Ken Griffey Expects to Be Traded

Search FanHouse

Resources

FanHouse RSS Feeds

Email our editors with your tips, corrections, complaints, inquiries, suggestions, etc.

Posted May 6th 2008 3:30PM by Matt Watson
Filed under: Seattle, Mariners, Reds, AL West, NL Central, Cincinnati

If the Reds don't pick up his $16 million option this winter, Ken Griffey Jr. will be a free agent for the first time in his career. It's kind of amazing that a guy can have a career that spans two decades and never hit the open market, but it's a testament to his ability that the Mariners and Reds have locked him up with long-term extensions rather than risk losing him.

Of course, he's not quite the player he was when he signed his current deal back in 2000, and now that he's 38 years old, the Reds probably don't have any plans on exercising that option, which means he'll play a starring role in his share of trade rumors this summer. That's something he both understands and expects. From USATODAY.com:

"We're in a tough situation here," says Griffey, whose team improved to 13-20 with Monday's 5-3 win against the Cubs. "We either turn things around or they start getting rid of everybody around here.

"My situation is different only because I can tell them where I want to go. I want to be in position to win a championship. I'm not strong-arming anybody, but that's the way it is."

Griffey, who enters today hitting .229 with four home runs and 15 RBI, says he expects the Reds to approach him before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline seeking his approval for a trade.

He's not hitting now, but he's remained a very productive hitter the last several years and will likely draw the eye of a contender or two as a rental for the stretch run. Once he finally does hit free agency, I won't be surprised if he eventually makes his way back to Seattle, especially after reading this:

"I think everybody in Seattle would like to see him retire in a Mariners uniform," Mariners President Chuck Armstrong says. "He was born a Mariner. And I'd like to see him finish up as a Mariner.

"I can't say much because he is property of the Cincinnati Reds, but he always will have a special place in my heart, and everyone here in Seattle."

With Raul Ibanez and Jose Vidro's contracts also up in Seattle this winter, there's room for Griffey in Seattle's outfield and DH spot. He wouldn't be just a sentimental favorite, either: he's averaged over 30 home runs each of the last three seasons; in that same span, the Mariners have averaged just 13 home runs from their DH spot.

Comments [9]
Permalink
Email This
Linking Blogs
Share This
- Add this post to...
- Netscape
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- YardBarker
- Ballhype
- Fark

Read Related Blogs and Articles

Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)

1. Griffey has always been a class act. I am a Reds fan and hate to see him go. Good guy.

Posted at 4:11PM on May 6th 2008 by Mattgeorge1967

2. Griffey jr is the greatest baseball player of the last 20 years. anyteam would be lucky to have that sweet swing

Posted at 5:33PM on May 6th 2008 by mike

3. He should be every baseball fan's favorite player

Posted at 12:28AM on May 7th 2008 by §

4. Who cares? Forever injured. Always an individual player, never a team player.

Posted at 12:45AM on May 7th 2008 by steve cepin

5. Griffey's been great for the game of baseball. The times he's been hurt were from busting his tail on the diamond. He's one of the best I've seen in the last 30 years and he could have challenged Aaron's HR record with Bonds if not for the injuries. He's been a class act his whole career, A real throw back player.

Posted at 12:58AM on May 7th 2008 by john

6. UNFORTUNATLY SINCE HE WAS FRIENDS WITH BONDS HE PROBABLY ENDED UP DOING ROIDS TOO THE ONLY REASON WE DONT HEAR ABOUT IS IS THAT HE DIDNT PLAY WITH PALMAIRO OR CANSCEO AT ALL IN HIS CAREER AND THEY KNOW WHO DID ROIDS SO GRIFFEY PROBABLY DID BUT JUST HASNT BEEN CAUGHT YET

Posted at 1:50AM on May 7th 2008 by INGY Q. BINGLEBOP

7. Bond's fans always use the excuse that the pitchers were on steroids too. If so then think about the greatness that is Ken Griffey Jr. He was the best player in the game even though everyone around him was cheating. If he took steroids some of his injuries could have been prevented, and on steroids Griffey would have over 750 homeruns by now in his career. Griffey is a great player, but more importantly he is an amazing person.

Posted at 9:40AM on May 7th 2008 by Buvi Duvi

8. Binglebop is an idiot. Griffey never played out of his talent level like Bonds did, and he never grew huge. The biggest proof is that all players that have played with him have said he was about the only guy they saw not use steroids, and that most of his injuries would have been prevented by steroids.

Posted at 4:02PM on May 7th 2008 by Laker's fan in Seattle

9. okay actually too be honest if he had been on roids (which im not saying he was cuz i mean hes not even huge) but his injuries wouldn't have been prevented they prollie would have appened more often steroids dont protect u from injuries they actually make you weaker as far as your body but anyways Griffey's probabyly the best hitter of our generation (yes better than A-ROD) but I'd honestly like tosee him back as a mariner or maybe even down here in florida with the Ray no im just dreaming that would never happen amazing player though

Posted at 12:57AM on May 16th 2008 by David

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.