runs scored and 9 stolen bases while playing all three outfield positions.
Before being drafted by the Padres, McCray was taken in the 1st round of the 1982 January MLB draft by the White Sox, the 2nd round of the 1982 June draft by the Oakland Athletics and the 2nd round of the 1983 January draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. For his minor league career, he hit .227 with 400 career stolen bases, never really establishing himself as a big time prospect. He would finish off his professional baseball career in 1993, splitting the season between Thunder Bay of the Northern League (Independent) and in Mexico for the Monterrey Saltanes.
Before being drafted by the Padres, McCray was taken in the 1st round of the 1982 January MLB draft by the White Sox, the 2nd round of the 1982 June draft by the Oakland Athletics and the 2nd round of the 1983 January draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. For his minor league career, he hit .227 with 400 career stolen bases, never really establishing himself as a big time prospect. He would finish off his professional baseball career in 1993, splitting the season between Thunder Bay of the Northern League (Independent) and in Mexico for the Monterrey Saltanes.
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