I don't know if its true or not, but someone posted on the White Sox forum that Nick Swisher will let Griffey have #30.
I don't know if its true or not, but someone posted on the White Sox forum that Nick Swisher will let Griffey have #30.
I really will be sad to see Griffey go, as I was 100% behind the trade that brought him to Cincinnati. He was simply snake-bit by injuries, and that derailed what should have been a wonderful homecoming for Jr. I think the move to right will be good for Bruce, and I hope we can see Dickerson share some time in center with Hairston. The White Sox have split the money for the buyout next year with the Reds. Does this mean he will be a free agent next year? I imagine both Masset and Richar will give us roster depth, and I hope both of them can make a marginal impact for the Reds in the future.
Aren't the Reds paying Grif's entire salary? Or are you talking buyout?Originally Posted by schroomytunes
The White Sox pay half his salary this year, and half the buy-out next year. The combined total should be more than 4 million.
Griffey should go back to No. 24. Give Crede a car or something (you know, something small to show his appreciation). Who cares about No. 30... Griffey didn't even want that number at first with the Reds, and then even changed to No. 3 after a while. I know he said that was for his son, Trey, but if Griffey loved 30, he never would have changed it.
For the record, I still think it's lame that Tony Perez didn't allow Junior to "borrow" the No. 24 so to speak. It would have been a nice link to the BRM, especially since Perez and Griffey Sr. played together. It would have always been Tony's number with the Reds, but he was a pretty small man by not allowing Griffey to borrow it for a few years. Pretty insecure if you ask me.
I know we're on page 24, so maybe someone already said this.
Are we sure that Griffey would have approved a trade if Krivsky made it a year ago or if O'Brien made it 5 years ago?
I don't think that's certain. But I agree that this was the right move, and I'm not sure they could have expected much more in return.
Stick to your guns.
The White Sox and Reds will split the remaining 2008 salary and the buyout, not the entire 08 salary.
If we took a trip in the way back machine, I really would doubt that Junior would have accepted a trade to this current Reds team. If that's what you were trying to get at? When he came to Cincinnati, the Reds were coming off of an amazing season with a lot of promise. The shortsighted view had multiple World Series upcoming for our ballclub. However it wasn't meant to be. I do feel lucky that I had the chance to experience the excitement of my baseball team trading for the world's best baseball player. And no matter how outrageous it was, every spring training after that it seemed like we had a chance to win if the Kid came back. It's disappointing the way things happened, but it was nobody's fault and I wouldn't take that trade back in a hundred years. Thank you to Ken Griffey Jr, and here's another White Sox fan for the rest of this season.
Let's play two!!!
I'll tell you what, this is sad and depressing. It's hit me pretty hard. I knew this was going to be his last season in Cincinnati but I honestly didn't expect him to be traded. I'll never forget the day he was acquired by the Reds...I can't even begin to describe how excited I was that my favorite player growing up was going to play for my favorite team. That doesn't happen very often. It's hard to believe it's already been eight plus years since the trade brought The Kid to Cincinnati. And now it's over. I've said it a hundred times, I would still make that trade even knowing what I know today. I thought that was the start of a big playoff run for the Reds and a WS title or two but things never materialized that way, though it was no fault of Griffey. He still left me with plenty of great memories. I'm proud to say I was in attendance for his first homerun as a Cincinnati Red.
Thank you Ken Griffey Jr. for everything.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Friday, August 01, 2008
Ken Griffey Jr. spent more than eight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. Some of the highs and lows of his time with the Reds:
Feb. 10, 2000
The Reds acquire Ken Griffey Jr. from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitcher Brett Tomko, outfielder Mike Cameron, pitcher Jake Meyer and infielder Antonio Perez. In a steamy Crosley Room on the executive level of Cinergy Field, Griffey pulls on a Reds hat and says, "Well, I'm finally home." The deal is nine years for $112.5 million with a club option for a 10th year. Griffey pulls on a Reds jersey and says, "The last time I put on this uniform I was 8." Griffey Sr., in earshot, shoots back, "And you beat us, 12-0, in the Father-Sons game."
Jim Bowden opens the press conference by saying, "February 10, 2000. February 10, 2000. This day will go down in Reds history and will go down in major-league history as the day one of the biggest trades in our sport took place, when the Michael Jordan of baseball came home to Cincinnati. He is the player of the decade, an All-Century player. A player who was born in Cincinnati has become one of the best players in our sport and has come home."
April 3, 2000
Griffey runs from the dugout to the Cinergy Field first-base line next to Barry Larkin as he is introduced to the Opening Day crowd of 55,596 (largest ever for a Reds home game) to a huge roar. "I couldn't believe how loud it was and how long it lasted," he says later. "I couldn't believe everyone stood up like that." Bowden, wearing a tuxedo, tells reporters, "This has put Cincinnati back on the baseball map, on top of the entire baseball world." Griffey goes 0-for-2 in the rain-shortened, six-inning tie with Milwaukee.
July 8, 2000
Griffey hits two home runs and drives in eight against Cleveland, becoming the first Reds player since Dave Parker in 1987 with at least eight RBIs in a game.
Aug. 23, 2000
After explaining to a reporter that he would be in the afternoon's lineup despite a sore left hamstring because he "played hurt all year, I've had a sore hamstring, I've refused to come out when I'm hurt," Griffey spots broadcaster Marty Brennaman, who had criticized Griffey during a broadcast for not hustling to stretch a single into a double. "You should check things out before you put things on the air," Griffey says. "Did you ask me if I was OK? Didn't you see me limping? Do you even know I've had a bad hamstring for a long time?"
Sept. 19, 2000
Griffey hits his 40th home run of the season, a pinch-hit shot against San Francisco's Livan Hernandez. He becomes the fourth player in history to hit 40 or more home runs five seasons in a row and the fourth player to hit 40 or more in seven seasons. Only Griffey and Babe Ruth are in both categories.
March 26, 2001
Griffey stumbles while rounding third base against the Royals in a spring-training game and grabs the back of his left leg. "Did I think it was bad? Yeah, I did," he says. "I'm relieved because they told me it was only a strain and isn't like last year's. That one was more pain."
April 29, 2001
The Reds place Griffey on the 15-day disabled list with a torn left hamstring, the first of eight stints on the DL that Griffey will make during the next eight seasons, totaling 329 days. This stay ends up being the third-longest, at 47 days.
July 17, 2001
ESPN commentators Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons contend on the air that the last-place Reds should sit Griffey to avoid future injury. "They gave me the green light to play," Griffey says. "That's the worst thing they could have done. They said you can play, and I said, 'OK.' " Manager Bob Boone adds: "Yes, he is a franchise player. As a franchise player, he has to play. That's what franchise players do. If he says he can go, he goes. If he says he can't go, he doesn't go."
Aug. 9, 2001
Griffey hits his 450th career home run against San Francisco's Russ Ortiz. At 31 years, 261 days, he is the youngest player to reach the mark.
April 7, 2002
Season-ending surgery is discussed after Griffey partially tears the patellar tendon in his right knee during a rundown against Montreal. "Junior did what he is supposed to do — he got into a rundown on that play," third-base coach Tim Foli says. "He came toward third and stopped quick. I don't know how you can stop something like that from happening, but he did what he needed to do."
June 25, 2002
The Reds again place Griffey on the DL, this time for a torn right hamstring that he suffered against the Angels. Griffey reportedly tells a friend, "I'm not going to play again until I'm 100 percent healthy." That would be 28 days.
Sept. 18, 2002
Griffey becomes the eighth player to hit a home run into Pittsburgh's Allegheny River. He did it against future teammate Josh Fogg.
July 18, 2003
Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the Reds medical director, performs the first of two season-ending surgeries in Griffey's time with the Reds. Kremchek repairs the right ankle Griffey injured while running out a double against Houston the day before. "It's just a shame," manager Boone says. "Just when he was starting to get his swing down and it looked like he was about to take off." Griffey plays just 53 games during the 2003 season after playing just 70 in 2002.
Aug. 4, 2003
Kremchek repairs Griffey's right shoulder, which he dislocated on April 5 while diving for a ball against Chicago. He was expected to miss 6-to-10 weeks with the shoulder injury earlier in the season, but missed just 37 days and returned May 12.
June 16, 2004
After ESPN's Rob Dibble criticized Griffey for asking that either Marty Brennaman or Joe Nuxhall broadcast his 500th home run (and not third man Steve Stewart), Griffey fires back. "That goes back a few years to when I wouldn't autograph a ball for him," Griffey says. "He rips me all the time, so why would I sign a ball for him? He's ripped me ever since. He needs to grow up.
"It wasn't me who threw a ball into the center-field seats after blowing a save that hit a woman. It wasn't me fighting my manager (Lou Piniella, when he managed the Reds and Dibble was in the bullpen). It wasn't me ripping off my uniform on the field when he blew a game (after giving up a game-winning home run in New York to Bobby Bonilla). He's just mad and bitter because he was never more than a 100-miles-an-hour set-up guy."
June 20, 2004
Griffey hits his 500th home run in
St. Louis with both parents in attendance. The Cardinals fans give Griffey a standing ovation as he walks to Ken Griffey Sr. and hugs him on Father's Day.
Aug. 16, 2004
Kremchek again performs season-ending surgery on Griffey, this time for a complete tear of the right hamstring Griffey suffered Aug. 4 while making a sliding play in the outfield. Kremchek inserts three screws. "Three years ago, nobody heard of this surgery, never heard of a torn hamstring being fixed," Kremchek says. "Nobody was doing it. With this type of injury, there is no way Griffey could ever again play center field ... or left field ... or right field ... or anywhere. Zero. None."
Aug. 3, 2005
The Reds and Griffey deny reports that the team agreed to trade Griffey to the White Sox but that owner Carl Lindner vetoed it. "Not anything to it," says Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg. "Conversations I had with the Reds recently revealed that nothing was up as far as trades other than a couple of inquiries. They told me he was going to remain with the Reds. And they never came to us to ask whether Junior would accept a trade." Griffey says, "I hadn't heard about any kind of trade. But I did think it odd that the front office told Kent Mercker, David Weathers and Adam Dunn they wouldn't be traded, but nobody said anything to me. And nobody asked me or my agent anything about going to any other team."
Sept. 26, 2005
Griffey undergoes surgery again, this time to clean out both his left knee and a wound at the point of incision from his August 2004 hamstring surgery. Griffey, though, has just completed a season that will earn him the Reds' Ernie Lombardi Award as the team's most valuable player. In 128 games, he hit .301 with 35 home runs and 92 RBIs.
April 17, 2006
Griffey takes his eighth and final DL stint with the team because of an inflamed tendon behind the right knee. The next day, Griffey was running sprints in the outfield. "I'm a working man," Griffey says. "Being on the disabled list is tougher than playing. You work much harder when you're on the DL. I'd rather be playing. It's much easier." The stay lasts 24 days.
May 11, 2006
During his first game returning from the disabled list, Griffey hits a three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Reds a 5-4 victory against the Washington Nationals. "One of those things," Griffey said. "I saw it, I hit it. I knew I hit it pretty well. It's awesome. I don't get many chances to hit a game-winning home run. To do that my first day back with all the abuse I've taken the last couple of weeks ... "
June 24, 2007
The Reds play the final of three games against the Mariners in Seattle, Griffey's first games in the city since his trade to Cincinnati in 2000. Griffey causes a stir when he tells the crowd, "I owe it to the fans and to myself to retire as a Mariner. Every athlete wants to finish with the team with which he started."
Sept. 7, 2007
Griffey hits his 30th home run of the season against Milwaukee's David Bush. It is Griffey's ninth season with 30 or more home runs.
June 9, 2008
Griffey's 600th career home run causes many around him to discuss his place in the game's history. "I'm surprised he can go through the airport metal detectors without setting something off," Reds manager Dusty Baker says. "He must really love the game, because he doesn't need the money. He has gone through a lot of pain and suffering. I have to damn near drag him out of the lineup."
July 31, 2008
The Reds announce they've traded Griffey to the Chicago White Sox, ending an eight-plus season stay that was at times joyous and at times tumultuous in his hometown.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...iffeyline.html
McCoy: Griffey deserves applause as he leaves Cincinnati
By Hal McCoy
the Dayton Daily News
Friday, August 01, 2008
In 1979, Joe Morgan stuck a finger in my face and said, "Don't ever try to talk to me again." I haven't.
Morgan was in his free-agent year, and I wrote a column saying it was time for Joe to go, that the Reds were reloading and had no need for him.
And now I'm saying the same thing about Ken Griffey Jr. It was time for him to go, and I know he won't stick a finger in my face.
He has too much class.
It is a sad time in Cincinnati, but perhaps it is the dawn of the Walt Jocketty Era. He was brought in as general manager to turn around seven straight years of losing.
Trading Griffey to the Chicago White Sox is the beginning. Younger players are the future, not a 38-year-old outfielder whose skills are eroding fast due to age and enough injuries to use as a living model for a medical school.
And it is sad to say that. In 36 years of covering the Reds, I have not met a classier man, a man who loves the game and loves his family and loves charitable work with deep devotion.
Some believed he loafed, didn't run out ground balls, didn't chase down balls in the outfield.
He didn't loaf. He couldn't run any harder. There is nothing left in his knees from a half dozen surgeries, nothing left in his shoulders and elbows from surgeries.
And yet he has hit 608 home runs and has done it the right way. No steroids. No growth hormones. Just the sweetest swing ever seen and a beaming, infectious smile.
Some fans blame him for the seven losing seasons because he arrived in 2000, the year before the losing began. One man does not make a team a loser. He wasn't surrounded by enough talent, especially pitching.
Some fans thought he was a cancer in the clubhouse, but they never saw him talking to young players, giving them equipment as well as advice, buying food for all the players and being the No. 1 clubhouse prankster.
Not only did they congregate around him, many were in awe — as they should have been. Leadership? He was a leader by example in many ways, not just how to play baseball, but how to cope with life's roadblocks.
Many Cincinnati fans don't realize it, but they were fortunate to see him in a Reds uniform, even when he was diminished by injuries. He played every day, and when his name wasn't in the lineup, he invariably lobbied managers to put him in.
He need make no apologies for his nearly nine years in Cincinnati. He came to Cincinnati from Seattle for a discount and, yes, $116.5 million is more money than the majority of us can dream about, but it was less than he could have obtained elsewhere, and there were no guns pointed at general manager Jim Bowden's head when he offered that contract.
Yes, sadly it was time to go. The Reds, in the words of Jocketty, "are re-tooling, getting younger."
Griffey doesn't fit the pattern.
At least the Reds traded him to a first-place team. Griffey often referred to the World Series rings flashed at him by his father, Ken Griffey Sr., and said, "All I want is one."
Now he has that chance. He deserves it.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...08spmccoy.html
Are you going to change your avatar?
It's sad the way Griffey left. WLW is classless and a joke. They must have had 3 or 4 Griffey-bashing promo's running yesterday. One went something like "Baseball is a game filled with memories, like the first time Griffey half-assed it down to first base, or when he watched strike three through glide over the plate, or a time when he popped up with a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the ninth." Absolutely trash...
Ken Griffey JR. was born to play baseball.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to watch him play the game in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. Ken Griffey JR. and Reds Fans were both robbed by injuries and bad luck.
Thank You and Good Luck KGJ.
Posting Permissions
|
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please. |
Reply With Quote