THE 50 HR CLUB...a very telling list.....

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Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Ken Griffey Jr. played four full seasons in the majors, never hitting more than 27 home runs.

Then, BOOM. 45 home runs, followed by 40 in the strike-shortened 1994.

Then he missed a big chunk of a season due to injury, and then something like five years of monster seasons (including two consecutive 50-HR seasons), and then injury after injury, including a COMPLETE rupture of his hamstring.

And then a dramatic decline in productivity beginning in 2004, when steroid testing began. After 2004, he only hit .300 once, and never had a season where he approached his career averages in doubles, home runs, stolen bases, on base percentage, and slugging percentage (except for 2005) again.

Just sayin'.

I like Junior too. His smile is infectious, and watching him make those beautiful catches in Seattle was truly a pleasure. He was one of the greats, regardless.

-Al