Congrats to Ken Griffey Jr!!!

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Posted By: Neal

Just wanted to send out my Congrats to Ken Griffey Jr for hitting his 600th HR last night!

He is a class act and very well deserved honor for him!

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Posted By: Mark

Agree...

I know it's been talked to death, but how many would he have if not for the injuries? My guess would be at least 700 at this point. If you look at the number of At Bats he's had each year during the entire Cincinnati era, you just have to wonder what might have been...

Still a great accomplishment!

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Posted By: Rhys

If indeed he has never used steroids, than I believe he is the biggest casualty of the steroids era. He was hitting 50-58 home runs a year in the late 1990's but it was totally overlooked because of Bonds, Sosa and McGwire. As a huge Seattle fan his impact on the Mariners as a franchise can not be overstated. He saved the team and almost single handedly brought the Mariners from a doormat to one of the best teams in baseball for a decade. I used to go to Mariner games in the mid-late 1980's and there would be 2000 people at the Kingdome. Post Griffey, they sold out almost every night.

Rhys

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Posted By: ali_lapoint

greatest player of his generation in the 1990s.

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Posted By: Alan

When healthy, how did he compare as an outfielder in all aspect of the game with Mantle, Clemente, Frank Robinson, Yaz, Kaline, Aaron, Mays, Brock, Killebrew, Reggie Jackson etc,... ??????

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Posted By: Jason L

Even my wife noted that while watching the historical montage piece on EPSN last night...and she's not really a baseball fan.

He's up there with Strawberry as the most fluid & fun-to-watch bat swingers of my generation.

Everyone says he's clean, and I certainly want to believe it. I really really hope that all those injuries weren't caused by any previous PED use. That would be a crushing revelation. We need to put someone from our era into the elite with Ruth and Aaron and Mays....and we all know that the other guys are embarrassments that don't belong.

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Posted By: Steve

The farce called Bonds will soon be gone. Go Griff

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Posted By: Jason L

At least I suspect this is a guy who also should have gotten more attention and love, don't you think?
Fred McGriff...

was he ever linked to PEDs? I haven't seen any mention of him being tainted...

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Posted By: paulstratton

He just doesn't have the look of a juicer. Actually, he looks kind of soft. The perfect home run swing and his numbers are declining naturally with age, not getting better.

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Posted By: Dustan Hedlin

Ken Griffey Jr., I believe, is the greatest player in modern day ball. He's the reason I got into collecting in the first place. His love for the game and unparalleled skill put him far above any other player from this generation. From buying and selling his cards on Ebay, he has a very Mantle-esque following.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Ken Griffey, Alex Rodriguez, and Vladimir Guerrero will have great numbers when it is all said and done...

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Posted By: MVSNYC

"He's up there with Strawberry as the most fluid & fun-to-watch bat swingers of my generation."

i totally agree...growing up on long island during the 80's, i was a huge Mets fan (i'm now more of a yankees fan, however), and loved watching Strawberry's swing...2 of the best swings ever. too bad Straw got wrapped up in some bad stuff, he was well on his way to the Hall...

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Might as well post the other boys here as we do not get a chance to post new stuff! I do think minor league stuff is about the same rarity as many pre-war baseball cards.

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Posted By: Tony Andrea

Jason -
Mcgriff was one of the most feared batters in the majors from the late 80's
through early 2000. He wasn't flashy or loud but was always consistent year
after year. No, he was never linked to illegal substances. Was my favorite
player ever. His numbers are HOF worthy IMO.......
Career numbers:
493 - HRs
441 - 2B
1550 - RBI's (12 years w/ 90+ or more)
2490 - HIT's
1349 - Run's
.509 - Slugging %
.284 - career BA

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Posted By: Andrew

Dang, only seven shy of 500. Just play for free and get some ABs.

"Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." -- Erica Jong

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Tony, I agree re the Crime Dog. Those 7 homers short, however, may doom his HOF chances which is ridiculous but there is an unofficial cut-off it would seem.

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Posted By: Tony Andrea

Unfortunately Jeff your probably correct. Seems a shame though only 7 homers more in a 19 year
career can determine if your considered one of the all time greats or just a good ball player.


Tony

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Posted By: Peter Thomas

493 - Crime Dog right there with Lew not a bad companion.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

I was fortunate enough to see Griffey play at the Kingdome back in '94.  He hit one out too.  I don't recall the Kingdome EVER being sold out, as I bought tix at the gate but regardless, Griffey definatley put the Mariners on the map..

martyOgelvie
nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: george "bulldog" adams

there is a griffey jr tribute on espn classic today and right now they are showing a full mariners game from 1990 i think and griffey jr and griffey sr are both playing for the mariners and jr and sr got back to back home runs in the 1st inning it`s in the top of the 3rd right now with the mariners leading 3-0 over the angels. bulldog

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Posted By: PAS

Nice player but not a Hall of Famer in my opinion. To be sure, one could point to men already in and say he is their equal or even superior, but in my view that should not be the criterion as the ranks are diluted by too many Veterans Committee bonanzas already.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

WOW.  I think Ken Griffey Jr is a LOCK for FIRST BALLOT HOF selection!!

martyOgelvie
nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: Jon Canfield

Marty, I believe Peter was referring to Fred McGriff, not Griffey Jr. Griffey should be and will be a 1st ballot HOF'er.

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Posted By: PAS

Agreed, HOF lock.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

"McGriff" not a HOF.. that statement makes more since now.  I liked the Crime Dog a lot. Baseball would be well served with more players just like him but HOF.. borderline.. probably not gonna make it. He is an excellent candidate for the HALL of VERY GOOD.. lots of players fit in that category and they get tons of local support.

martyOgelvie
nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

As I see it there are maybe three categories of players who deserve admission.
1. The true greats of the game, first ballot types, everyone knows who they are.
2. Players who reach certain milestones (300 wins, 3000 hits) due to consistent excellence over a long career. I might quarrel with some of them, like Phil Niekro, but I object to them far less than I object to other undeserving members.
3. Players who do not reach those milestones because their careers do not extend long enough, but who were dominant over a 5, 6, 7, 8 year stretch (the Sandy Koufax resume) and played long enough to achieve very respectable career numbers. I actually think this category may be underrepresented, Steve Garvey for example who I always thought should be in.

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

DELETED

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

P-Ted, for my money the Griffey Jr. 600 HR ball has tons of more value  than any ball McGwire or Bonds hit.. Do they have plans on selling/auctioning the ball or simply keeping it as a souveneir?

Peter, nice to see some Steve Garvey props.  Garvey was my favorite player growing up, I don't think he derserves HOF mention but he certainly deserves to be in the HALL of VERY GOOD players!  I don't think he hit 300 HRs or had a .300 career batting average but he was close on both.  The only major thing he did was set the National League iron man record which is impressive in its own right but shouldn't be used as a guide line for HOF entrance.  Just like you mentioned, Garvey had a 7 to 8 year run where he was the best 1st baseman in the NL.. perhaps MLB.

martyOgelvie
nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

He had 200 or more hits 6 years out of 7, and over 100 RBIs in 5 of them. That to me is a significant, dominant stretch. He didn't play much his first few years and his later years were not nearly as productive but he still ended up with 2600 or so hits. So who is more deserving, someone who plays forever and gets to 3000 hits but was never a dominant player for a sustained period (Robin Yount?) or someone who is a dominant player for a significant period but falls short on career numbers?

EDITED TO ADD 10 All-Star selections, 4 Gold Gloves, 1 MVP, superb post-season statistics.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

If Garvey had stuck it out a few more years he might have eclipsed 3000 hits but his average likely would have dropped to .270.  < none of those hitters make the HOF do they??

Didn't Yount win an MVP one year?  Perhaps not but I seem to recall he might have back in '82 or '83 when The Brewers where the hottest thing since sliced bread..that is until they me the Cardinals in the WS..  

martyOgelvie
nyyankeecards.com

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Posted By: jP

congrats to Griffey Jr. ! One of my favs from the 90's .too bad for all the injuries or his #'s would be much greater. his stats are very close to that of the great Mickey Mantle.

my collection: http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m95/obaks/

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Posted By: Darren

Yount won the American League MVP award in 1982 and 1989.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Peter, I agree totally on Garvey. He was a dominant player of his era, great fielder, never missed any games. Jim Rice belongs in as well. If Don Sutton can get in, both of these guys get in as well.

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Posted By: Alan

All the sports HOF have in way too many inductees. They all need to induct the very best of the best... not really good players, not very good players, but the very best of them all...

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Posted By: Dan

After looking at Garvey's stats from above they seem to be similar to Dale Murphy's. I always felt Murphy should be in, he had a great stretch for 7 years, on some really bad Braves teams.

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

1 200 hit season, a paltry 3 All-Star selections, but 2 MVPs.

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Posted By: Peter_Spaeth

Another excellent example of the third category I was discussing, whose career numbers do not really tell the full story. Although I would, qualitatively, rate Rice below Garvey.

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Posted By: David Goff

I have been a huge Dale Murphy fan as far back as I can remember. I feel he belongs in the HOF. Even though he was 2 homers shy of 400, he was still a dominate player in the mid '80's.

All-Star games '80. '82-'87
MVP '82-'83
Gold Gloves '82-'86
Silver Slugger '82-'85

Maybe one day he will get in...

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Posted By: Joe D.

Does this mean my cases and cases and cases of 1989 stuff will be worth money one day?

Cases of Fleer Sets, Topps Traded, Donruss, Topps.... etc.


Go Griffey!

(I actually like him - regardless of any potential financial gain. I believe a non-juicer.... and because of that - - maybe the best baseball player of my time. maybe.)