Yardbarker: Ken Griffey

Griffey deserves to make his own decision

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:58 -0500

Ken Griffey Jr and his agent Brian Goldberg are scheduled to meet with the Mariners soon to make a decision on his future. Griffey who at times appeared to be playing his swan last season finished the season with 19 homers and 57 RBI in 117 games for the Mariners. Based upon statements by both the [...]

Titanic Struggle Recap — Redleg Nation Dream Series

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:57:32 -0500

123456789RHE 1990 Reds000011000281 1975 Reds08000100X9100 Time for a recap of tonight’s titanic Strat-O-Matic Dream struggle…. FINAL 1990 Cincinnati Reds 2 1975 Cincinnati Reds 9 WP: Gullett (1-0) LP: Rijo (0-1) PLAY BY PLAY Player of the Game –Johnny Bench. Bench went 3-4 with a double, a homer, an RBI, and a BB. Heroes –Also vying for player of the game honors, obviously, was 1975 Reds starting pitcher Don Gullett. Gullett defied his manager&...

The Griffey and Sweeney Solution (Or, How to Keep Ichiro Happy)

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:52:14 -0500

This isn’t really very complicated. It’s a 4-step process. 1. Fire Alan Cockrell, hitting coach. 2. Hire Ken Griffey, Jr. as hitting coach. 3. Sign Mike Sweeney to a 1 year, 1.5 million contract. I’ll be honest. I’m not the sort of guy who buys into team chemistry having a profound effect on a baseball team’s performance. But it [...]

Ken Griffey Jr. has bone spur removed from left knee

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:07:57 -0500

Ken Griffey Jr. had knee surgery on Monday.

Seattle Mariners 2009 Season Review

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:00:00 -0500

It was one of the most exciting, happy , and successful missing of the playoffs in professional sports history. The Seattle Mariners, a team that John Kruk so confidently stated was the one team in Major League baseball most heading in the wrong direction, went 85-77 and missed the playoffs by ten games.

But the season was all and all, a auccess. Witnessing the two most prominent icons and Mariners history, Ichiro Suzuki and Ken Griffey Jr, be carried off the field by their teammates said it all: the Mariners are done losing.

While the Mariners still finished third in the American League West and fourth in the wild card, they achieved something that even the cheeriest optimists predicted was impossible: a winning season.

After losing 101 games last season and finishing 40 games under .500, the Mariners did not have much hope. The team looked a little different player-wise, but with a new manager and GM, no one thought they could improve too much. But two players rose up and gave them the hope they needed to succeed.

The first was a Mariners legend returning to Seattle for a final tour or two in the ballpark that he made a priority in his time with the team in the nineties. Ken Griffey Jr, after fairly unsuccessful stints with the Reds and the White Sox, was finally considering coming home.

When all seemed lost and it seemed like pure fact that Griffey would be wooed away by the Braves, he chose to stop the nonsense and return to the place where he grew into the Hall of Famer he is today.

He called Chuck Armstrong, the Mariners team president , and said he wanted to come home. And while his .215 average was debatable to its impact on the team, each one of his twenty home runs was an exciting milestone and an defining event for Mariners fans. young Mariner fans could now say: "I saw Ken Griffey hit a home run in a Mariners uniform."

More valuable then his performance on the field was his performance in the clubhouse as one of the vocal leaders and team prankster. Griffey kept the mariners clubhouse light and fun and made a rookie's first home run (and there were a lot of them for the M's this year), an experience that rookie would never forget.

His vocal role and overall exceptional attitude made Griffey priceless to the team's outlook this year and for years to come.

The second player to carry the mariners this season was Cy Young candidate and staff ace Felix Hernandez. From the moment Felix came up from the minors three years ago, Seattle knew he would be a star. This year, he really blossomed into that role. His 19-5 record, 2.49 ERA, and 217 strikeouts were statistically amazing, but like Griffey, his numbers were not his greatest impact this year.

If you ever watched one of the many Mariners close, one-run games this season, you probably saw a shot of the dugout at some point. If you ever saw Felix, especially in a game he pitched in, he was probably in the corner with a towel over his head, a nervous wretch. And when the Mariners would get a big hit, he would be the first of the bench screaming or out hugging the winning hitter.

Combine that with his emphatic reactions after a big inning ending double play or strikeout, and you not only have an ace for years to come, but you have an emotional leader.

That brings us to the big question: where do the M's go from here? They definitely have some big pieces to the puzzle in place. First of all, with the organizational leadership of cool-headed manager Don Wakamatsu and crafty general manager Jack Zduriencik, they have decision makers that will take them far in the future.

The starting rotation is filled with youthful talent who, with good decisions from the brass, could have an impact for many years to come. Along with the obvious ace Hernandez, young pitchers Ian Snell, Doug Fister, and Ryan Rowland-Smith present enormous upside for the future of Mariners pitching.

This Mariners team is absolutely loaded with young talent and is ready to explode into a pennant race with just a few more tweaks to the batting order. If Zduriencik can continue his incredible scouting and trading that he demonstrated this season, the Mariners could be well on their way to the playoffs in 2010.

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Monthly Poll: The Fate of Ken Griffey Jr.?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Where will Ken Griffey Jr. be next season?

Will he be playing for the Mariners, as a part-time Designated Hitter?

Will he be playing for another American League team as a DH?

or*

Will he be retired, spending time with his family?

Vote in the poll after the jump.

What will Ken Griffey Jr. be Doing Come Next April?(online surveys)

*I just do not want this to turn into a Favre-esque type of situation.
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C'mon Ken Griffey Jr., let us give you the sendoff you deserve

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:19:07 -0500

Dear Ken Griffey Jr.(notes):Hey Junior, you still aren't saying if you're playing the final games of your Hall of Fame career this weekend and it appears that you're leaving every possible door swinging wide open as the season winds to a close.Part of me thinks that you're too cool and proud for a round of rocking chairs, microphones and tears and that you'll walk away quietly in the offseason. You'll let the season-long lovefest you just received during your Seattle r...

C'mon Ken Griffey Jr., let us give you the send-off you deserve

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:19:07 -0500

As End Nears, Ken Griffey Jr. Handles New Role

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:16:11 -0500

by Jeff FletcherFiled under: MarinersOAKLAND -- Ken Griffey Jr.'s triumphant return to Seattle doesn't have the happy ending the Mariners and their fans might have hoped, but it also hasn't been the failure that his .218 average might imply.The Mariners had their eyes wide open when they entered into this deal with the 39-year-old Griffey, fully aware of the limitations he might have on the field. They hoped that even if he wasn't producing in the batter's box, he would do...

CTR interviews Ken Griffey Jr. about the past, present and future

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:25:46 -0500

CTR interviews Ken Griffey Jr. about the past, present and future If you haven't heard, C Trent Rosecrans and a couple of others are starting a new website for independent sports journalism in Cincinnati. It's called CNati.com, and honestly, I think it's an excellent idea that will hopefully bring us additional outlets of Reds news beyond what the Enquirer and MLB.com will provide. One of the first things on the site is an interview with Ken Griffey Jr that is enlightenin...

Ken Griffey Jr. is the King of Awkward Introductions

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:15:00 -0500

Junior Being Junior:French received an autographed jersey from Griffey last month when the Mariners played the Tigers in Detroit, and on Saturday received a typical Griffey "welcome" to the Mariners."Mike Sweeney and I were talking when he walked up and stood there near us," Griffey said. "We knew he wanted to introduce himself, so when we were done talking, both of us turned and started to walk away."Luke had his hand out and he just stared. Then I turned around...

What Could Have Been: Ken Griffey Jr to the Braves

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:45:00 -0500

For a short period of time back in February, it looked like Ken Griffey Jr. was on his way to playing with the Atlanta Braves. As David O'Brien wrote: Ken Griffey Jr., one of only six players to hit more than 600 career home runs, has decided to play for the Braves, a person close to the veteran outfielder and familiar with the negotiations told the Journal-Constitution.The Braves were obviously looking for Junior to be a productive outfielder, who could put some fannies in the seats at T...

Griffey Tickles Ichiro's Fancy, Armpits

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:15:42 -0500

Today, the Tacoma News Tribune takes a long look at the blossoming friendship between Ichiro and Ken Griffey Jr. Among the many touching revelations: Griffey will tickle Ichiro until he calls out what one might describe as a safe word. Ichiro is apparently happy for the first time in years, and if the News Tribune's Larry LaRue is to be believed, this has a lot to do with Ken Griffey Jr. and his magic fingers: Ichiro Suzuki spreads a towel on the carpeted floor in front of his locker, li...