Playing in the Major Leagues as we know isn’t a small feat. Guys get traded, released, and sent down to the minor leagues so staying at the highest level for ten seasons is definitely an accomplishment. Retired MLBbro centerfielder Brian McRae played every year in the decade of the 1990’s. Many guys remain around the game in various capacities and McRae took the broadcasting route

Brian McRae Talks Broadcasting Career With MLBbro.com 

“I retired in 2000 and from that point up until 2015, I did two years with ESPN, six or seven years with MLB.com, some royals pre- and post-game radio, and 20 to 30 games on Royals television” he told MLBbro.com about his broadcast career. 

“I had interest in that in high school. My interest was always on that side of things from a fairly early age. I interned at a local TV station here in Kansas City during the strike year of 1994 and ultimately bought into a group that owns the local all sports radio station in town.”

McRae also expanded on how broadcasting was a natural fit when his playing days ended. Since retirement, McRae has had coaching stints at Park University, University of Missouri as well as the collegiate West Coast League.

“I didn’t want to be gone all summer, so over the last six- or seven-years giving lessons, clinics, and camps keep me pretty busy” he shared. 

In addition to playing baseball in high school, McRae saw a lot of time on the gridiron. He had numerous options to play at the next level, but the choice was pretty easy.

“I picked the safer sport” he chuckled. “When I went on my college recruiting trips I didn’t see anything there in football that I could do that was special. There were some things in baseball that I could do that other guys couldn’t. Talent wise, my chances of going farther were in baseball. I knew I wasn’t going to play in the NFL and the Royals drafted me in the first round.”

McRae was chosen in 1985 and spent the rest of the decade in the minor leagues.

“Going from high school to pro ball was a big transition” McRae mentioned. Something quite special happened on March 13, 1986, in Florida. Both Brian and his MLB dad Hal were in the starting lineup for a spring training game together. “Getting a spring training invite with the team that had just won the World Series was a big thrill” he told MLBbro.com

“I was fortunate enough to play in a game with my dad. I think looking back on it, while the Griffey’s played together in the regular season, I think we were the first father son duo to do it in a major league game” he added.

Brian McRae Plays For Dad Hal With KC Royals

Five years after being teammates Hal McRae was named manager of the Kansas City Royals.

“The weird thing was he never coached me in anything before.” McRae said. “The transition was a little easier because I was already here. I had been in the big leagues for over a year so there wasn’t that awkwardness that could have come with it. It took a while to get used to, but my teammates were very good about it and it was business as usual” he shared. 

Brian McRae Was Solid & Steady & Sturdy MLB Player 

Centerfield is a very demanding position, and McRae was up for the everyday task. He played in at least 130 games in every season of his career except for his rookie season and the strike shortened year.

“When I was a ball boy at age 13 or 14 in the Royals clubhouse, I overheard a conversation and one of the guys was telling a teammate one of the best attributes a Major Leaguer can have is availability. That always stuck with me” McRae said. “I wanted to be a guy that was durable. I wanted my teammates to know that no matter what, I was gonna go out there. I might not have been 100 percent, but I was going to give 100 percent of what I had that day” he expanded.

McRae is very much aware of the declining numbers of Black participation in the game of baseball.

“Baseball is still very much a sport that young Black players can make a difference in and have a career” he shared.

“If they get on that diamond, that can pay for their college”

McRae added. McRae never played in the post season with any of the five teams that he was with, but he does have a record that is quite unique. He played in 1,307 games in centerfield. That’s the most anyone has ever played in CF without playing another position.