This blog has moved! Yes, already!
As of Thursday, Feb. 12, this little blog has relocated to a new home on AJC.com. It’s the same newspaper, the same Web site and the same writer (feel free to groan) — there’s just a new URL.
New features: Bigger type, more graphics, comments that load 10 times faster and a larger and more recent photo that makes me look pretty doggone old. I think you’ll like it (the blog, not the photo). But I am, as we know too well, often wrong.
Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2009 > February > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHe’s not the Griffey of old; he’s an older Griffey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Just so nobody accuses me of a hidden agenda - and we’ll deal in depth with agendas shortly - let me say I’m pessimistic. I understand why it makes sense for the Braves to want Ken Griffey Jr., and I understand why he’d want to be a Brave. But not every marriage ends happily. The best intentions can, and often do, go wrong.
I worry that we in Atlanta will want Griffey to be the ebullient Junior of 1990s, and the cold truth is that he hasn’t been that guy for nearly a decade. He has been hurt and his bat has slowed and he’s no longer an All-Star center fielder or a center fielder at all. As of Valentine’s Day, this Griffey was a 600-homer man who didn’t have a job, and of his 611 home runs 70 percent were struck before 2002.
I know, I know. The Braves aren’t asking Griffey to save them. They only want him to split time in left field with Matt Diaz, who was a 17th-round draft choice and who, to this day, considers himself lucky to be a big-leaguer. But I worry the infusion of any Hall-of-Famer-to-be would alter the dynamics of a clubhouse and therefore a team. I worry that Griffey’s presence would be surplus to his job requirements.
To read the rest of this item, please see my new little blog on AJC.com.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Braves/MLB
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Comments
By Sub-Prae
February 17, 2009 9:23 PM | Link to this
He’s not the Griffey of old……hey guys, news!!!
Ken Griffey Jr. wont hit 56 homers in 2009!!!! My god I’m upset….darn you Frank Wren!!!!
By tgymwya
February 18, 2009 12:52 PM | Link to this
I believe Junior can still be productive. He doesn’t have to be an everyday player to contribute. Matt Diaz earned his spot. He’s not dynamic but he gives you everything he’s got. The Braves have grit in their lineup this year. Kind of reminds me of the Blauser, Lemke days. The key will be Frenchie. If he produces, the Braves can beat anybody in the league. I’d like to see more activity on the base pathes. Most of all, I want to see the guys acting like kids and enjoying the game. The right frame of mind can do wonders for a ball club. Maybe that’s why we want the “Kid” on our team. He likes to play and can show our other kids the heart it takes to win.
By Doug D.
February 18, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this
Hey in my opinion it is simple, will the 2009 Atlanta Braves be a better team with Ken Griffey Jr. on the Roster? Answer Yes. Needing an Outfielder with some pop in his bat an the ability to field until the young talent has time to mature. In Baseball you do not want your talented youngsters to be exposed to the pressures of the Major League until you are sure they can handle it, Remember Darryl Strawberry of the Mets? A young player with a world of talent that was brought up too soon. So with the Free Agent Market the way it is right now, Ken Griffey Jr. is a good fit for the Atlanta Braves. He will play 85 games, get some hits, score some runs, and give 110% every day he plays, that is what he has done his whole carrer.
By Brian
February 18, 2009 5:54 PM | Link to this
I’ve been following Junior’s career for 20 years, and as a Reds fan, no one was sorrier to see Griff not be able to live up to his standards of play because of injury than I was. With the economy where it is, every team has to watch how they spend their money(except the Yankees :) For a base of 2 or 3 million with incentives to earn 5 or 6, Junior isn’t really much of a risk for Atlanta. He has lost weight and is truly healthy, plus for the first time in years, he has something to prove. I would not be surprised at all with .280/30/100 from Junior in 2009. He is very capable. You don’t hit 611 homeruns by accident.
By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
February 19, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this
Thank you Mark Bradley. You were the only sports writer/journalist at the AJC who made any sense through this whole Ken Griffy Debacle.
By Mark Bradley
February 19, 2009 10:08 AM | Link to this
I don’t know if that’s true, Coach. But thanks nonetheless.