After spending his first three seasons in the Dodgers system, Quebec-native Marc Griffin went home - traded to his hometown Expos.
Griffin had played on the 1988 Canadian Olympic baseball team and, after the December 1991 trade, he had hopes of playing in Montreal.
"We're happy to have him on board," Expos general manager Dan Duquette told The Montreal Gazette after Griffin's arrival. "In terms of skills, he's a contact hitter with good defensive abilities who has a good stolen base record throughout his career."
Griffin's baseball skills ultimately weren't enough to get him to the majors. But his other, broadcasting skills eventually kept him in Montreal.
Griffin went on to work with the Expos as the club's director of broadcasting, and then as a commentator for Canadian sports channel RDS. He's also served as a booster for the city to get baseball back.
Griffin's career began in 1989, signed by the Dodgers as a free agent out of Langara College in Canada. Griffin was also credited as Mark Griffin.
Griffin started with the Dodgers at single-A Vero Beach. He hit .282 in 129 games. He then returned to Vero Beach at high-A and at high-A Bakersfield for 1990. He hit .258 on the year.
His 1991 season saw him back at Vero Beach. He also made the league's All-Star team for the second time.
"What I like is that the managers pick the team," Griffin told The Indian River Press Journal that June. "I might not be hitting .350 or hit a bunch of home runs. But the managers might see the little things you do, like moving a guy to second base or taking a pitch so a guy can steal a base."
He then became the game's MVP as he picked up four hits, two stolen bases and three RBI. He ended the year with a .240.
Traded to the Expos for 1992, though, Griffin missed the year due to elbow surgery. He then got back on the field in 1993 and saw 93 games between high-A West Palm Beach and AA Harrisburg. He saw 10 final games at Harrisburg in 1994 to end his career.
By 1996, though, he was back with the Expos as a broadcaster, officially director of broadcasting in 2000. He stayed with the club as a broadcaster until their move to Washington after 2004.
More recently, he's been a baseball analyst for RDS. He's also been among the boosters to get a team back.
- Indian River Press Journal, June 27, 1991: All-Star Feeling Grows On Griffin
- Montreal Gazette, Dec. 11, 1991: Expos welcome Griffin 'back home' to play ball
Made the Majors:1,292-33.5%
Never Made Majors:2,563-66.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:528
10+ Seasons in the Minors:323
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