Former Major League Baseball player and Arizona Diamondbacks television analyst Mark Grace was sentenced to four months in jail under a work-release program.
Grace, the 48-year-old former first baseman with the Diamondbacks and the Chicago Cubs, pleaded guilty on Thursday to felony endangerment and misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol.
The problems arose for Grace when he was arrested last August in Scottsdale, which was hit second arrest in 15 months for drunken driving. He could have faced up to three years in prison for the charges. According to the Associated Press, Grace had pleaded not guilty in October to four felony counts of aggravated DUI and was scheduled to go on trial March 19.
Grace's career in television took a hit after the August arrest as the Diamondbacks decided to fire him, although they later invited him to participate In their fantasy camp. A Maricopa County Superior Court spokesman says the jail sentence begins Feb. 10. Grace must also serve two years of probation.3
Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall announced in October that Grace would not return to the broadcast booth. In an interview with the Arizona Republic earlier this month, Grace said, "I have nobody to blame but myself."
"I did this," he said at the time.. "The Diamondbacks didn't do anything. I think it's important to own this. I own this."
Grace faced from one year to 45 months in prison on each count, Jerry Cobb, spokesman for Arizona's Maricopa County Attorney's Office, said recently.
Grace was arrested about 9 p.m. Aug. 23 after he was pulled over in Scottsdale.
Blood tests showed he had a blood-alcohol content of .095, which is above the legal limit of .08, Scottsdale police said.
The other time Grace was arrested was in May of 2011, which resulted in a suspended license as well as a requirement that he had to put an Interlock device in his vehicle, police said.
Grace hit .303 with 2,445 hits, 173 home runs and 1,146 RBIs in a major league career that concluded in 2003 with the Diamondbacks. He won the World Series with Arizona in 2001 and was named to three All-Star teams. Grace is the last player to hit for the cycle with the Cubs, which he did in 1993.
Grace also was a four time Gold Glove award winner winning it every year from 1992 to 1996 with just 1994 missing due to the players strike.