The return of an aging superstar to the second-tier American League club might usually elicit nothing but yawns, but this one earns a pass.
Thanks to Upper Deck, Ken Griffey Jr. has been the face of baseball for more than 20 years. Other players have evolved into all-time greats, but even as he approaches 40, I can't help but think of the bright-eyed teen on the first card in Upper Deck's inaugural set. Pulling that treasure from one of the first foil packs I bought was easily the highlight of my baseball card-collecting days. His father had a solid major league career, but placing a prospect who had yet to play an inning of major-league ball in such a position was a risk. Griffey Jr., of course, delivered on that risk.
Reds' fans possess less nostalgia for Griffey, who fare much worse during his second decade in the game. He never reemerged as the intimidating slugger, often injuring himself in attempts to make plays. The euphoria that those fans expressed at Griffey's signing (some people thought he would lead to World Series triumph) ended with a shrug, since the Reds had not challenged for a playoff spot for most of the decade. Unfortunately, Griffey injured his hamstring, and it plagued him ever since.
His return to Seattle felt right; Griffey had his best days there, and where better to close out his career than where he essentially saved baseball (only with a playoff appearance in the mid-1990s did Seattle baseball finally earn a following).
While his decline is stunningly apparent - the Kid only hit .214 last year, with 14 homers - his importance to baseball is not. Griffey Jr. was supposed to be the guy to break the homerun marks of Roger Maris and Hank Aaron, not the wave of muscle-bound sluggers who would overshadow Griffey during the steroid era. Few ever suspected him, and his mercurial rise in the 1990s and steady decline do not point to the juice.
Plus, his physique and hat size look about the same.
He might only unleash that fluid swing to an occasional highlight these days, somehow, I feel better for baseball knowing he will still get a few at-bats in 2010. When he goes, so does that last childhood link to a sport of haves and have-nots and mercenary ballplayers.
This Reds fan still has nostalgia for him. He hit home runs No. 500 and 600 as a Red, and he always seemed to come through in the clutch (I seem to remember one injury-plagued season when his first at-bat was in May or June, and he promptly blasted a walk-off home run for his first hit of the year).
ReplyDeleteHe didn't lead the Reds to the playoffs, but he provided a lot of great moments. I can only hope he helps to get the Mariners to the playoffs in his last year.