Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

[Coug00]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

I'm going to be happy to see him on the team again, memories. I will be at a few more games than I would have been.

Exactly.

Here's a quote from Keith Law's article this morning...

What's most troubling is that this appears not to be a baseball move, but a marketing one. It's a cynical, insulting ploy to try to get fans into the park -- "Hey, they've heard of this guy! They won't know he's not half the player he used to be!" -- and worse, it's misguided. Fans who want to see Griffey play again will go … once.

Its obvious to me, Law has no idea what this means to the people of Seattle and the Northwest. I think all of us expect Junior to struggle, but do any of us really care? This makes baseball significant again in Seattle because Junior IS Seattle baseball and brings us back to a time when baseball was fun. Whether he hits a home run or strikes out, I'm just going to enjoy the ride knowing that Griffey is back where he belongs and the only time I'll get pissed is when he pulls his first hammy. :wink:

[Seahawk76]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

Thanks for the FYI on the dentist thing Anyways, since RF is taken by Ichiro where's Griffey gonna be placed? I wouldn't believe they'd stick him in CF because of his limited range

They have something called a Designated Hitter in the American League. You may have heard of it?

[WazzuRC]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

Trying hard not to be a homer...

I don't understand why the media outside the Northwest is blasting this Griffey signing. We needed a left handed hitter who can hit for some power. We addressed that need. Who's left out there? Garrett Anderson? Manny (yeah right)? Griffey was really the only option outside of a trade and I don't want to give up any young talent unless we get a solid player in return like Nick Swisher.

I was listening to Cowherd on ESPN this morning (I don't know why because I can't stand that guy) but he was saying it was strictly a nostalgia move, doesn't help the club at all, sets them back, he's a broken down player, etc. Sure it's a nostalgia move, but the guy hit 30 bombs in 2007 albeit in a pitcher's park. He's coming to camp 15 lbs. lighter. For 2 million, I say take that chance. We can't rely on Balentien and Clement to DH all season, especially when Balentien struggled as much as he did at the plate. I'd rather go into the season with Griffey as my DH while trying to develop Balentien in LF and Clement behind the plate or at 1B than give Kenji Johjima more opportunities to hit.

[keRplunK]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

This move works baseball wise, as well as for the obvious reasons, it's sad... but he could easily lead the team in home runs. And he probably should hit third in the line up against right handed pitchers... so people saying that aren't paying attention.

Sure, it may not be the best move in the world because younger players could be getting some experience (while the team is losing), but this team has remote (quite remote) chance of competing and Griffey will help that possibility (ever so slightly).

[Speedy]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

They have something called a Designated Hitter in the American League. You may have heard of it?

The previous GM who signed Kenji to that extension seriously crippled the franchise...I read that Keith Law article and I halfway agree with it. Junior's lost some weight and is supposedly in great shape, but he was in a band box hitter's heaven in Cincy but didn't have good numbers the past few year (which might be attributed to injuries). I hope he haas an extraordinary season, though

[Coug00]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

The previous GM who signed Kenji to that extension seriously crippled the franchise...I read that Keith Law article and I halfway agree with it. Junior's lost some weight and is supposedly in great shape, but he was in a band box hitter's heaven in Cincy but didn't have good numbers the past few year (which might be attributed to injuries). I hope he haas an extraordinary season, though

The Johjima contract was done w/o involvement from the GM (hate to defend Bavasi). The M's Japanese owner did it as a favor to Kenji. I still think Kenji can bounce back. His batted ball splits were no different last year than what he always does, but his BABIP was extremely low. He ran into some awful luck last year.

What Law doesn't take into account is that the M's don't have anyone else to take Junior's place. Clement is going to get his time at Catcher to prove if he's a catcher and Balentien would only DH against lefties. I'm not sold Balentien is a ML caliber player...he's got major holes in his swing and he's just as bad as JR defensively. Law mentions Halman, but he's going to play LF if he comes up. He's extremely athletic and his max value is in the field, not hitting 4 times/game.

And don't believe the reputation that Safeco is strictly a pitcher's park. Its absolute murder on righties, but it doesn't take a big poke for a left handed pull hitter to knock it out.

[rsox]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

The previous GM was Bill Bavasi. I am a firm believer that anyone named Bavasi or Duquette should never be allowed anywhere near a major league ballpark. let alone allowed to run a team.

[Motown]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

I was listening to Cowherd on ESPN this morning

I can't STAND that BASTARD!

[tarheelguy4736]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

I believe this will be griffey's last year. Thats why he signed with the mariners because he can be a DH hitter and not have to play in the field and also can finish up his career where he started it. Something I wish the braves would have done with Smoltz.

[Seahawk76]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

And don't believe the reputation that Safeco is strictly a pitcher's park. Its absolute murder on righties, but it doesn't take a big poke for a left handed pull hitter to knock it out.

True. Hell, they designed Safeco with Griffey in mind. I went to one of the games when Griffey returned with the Reds and he knocked one out over the RF wall about 20 rows up.

[Coug00]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

True. Hell, they designed Safeco with Griffey in mind. I went to one of the games when Griffey returned with the Reds and he knocked one out over the RF wall about 20 rows up.

I would have been at that game if it weren't for a surprise b-day party that same weekend. Still ticked about that.

With Safeco's dimensions I could never understand why Bavasi continually brought in right handed power hitters. I'm glad Jack Z has a clue and has brought in the left handed power hitters that were available at the right price and is grooming an entire starting rotation of lefties in Tacoma. Yay for brains!

Griffey's press conference is scheduled for 12:30pm PST. That's the same time as the nationally televised UCLA/WSU basketball game, so I wonder what FSNW is going to do.

[Blzer]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

Trying hard not to be a homer...

I don't understand why the media outside the Northwest is blasting this Griffey signing. We needed a left handed hitter who can hit for some power. We addressed that need. Who's left out there? Garrett Anderson? Manny (yeah right)? Griffey was really the only option outside of a trade and I don't want to give up any young talent unless we get a solid player in return like Nick Swisher.

Bonds was still a plausible option.

[Seahawk76]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

With Safeco's dimensions I could never understand why Bavasi continually brought in right handed power hitters. I'm glad Jack Z has a clue and has brought in the left handed power hitters that were available at the right price and is grooming an entire starting rotation of lefties in Tacoma. Yay for brains!

The frustrating thing about Bavasi is he kept making moves that even average fans knew didn't make much sense. I don't think anyone thought that trading Soriano for HoRam was a good idea. And the money he threw at the likes of Weaver, Silva, and Batista is obscene. I love what Jack Z has been doing so far and I'm pretty confident he's going to build a contender within a few years.

[WazzuRC]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

I think Bavasi's big problem was that he tried to take some chances which ultimately fizzled. He saw the writing was on the wall for his job so he just starting taking bigger and bigger chances throwing something against the wall hoping it would stick so he could keep his job.

That....and he's an idiot.

[Coug00]

Re: Ken Griffey Jr. Returns to Seattle

Part of the blame should be placed on Armstrong and Lincoln. They should have NEVER, EVER, EVER told Bavasi win this year or else. Bavasi became desperate and mortgaged the future for one last shot in '08. I still can't believe everything they gave up for two years of Bedard. That will go down as the worst trade in M's history, worse than trading Tino/Nellie for Hitchcock/Davis or Lowe/Varitek for Slocumb.

And my favorite quote of all time was Bavasi comparing Vidro to Edgar Martinez. WHAT?!?!