Ken Griffey Jr. to retire

[erik316wttn]

This story has been confirmed by the Mariners organization

 

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/06/02/ken-griffey-jr-to-announce-retirement/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

630 career HR's, would have been a whole lot more had he not been made of glass.

 

Enjoy Cooperstown in 2015, Junior! It's just a shame he never got to play in the World Series.

[NCCubFan]

Minor nitpick: It will be 2016, not 2015, when he is eligible for the Hall. Since he did play some this year 2011 through 2015 will be the 5-year waiting period and he will be eligible for the election in Jan. 2016.

[erik316wttn]

Minor nitpick: It will be 2016, not 2015, when he is eligible for the Hall. Since he did play some this year 2011 through 2015 will be the 5-year waiting period and he will be eligible for the election in Jan. 2016.

 

You are correct, sir.

 

Too bad this thread hasn't gotten more attention, what with the blown call in the perfect game and all.

[NCCubFan]

Yeah, Griffey's retirement should have been a big story but Joyce stole the attention.

[rocket]

ouch

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/rocketsaucetd/gallaragga.jpg

 

[davell]

Griffey was always one of my favorite players growing up. I remember wanting us to trade for him a few years back too, even though I didn't think he necessarily would have helped us all that much.

[UMFan83]

Fantastic career. Just sad that we can't see how his career would have turned out without the injuries. Would he hold the HR crown? Who knows.

[Post Count Padder]

One of the best players of my generation. Just think of the numbers he would've put up if he hadn't been hurt all the time in the 2000s.

[OleMissCub]

From 1989 through 2000, Griffey hit 438 home runs -- the next closest center fielder in that time was Ellis Burks with 247. In those 12 years Griffey also hit .296, stole 173 bases and won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, providing the definitive statement of what a baseball player should be, what the old timers used to say was straight out of the Spalding Guidebook.

[imb]

From 1989 through 2000, Griffey hit 438 home runs -- the next closest center fielder in that time was Ellis Burks with 247. In those 12 years Griffey also hit .296, stole 173 bases and won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, providing the definitive statement of what a baseball player should be, what the old timers used to say was straight out of the Spalding Guidebook.

 

yeah right, old times complained all the time that he took BP with his hat on backwards and didn't tuck in his jersey during warmups.

[OleMissCub]

I think the old timers they are referring to are from the deadball era or something. The Spalding book hasn't been a big deal since like the 20's.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It's a shame he couldn't stay healthy.

[Tracer Bullet]

From 1989 through 2000, Griffey hit 438 home runs -- the next closest center fielder in that time was Ellis Burks with 247. In those 12 years Griffey also hit .296, stole 173 bases and won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, providing the definitive statement of what a baseball player should be, what the old timers used to say was straight out of the Spalding Guidebook.

 

yeah right, old times complained all the time that he took BP with his hat on backwards and didn't tuck in his jersey during warmups.

 

my HS baseball coach hated it when we all started wearing our hats backwards to look like Junior. I'll always love him (KGJr) for that.

[erik316wttn]

A cross between Mantle and Mays-- Mays for his overall ability on the baseball field, and Mantle because he didn't accomplish everything he truly could have in his career because of injury after injury.

[Post Count Padder]

ouch

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/rocketsaucetd/gallaragga.jpg

Yeah, Junior picked a bad day to retire.

[Prizefight]

Definitely one of the retirements that starts to make you feel a bit older. One of the players who got me into baseball and there might not ever be a swing as smooth as his was. Also a guy who has never had any real speculation about PED's at any point.

 

 

Enjoy Cooperstown.

[hardcorecubfan]

It's a shame he couldn't stay healthy.

 

A lot of that was his fault, it wasn't until he was 33 did he get a personal trainer during the off season, and he even admitted he rarely worked out during the winter

[JimSorgi]

A cross between Mantle and Mays-- Mays for his overall ability on the baseball field, and Mantle because he didn't accomplish everything he truly could have in his career because of injury after injury.

So he's also like Mark Prior.

[J.R.]

Granted, it didn't take a baseball Einstein to recognize the burgeoning phenomenon that was Griffey. But Jongewaard had to convince skeptical M's owner George Argyros that Griffey was the right man. Argyros, it seems, was still irked about the slow progress of Jongewaard's previous year's No. 1, outfielder Patrick Lennon.

 

"I told him I wanted to take Junior," recalled Jongewaard, now 74 and living near San Diego, where he scouts for the Florida Marlins. "He said, 'No, there's a college pitcher from Fullerton I think is better suited for us, Mike Harkey.'

 

" 'No, Junior's the guy,' " Jongewaard assured Argyros.

 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2012041911_stone06.html

[UMFan83]

Granted, it didn't take a baseball Einstein to recognize the burgeoning phenomenon that was Griffey. But Jongewaard had to convince skeptical M's owner George Argyros that Griffey was the right man. Argyros, it seems, was still irked about the slow progress of Jongewaard's previous year's No. 1, outfielder Patrick Lennon.

 

"I told him I wanted to take Junior," recalled Jongewaard, now 74 and living near San Diego, where he scouts for the Florida Marlins. "He said, 'No, there's a college pitcher from Fullerton I think is better suited for us, Mike Harkey.'

 

" 'No, Junior's the guy,' " Jongewaard assured Argyros.

 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2012041911_stone06.html

 

Hey that's our Mike Harkey. The Cubs had the 4th pick that year, the Mariners 1. If they didn't take Junior, I'm sure the 2 or 3 team would have.

[Guest]

Granted, it didn't take a baseball Einstein to recognize the burgeoning phenomenon that was Griffey. But Jongewaard had to convince skeptical M's owner George Argyros that Griffey was the right man. Argyros, it seems, was still irked about the slow progress of Jongewaard's previous year's No. 1, outfielder Patrick Lennon.

 

"I told him I wanted to take Junior," recalled Jongewaard, now 74 and living near San Diego, where he scouts for the Florida Marlins. "He said, 'No, there's a college pitcher from Fullerton I think is better suited for us, Mike Harkey.'

 

" 'No, Junior's the guy,' " Jongewaard assured Argyros.

 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2012041911_stone06.html

 

Hey that's our Mike Harkey. The Cubs had the 4th pick that year, the Mariners 1. If they didn't take Junior, I'm sure the 2 or 3 team would have.

Harkey is a guy who could have been really, really, good if he didn't injury his leg messing around.

 

Life is crazy like that.

[TruffleShuffle]

cubs really strung together some great drafts back then... check out how much major league WAR they produced in some of these duds:

 

1986 draft: 18.9

1987: 8.0 (doesn't include jeff cirillo, who didn't sign)

1988: -0.8

1989: -3.9

1990: -0.9

1991: actually a pretty good draft - trachsel, lieber and glanville. 51.7

1992: -3.1

1993: 3.8

1994: 1.2

 

way to go cubs.

[SouthSideRyan]

Lieber didn't sign with the Cubs.

[NCCubFan]

Harkey is a guy who could have been really, really, good if he didn't injury his leg messing around.

Thinking he was Ozzie Smith and trying to do a cartwheel.

 

If I remember correctly he then tried to come back too early from his knee injury and messed up his shoulder by overcompensating for his knee.

 

Harkey and Lance Dickson were two should-have-been stars that both had their careers ruined by injury. They remind me of Prior and Wood, although maybe not with quite the same level of talent.

[Pushfrog98]

Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on the SNES is one of the best baseball games of all time.