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The W - Baseball - Griffey Retires
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BigDaddyLoco
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Since: 2.1.02

Since last post: 327 days
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#1 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.56
It's a bittersweet day and a year to late, but Ken Griffey Jr was a joy to watch everyday growing up and going to a Seattle Mariner game back then was always an event, not to mention that he had the prettiest home run swing ever. It's a shame he left Seattle and had all those injuries, but he was a hell of a player when he was in his prime. See you in the HoF. Click Here (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
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djp
Morcilla








Since: 16.2.07
From: 3rd Floor, NW window

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#2 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.54
IIRC, his very first major league hit was a triple. Looking back, that was a pretty good omen.

I liked watching him play; he was a true pro.

Looking forward to seeing Ken Griffey III play in the majors one day.

DrewDewce
Bratwurst








Since: 2.1.02
From: The Derby City

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#3 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.41
Felt old when Emmitt Smith retired as he and I were born on the exact same day and it only gets worse with this as Mr. Griffey was born only 6 months later and is now retired. Good gawd I'm old.

That being said, a hale and hearty farewell to the best player I've seen play the game. Was always a class act and I look forward to the day I'm watching his son Trey excel at whatever sport he chooses.



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It's False
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Since: 20.6.02
From: I am the Tag Team Champions!

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#4 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.29
Just a total class act. I was dying to see him make a run at the home run record, but he just couldn't bring it and his last few months were just sad to watch. Still, 630 home runs is nothing to sneeze at and he's a sure-fire HOF'er, especially when there's never been any kind of suspicion in regards to him and steroids.

You had a good run, Junior Griffey. You've earned a good retirement.



The Goon
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Since: 2.1.02
From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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#5 Posted on | Instant Rating: 8.03
I had a Nike ad up on my wall in university 20 years ago with him and his dad. I'll miss watching him play.
StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

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#6 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.63
Watching the Mariners now, and they have a "24" in the dirt behind second base.
What a shame he got hurt so much. If anybody deserved the money and fame that Barry Bonds got for his HR totals, it's definitely Ken.

They showed the film of him and his dad going yard in the same game.

They also said that his son has stopped playing baseball to focus on football, so no Ken Griffey III will ever play in the majors.

Rush4Life
Kolbasz








Since: 2.1.02
From: Tacoma, WA

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#7 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.59
I remember when he first came up to the big club. I tried to emulate that swing of his for years but man, you cannot duplicate perfection. I really felt bad for the last few months for him because it was like watching a boxer getting that last shot at the big time, just to come up way short. Was part of my favorite outfield trio ever of Vince Coleman, Jay Buhner and Griffey in 1995.



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CajunMan
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Since: 2.1.02
From: Give me a Title shot!

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#8 Posted on | Instant Rating: 0.88
He has plenty of time for sleep now.
Big Bad
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Since: 4.1.02
From: Dorchester, Ontario

Since last post: 1927 days
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#9 Posted on | Instant Rating: 5.70
One of the most naturally likable players of all time. It's a shame the Kid never got to appear in a World Series, but he gave us years of highlights, a memorable Simpsons cameo, lots of tape-measure homers, and I'm glad CRZ put up that banner since that Super NES game was awesome.
Guru Zim
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Since: 9.12.01
From: Bay City, OR

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#10 Posted on | Instant Rating: 9.01
It turns out that I went to his last start.

Crazy.




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supersalvadoran
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Since: 10.1.08
From: westbury, new york

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#11 Posted on | Instant Rating: 3.91
    Originally posted by CajunMan
    He has plenty of time for sleep now.


That's kind of a dick thing to say. The story has never been comfirmed as truth. Griffey and anyone in employment with the Mariners has denied it all along, so how do we actually know it really happened? It has as much weight as the Delonte West/ LeBron's mom story has. Besides, even if it was true, I heard plenty worse happening. I'll take Griffey napping during a regular season game over Bobby Bonilla and Rickey Henderson playing cards during a playoff game. I don't mean to come on strong, but that felt like a cheapshot you took to one of the best and most likeable players in baseball in the past 20 years. I don't understand what hatred you have for him to be saying that.

That aside, I'm going to miss Griffey. Before the injuries, he really did it all. Had he stayed healthy, I have no doubt he would be challenging the home run record. The only problem is that he never came close to winning a world series or even being in one. I'm afraid that future generations are going to say that instead of him being one of the best players of all-time, he'll be thought of as the greatest to never win it all. And that's just not fair.






JayJayDean
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Since: 2.1.02
From: Seattle, WA

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#12 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.23
    Originally posted by supersalvadoran
      Originally posted by CajunMan
      He has plenty of time for sleep now.


    That's kind of a dick thing to say.


You expected something else? Consider the source.

I was at the game where Griffey hit his 8th home in eight games, and the game where Griffey broke his wrist against the Rangers (the one where he went flying into the Kingdome wall - thanks MLB's video police for the lack of linkage). It isn't really overstating it to call Griffey the most important sports figure in Seattle history - without the '95 Mariner run to the ALCS there would be no Safeco Field, but before that, Griffey was the only reason to go to the Kingdome on non-Randy Johnson nights.

I'm just glad we can talk about his career in the past tense, because his present status was overshadowing everything on the team and tying the hands of the GM and manager.



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StaggerLee
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Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks

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#13 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.63
Reason 142,240,999 why Skip Bayless is a dick. He was just on ESPN and called Griffey an "Underachiever who never appreciated his talent".
CajunMan
Boudin blanc
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Since: 2.1.02
From: Give me a Title shot!

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#14 Posted on | Instant Rating: 0.88
No farewell party? Quitting in the middle of beginning of June? You sure this was done on his terms?


Mariners giving him no farewell sure sticks out!
thecubsfan
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Since: 10.12.01
From: Aurora, IL

Since last post: 947 days
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#15 Posted on | Instant Rating: 10.00
    Originally posted by supersalvadoran
      Originally posted by CajunMan
      He has plenty of time for sleep now.


    That's kind of a dick thing to say. The story has never been comfirmed as truth. Griffey and anyone in employment with the Mariners has denied it all along, so how do we actually know it really happened?


The two players who told the newspaper writer it happened are employees of the team. Junior also choose not to deny the story

    Originally posted by AP
    Griffey was vague in his denial.

    Asked if he asleep during the game, Griffey waited and stared for several seconds after hearing the question. He then said, "Anything else you want to ask?"


I can't find a link, but I think they eventually got him to say he wasn't asleep in the 8th inning, but refused to talk about the 7th. Maybe he was awake; people will remember Junior as a happy fun loving guy on the field, but it's not too hard to find non-Bayless people today who talk about how hard he was to deal with and he could've just been in that sort of mood. To the end, he was a guy who distrusted and disliked the media, and probably a lot of other people too.

I mean, even his retirement message says he's retiring not because he feels his career is done, but because he's not getting enough starts to be good. His teammates didn't know until the GM came down and told them, because Griffey just didn't show up at the park. It's not as graceful a goodbye as people want to believe it was, but fans have always tried to cocoon him from criticism - like how this is all the manager's fault for asking a 40 year old player hitting under 200 if he might want to consider retiring. The nerve!

Part of Griffey's legacy is being an athlete where none of the bad moments stuck to him. In our mind's eye, he's always been and always will be the guy with the sweet left handing swing or the guy climbing a wall to take a big hit away. This nap story will fall away, just like the first acrimonious departure from Seattle. Junior is always going to be the baseball player of our dreams, and no reality is going to intercede on that.

I know it's popular to say "if it wasn't for the injuries, he would've [x]", but more attention needs to be paid to Griffey's persistence in coming back from them. For the last decade of his career, he was constantly coming back from one traumatic injury or another, but he kept coming back. He got paid a lot by the Reds to do so, but no one would've blinked if he just said enough and went home. Instead, he came back and came back to Seattle, because he was doing what he wanted to do. It's just too bad he couldn't do it at the level he or everyone else expected anymore.



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JayJayDean
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Since: 2.1.02
From: Seattle, WA

Since last post: 2984 days
Last activity: 2562 days
#16 Posted on | Instant Rating: 7.23
    Originally posted by CajunMan
    No farewell party?...Mariners giving him no farewell sure sticks out!


Hard to give someone a "farewell party" when they aren't at the ballpark.

    Originally posted by CajunMan
    Quitting in the middle of beginning of June? You sure this was done on his terms?


No player hitting .184 with zero homers at the start of June leaves on his own terms. Usually they are released or sent down. Junior just got benched until he'd decided he'd had enough. He was only afforded the opportunity to walk away because of his status as an icon to the organization.

That he was the worst player on the team in 2010 doesn't change how great he was from 1989-2009 (if you are being generous by giving him last season). However, it is just a relief that the Junior Era is over now.



Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....

*snip*

Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass.
-- The Guinness. to Cerebus
The Game
Boudin rouge








Since: 5.5.09

Since last post: 3824 days
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#17 Posted on | Instant Rating: 1.38
5 more years, Griffey will be moved to Cooperstown.

Arguably the greatest overall talent in baseball the last couple decades.

If it weren't for his injuries, people would be trying to reach Ken Griffey for the homerun record; and the guy was natural talent whether it was hitting long-balls or playing gold-glove caliber defense.

Ken Griffey Jr. will be unfortunately remembered as the best player never to win a World Series but for other fans, he will be remembered as a class act on and off the field who will be a first-ballot in 5 years.

Griffey was nothing short of spectacular before his injury-prone years and deserves a good farewell.

kentish
Andouille








Since: 19.8.05
From: My Old Kentucky Home

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#18 Posted on | Instant Rating: 4.83
At this point in his career, I could care less if he fell asleep during a game. Regardless of why he retired, it was time. He had one of the greatest decades ever in the 90s. As a Reds fan, I will always wonder what might have been. However, he did have several years most players would kill for in Cincy, it's just that few people know that because the Red were terrible this past decade.

Until I hear otherwise, I will always believe his 630 home runs were clean. For a while in the 90s, I thought he might his 800.

Thanks for the memories, Junior.




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