In a game filled with cheaters, Ken Griffey Jr. did it the right way
Posted by Anthony Stalter (06/03/2010 @ 9:01 am)
I’m not sure Ken Griffey Jr. knows how to inject HGH or even know how to get it. I don’t think he knows what “the clear” actually is or what it does, and the same goes for “the cream.”
I don’t think taking steroids and cheating the game of baseball has ever crossed Griffey’s mind. And that’s why he’ll always be viewed as a true hero during the darkest days that baseball has ever seen.
Griffey announced his retirement on Wednesday night. He’ll leave the game with 630 home runs (which rank him fifth all-time), 13 All-Star appearances, 10 Gold Gloves, seven Silver Slugger Awards and one MVP honor (1997). He’s a sure-fire Hall of Fame inductee and as I’ve alluded to above, one of the few sluggers whose name has never been mentioned for steroids.
I’ll always remember the days when people would compare Griffey and Barry Bonds in terms of what young outfielder was better. People always said Griffey until injuries started hampering his career and Bonds started crushing 500-foot home runs (while his head grew to the size of a grapefruit). But looking back, Griffey will always be remembered as the better player because he didn’t have to cheat to have his success. Bonds has better numbers, but we all know how he got them later in his career. We also know how Griffey got his: pure, God-given talent.
Griffey’s retirement doesn’t come as a surprise. He wasn’t getting regular at bats in Seattle and wasn’t a part of the Mariners’ present or future. He’s also 40 year’s old and it’s harder for players to balance baseball and their family life when they get to be that age. It was time and I found it appropriate that he made the announcement rather quietly. He’s never been flashy.
Thanks for all the memories, Junior. You never let us down.
Is the end near for sleepy Griffey?
Posted by Anthony Stalter (05/11/2010 @ 4:00 pm)
It appears as though Ken Griffey Jr.’s days in baseball are numbered. Not only is he hitting .208 with a dismal .234 slugging percentage with no home runs and just two doubles through the first month of the season, but reports have also surfaced on that he missed an opportunity to pinch hit in a recent game because he fell asleep in the clubhouse.
The clubhouse nap incident is certainly troubling, but not necessarily the main issue when it comes to Junior. (Especially considering that most of us would fall asleep watching the Mariners play these days.) The bigger problem is that he’s 40-years-old, he can’t play the outfield any more and is a DH that can’t hit. For a team that has struggled as much as the Mariners have offensively this year, there’s simply no reason to keep Griffey on the roster.
That’s why Tacoma News Tribune columnist Larry LaRue’s report about Griffey’s eventual release in Seattle holds a lot of water. LaRue writes that Junior could be released sometime this month, although maybe he’ll save the club some trouble and just retire.
Either way, the writing is on the wall for the beloved player. While the report of him falling asleep in the clubhouse is embarrassing, it won’t be what he’s remembered for. He’ll be remembered for playing the game the way it was supposed to be played, treating fans and teammates with respect, and the fact that his name has never been connected with steroids. The anti-Barry Bonds if you will.
If this is the end, Junior has amassed one hell of a career.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Griffey chooses Braves
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/17/2009 @ 2:34 pm)
Free agent outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. has decided to sign with the Braves and not the Mariners, his former team.
The 39-year-old erstwhile “Kid” — also known as “Junior” — decided to sign with the Braves over an offer to return to Seattle, where he played his first 11 seasons with the Mariners and was the American League MVP in 1997.
The two teams made similar offers, believed to be in the range of $2 million guaranteed, with incentives tied to staying healthy and getting a lot of plate appearances.
Griffey, who lives in Orlando, is nearly a decade removed from his years as a Gold Glove center fielder — he won 10 of those fielding awards in a row in the ’90s — but is still at least a serviceable outfielder and a formidable hitter against right-handed pitching.
He’s expected to play primarily in left field for the Braves, probably in a platoon role right-handed hitter Matt Diaz, though Griffey could also play against some lefty pitchers.
He could also serve as a backup center fielder for the Braves, who only got 27 home runs from their outfield last season, the lowest total in the majors.
This was a solid move for the Braves, who have added much needed depth to their outfield.
Braves making late push for Griffey
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/14/2009 @ 4:52 pm)
Just a day ago it appeared that Ken Griffey Jr. would be heading back to Seattle for a one-year reunion with the Mariners. But now the Braves are making a late push for the free agent outfielder.
Atlanta, which has been looking for a reasonably priced, veteran outfield bat, lost out to the Los Angeles Angels this week in a bid to sign Bobby Abreu.
If the Braves don’t sign Griffey, they could turn to veteran Garret Anderson as a fallback. But sources said that Griffey is Atlanta’s prime target, and the Braves are “in the mix” for his services.
The interest is apparently mutual. Griffey lives in Orlando, Fla., where Atlanta’s spring training site is located, and has a good relationship with Braves manager Bobby Cox.
Griffey would also be willing to split time with Matt Diaz in left field for the Braves, sources said.
Griffey is playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in California this weekend. After playing a round Thursday, he told reporters that media reports of his imminent return to Seattle were nothing more than “rumors.”
Griffey would be a solid, low cost addition to the Braves’ outfield. It’ll be interesting to see how this one turns out.
