Our Griffey Opinion, Summarized
This story is going to dominate the Seattle baseball news for the next few days, and I’m sure we’re going to get a lot of non-regular traffic, so let me just summarize what we think of the Griffey signing.
1. As a short term, low money deal where he realizes he’s going to be DH and potentially be platooned, it doesn’t have a huge impact on the team one way or another. He can still be a useful hitter against RHPs, and we recognize that there’s a significant portion of the fanbase that really wants to see Junior play in Seattle again for reasons other than wanting the team to win. It will probably generate a decent amount of revenue for the club. For the amount of money that they had in the budget, there probably weren’t any better options.
2. Griffey in the outfield is a really bad idea. His age and injuries have robbed him of all range, and he’s worse out there than Ibanez was. In a perfect world, he’ll get exactly 0 innings in left field this year. He’s a DH only, unless he wants to teach himself to play first base.
3. If the Mariners are surprising everyone and contending in July, and Junior is hitting .260/.320/.400, the organization has to be willing to put him on the bench and make the move to bring in a better player. Likewise, if Clement’s knee prevents him from catching, Junior has to be willing to step aside and let the kid DH. He has to be okay with the fact that he’s not guaranteed a job regardless of how he plays. There are several situations that could arise that would involve the best decision for the team being Junior becomes a bench player. That has to be okay with him.
If the team can manage those variables, then it’s a decent enough move. As a LH platoon DH, he’s an okay player. They have to make sure he doesn’t want to play every day, never get pinch hit for, and try to play left field, though. In those scenarios, he’s hurting the team, and they’d be better off without him.
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And how could we forget Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty” while we’re at it?
That’s a dumb thing to say. Grateful Dead is one of the definitive classic rock bands, and that is their most famous song. Just because it is their most famous one and came in their later years doesn’t means it’s sell-out music. Are you going to claim that the Beatles are all sell-out music? Or the Rolling Stones? Or any other classic rock song that became famous?
Too funny how The Boss spun the first two lines of that into football lyrics at the Super Bowl!
“Sanctified” on Pretty Hate Machine, one my most favorite records.
I love the rumor-mongering. So “dominant” is it that Baker is working on stories around a locker being cleared/moved. How about something about them ordering Griffey’s special soap?
Amen to that, brother! Though In The Dark was hardly my favorite Dead album (see American Beauty), it also wasn’t a total pile of poo by any stretch.
Also, I find it too funny some of the stuff that eventually winds up making Muzak’s playlist…I mean, I start feeling really old when I walk through a mall and hear a Muzak version of Journey’s “Wheel In The Sky”, for example.
My expectations are reasonably low for Junior’s return–as far as his actual production on the field.
I was a Brewers fan during the Aaron years, I know what this will look like.
Or, do I?
Polling the room:
Which will come back along with Junior first?
a) Teal Jerseys
b) Sleeveless Vest Jerseys
c) Turn Ahead The Clock Jerseys
(Sorry for the fashion-centric comment…but I’m working with Joan Rivers tonight.)
What I’m wondering is whether or not they’ve ordered the super-duper-comfy leather easy chair yet.
Hoya-
Joser is 100% correct…many bands make commercial tunes…they are called “sell-outs” by most…”Touch of Grey” is not only a terrible made for MTV song just to get the Dead a pay-check, but is a great example of great musicians selling out to make a buck…
My vote is for the teal jerseys — seems like they’d make a great idea for Retro Night!
Let’s not stray TOO far off-topic with the Grateful Dead discussion, please.
I didn’t mean to start a fight among dirty hippies!
(JUST KIDDING)
Jeff –
I guess I was one of the culprits here…sorry for the diversion!
Gosh, we must all just be itching for ST to start already…
Me too…I figured we’d get zapped…sorry…
The teal jerseys were the greatest. I’ve always wondered why they went away in the first place…
The teal would make a great third/alt home jersey…
I love the dark blue alternate right now (I have an ICHIRO!), but I’d buy a Griffey teal jersey if they made one…
As long as you guys play nice when we ask you to stop, no apologies necessary.
I know we’re all antsy waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Hello everyone, LONG time reader and a first time poster…
While I imagined contributing something more analytical with my first post, I couldn’t resist the temptation to be sentimental instead.
I am excited to have Griffey back, purely for nostalgic reasons, and look forward to getting tickets for several games this year while making the drive from Olympia. Having grown up during the Griffey years, something has seemed a bit off, ever since he left. I am glad that his career has come full-circle to the place where he should retire as it just seems right.
…and what about the theme from “Cheers” for Griffey’s plate appearances? “You wanna go, where everybody knows your name”
Thanks USS for all of your hard work in providing a forum for intellectual, analytical and intense discussion for all things Mariners related.
If you don’t think Griffey comming back is the best thing since sliced bread than you are not a fa…….J/k DMZ. I know my opinion is more subjective than objective evidence, but I believe Griffey will have an all star calliber bat with the mariners for two reasons. His knee is fully healed from last year and with a healthy year he hit in 2007 30 hr and 92 RBI with and OBS of 869. Second, he has hit only good when he has been in Seattle and his injuries that have plagued him occured when he left. I think mentally he will be leaps and bounds ahead of when he was in cinci or with the white sox.
[ot, I tried asking nicely]
[ot, I tried asking nicely]
His knee is fully healed from last year and with a healthy year he hit in 2007 30 hr and 92 RBI with and OBS of 869.
And the year before that, he hit worse than in 2008 (if you adjust for park and higher levels of offense in the NL that year).
Oh, and he was injured a good chunk of THAT year.
So, no, really we can’t take for granted that he’ll hit great and stay healthy.
Realistically, Griffey hasn’t been an All-Star level talent since 2005 (his 2007 basically ends up being like your average Raul Ibanez season at the plate when you adjust for park- good, but not All-Star worthy), and it’s pushing credulity to assume a 39 year old will hit like he did as a 35 year old, ESPECIALLY if he’s gravitated to a lower level of performance over multiple years.
Second, he has hit only good when he has been in Seattle
In an amazing coincidence, Junior also wasn’t 39 years old the last time he was in Seattle.
The odometer on your car doesn’t run in reverse. Why do you think that’s true for the human body?
Yeah, sorry about getting the dirty hippies’ tie-dyed panties in a twist. Especially since it’s so easy — like shooting Phish in a barrel.
Tee hee!
“Now batting. Center Fielder. Nummbber Twenty Four … Kennnnn Griffeyyyyyy Juniorrrrrr”
I hear the PA announcer in my sleep at night …
Is Buhner Buzz Cut next up?
I’m 15.