Loading ...From this AM’s Enquirer:
Reds center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. decided to talk to the media again Wednesday – largely to explain why he didn’t talk to reporters Monday and Tuesday.
Griffey said he’s angry over suggestions made by sports-talk radio show callers that he should move from center field to left field or first base.
“If I was hurting the team, (I’d move),” he said.Griffey singled out the “Two Angry Guys” – Tom Gamble and Richard Skinner – who can be heard weekday mornings on WCKY-AM (1360).
“For somebody who can’t play this (expletive) game to sit there and criticize me …” he said.“What you guys fail to realize is what you guys write doesn’t just stay in the clubhouse,” Griffey continued. “I have to live with it. I have to go places. I have to go to the grocery store. “The only thing I can do is hold my head high and keep walking.”
snip…
“All I want to do is go out and play baseball,” Griffey said. “To be judged after eight games is horse (manure).
“It’s easy for people to criticize somebody and not be out in the outfield,” Griffey said. “He should have caught that ball … Like I’m not trying.
“I’m tired of it. That’s all.”
Griffey is particularly angry about talk that he needs to move to first base or left field.
Later in the article, Adam Dunn is quoted as saying about Griffey, “Why does he care?”
Let’s be honest, Griffey has always been touchy with the media. At least since he’s been in Cincinnati. He won the “Good Guy Award” last year, but that was not his norm since coming to Cincinnati.
Talk radio’s all about opinion. I’ve never heard anyone say that this isn’t a better team with Griffey in the lineup, just that this could be a better team if Griffey would change positions. Why is this not a reasonable topic for discussion?
I’ll tell you why….it’s about Griffey’s ego. He’s a sure fire first ballot HOFer, with a contract with a total value of $100M and he thinks that his skills and his history of injury should be above question. I’ve said it here in the past and I’ve said it many times on the Reds Listserv List, think back to 1975 and the last great Reds star that was a native Cincinnatian. He didn’t hesistate when asked to change positions to make the team better.
I wish Griffey had the ability to see that his changing positions might help the team. I think it’d not only help the team, but would also be another sign of his greatness on the field. It wouldn’t decrease his legacy at all.
think back to 1975 and the last great Reds star that was a native Cincinnatian.
Barry Larkin says, “Hi.”
First off, I like Junior. I respect him as one of the all-time greats and I respect him for hitting 540-plus homers and being clean of the juice. I respect him for always going all-out on defense. I plays the game right – at full speed and always giving your best.
THAT BEING SAID … what Griffey needs to realize is the Talk Radio is not marketed for him or people like him – pro athletes (or even college athletes for that matter). It’s for the fan. It gives fans a platform to voice their OPINIONS and FRUSTRATIONS with their favorite team and players.
I know it’s almost impossible to ignore talk radio, ESPN and newspapers. Let’s face it, it’s everywhere especially with the internet. But he (and other athletes as well) need to just take what talk radio and we fans with a grain of salt.
Part of the deal is that the pros make it look so easy to play the game that fans – myself included – think they can play the game just as well if not better than the pros. Add to that a bit of jealousy for all the money and the life the pros get to lead, and the opinions and frustrations spew out even more.
Here’s the line Griffey needs to take, especially in regards to media and fans’ call for him to change position, “I will play the position manager Jerry Narron puts me in at game time. He makes the call. If he wants me to play first, I’ll play first. Left field? Sure, if Jerry says so. But right now, he has been pencilled in at center, and that’s what I’m going to play.”
Of course, if he really said that, I also see him going to Narron and saying “I’m playing center and that’s it.”
Still, Junior needs to lighten up and realize where the opinions and frustrations are coming from.
Jay well said. He also needs to realize that everyone’s skills decline. It’s how that decline is handled that tells the tale of how someone is remembered.
Anyone want to remember Willie Mays finishing with the Mets? Ali’s last fight against Trevor Berbick?
There are gracious ways to handle deminishing skills. If Jr thinks he’s the same kid that played CF in Seattle, he’s fooling himself and someone needs to clue him in. No one has said he’s a detriment to the team, just that he could make them better by changing positions.
He shouldn’t look at it as an insult, but as a compliment.
I’ll also add that Cincinnati talk radio is some of the most negative I’ve heard. The town has the reputation for being an easy place to play, and from a media perspective, I think that’s true. But as far as talk radio goes, it’s the most negative, bitter place I’ve heard. New York is tough, but they at least they’re informed. I want to cry every time I listen to WLW (Sports Talk or other), just because the hosts and callers seem to miserable with their lives, and full of hate for everyone.
Personally, I think Junior can still play center and do it better than most. However, given his history of injuries since coming to the Queen City, I believe a move to first would be in his (and the Reds) best interest. Less likely to suffer injury defensively at first and he would be in the line up more often and make a serious push to get home run No. 600 some time next season.
Joel…all I can say is “DOH!”
i don’t listen to cincy talk radio, but i was surprised to see that junior was complaining about critiques of his effort. i haven’t heard anyone question his effort in years.
He’s just totally missing the point if that’s all he thinks it is. To me it has nothing to do with effort and everything to do with age. He’s slower, can get to fewer balls in center, would be a great left fielder, and that’s pretty much that.
I’ve saying Junior should move since I started my own blog over three years ago. Is Junior mad at me too?
Shawn, you’ve never been on the field, so shut it.
I’m a big Jr guy, but he’s wrong here. First, he should be like Dunn (always good advice) and just ignore it. Second, those guys weren’t even out of line. At most, they’re saying he’s getting older, or that a position change would reduce his injury risk. Nobody questioned his effort, or his heart, or dedication or whatever. What he needs to do is stop listening to his old buddies who rile him up over this stuff.
quit with the pete rose glorification. Junior is eight times the human being pete is.
One word sums up Jr. in this case:
OVERREACTION
No one is immune from criticism including one of the greats to play the game.
I’m not talking about either one as a person, I’m talking about them as a teammate, doing what’s best for the team and in that realm, IMO, there is no comparison.
it’s not exactly a fair comparison anyway, since pete was an all-star at 5 positions. It’s not like he ever had one main position that he eventually had to move from.
Al, I don’t agree. I think it’s a very fair comparison.
Rose was an All Star who was moving back into the infield after 8 years successful years in the OF, making the All Star team every year except ‘72.
Griffey plays the most demanding position in the OF and can’t stay healthy.
Rose was in the middle of his career, Junior’s on the downside of his.
Rose didn’t hesitate when asked by Anderson to move (as per “Big Red Dynasty”), Griffey gets upset by the possibility of it being discussed in public.
How is it unfair? As I said earlier, no one is saying Junior’s a bad player, but his public unreasonableness in even allowing the discussion has to be a tip to Reds management not to even broach the subject with him.
I think there’s a significant difference: Rose was asked to move to make room for a very good young player (George Foster). Griffey is being “asked” to move because he’s not as good as he once was, defensively. Who’s going to play CF – Ryan Freel?
While I think we’re really talking about his overreaction to the media, and not a refusal to switch when asked by the manager, I do have some clue where he’s coming from on the position switch issue. I’m not going to beat him up for not switching. It’s just the whining that’s ill-advised.
Maybe Junior did overeact, but I’m willing to give the guy a pass. He’s already in the HOF. He could have just mailed it in. Instead he’s worked his but off to get back on the field. He’s not the player he once was, but he’s still pretty darned good and the Reds don’t really need him at 1b. If he got his nose out of joint for a day or two, so what? He has every reason to be proud of his baseball skills. This will pass because Griffey’s a quality individual.
Has JR ever been asked to move by management or the front office? To my knowledge he hasn’t been. I do agree with those who feel Jr should ignore the media.. I believe all pro athletes need to have thick skin in order to play the game.
With that said, I don’t see any reason why Jr. should move. Of his injuries, how many of them have been caused by him playing CF? I can remember 1 (though I’m sure they may be one other). Most of the injuries have come from batting and running the bases. I don’t think him moving makes this team any better! Move him to RF and move Kearns to CF doesn’t make this team go from good to great. I don’t see that move making any difference. Moving him to 1b doesn’t make this team dramatically better. It’s not like we have a CF just waiting to take over. Denorfia isn’t ready yet as far as I can see. Until there is a CF ready to take over, I’m fine with leaving Griffey there!
Just keep belting the HRs and driving in runs Jr and you’re fine in my book!
Chris W., I agree. People are dying for Griffey to make some mistake in the outfield that changes the outcome of the game just so they can get some validation for what they think their defensive statistics show. Plus, everyone assumes that the team has tried to get Griffey to move and that it’s Ken himself who refuses. There’s nothing to support that. People just like to say it’s Ken’s ego because it fits neatly into their “superstars have fragile egos” sterotype. And Reds fans haven’t been able to cry about that since Eric Davis in the late 80s.
Bill: I think it’s a very fair comparison.
This is exactly the kind of thing Cincinnati gets laughed at for. We’re even comparing Ken Griffey Jr. to Pete Rose?
And Rose wins?
Jim: No one is immune from criticism including one of the greats to play the game.
Yeah, but superstars always get the two-step. First, someone takes shots at their ability. Then, after the player defends himself, we call him a baby.
The guy goes out there and plays hard and wins games on offense and defense. It’s not like we’re talking about Danny Graves.
Brian, have you watched Griffey in center? The guy takes great routes, but he doesn’t have the speed anymore. You can’t tell me a) he doesn’t have a gut that he didn’t have when he got here or b) that his leg injuries haven’t slowed him down.
No one needs to see validation in ancedotal evidence, the statistics are clear. Not only is he below average in center, Griffey is by some metrics one of the worst in centerfield.
Fielding Bible
Lead Glove for last year
Two years ago he tore his hamstring in CF running down a fly ball and then had to have his hamstring reattached. So there is definitely an injury risk.
Moving Griffey to left field would maintain the usefullness of his instincts. He would have to run less on a reattached hamstring. You then move Kearns into center and Dunn to right (if you don’t move Dunn to 1B, keep Kearns in RF and put smeone else in CF).
I don’t get it. Where did all this stuff about Griffey not being able to play CF come from? I know what started this latest go round, but did anyone actually watch Griff play during the Brewers series? He looked pretty darned good out there to me. There are quite a few CF’s in this league that couldn’t have made the plays he did. BTW, I’m not seeing a gut on the guy.
Rose was also asked to move to 3B another time in his career, to make room for Tommy Helms. Pete didn’t want to move, but did (you did it anyway at that time), struggled, and was moved back to 2B. The next year he went to RF.
Rose was also asked to move to 3B another time in his career, to make room for Tommy Helms. Pete didn’t want to move, but did (you did it anyway at that time), struggled, and was moved back to 2B. The next year he went to RF.
Comment by Shawn — 5/26/2006 @ 9:02 am
I recall seeing Pete try to play third in ST that year. He was very uncomfortable. I remember he dropped a simple pop-up in foul ground and booted another grounder and then threw it away rushing to make a play.
Then he went to RF and won another Gold Glove.
Glenn – I saw those plays, and it concerns me that Griffey will be a little more reckless trying to get to a ball because of what people say on a talk show.
I agree that Cincinnati sports talk shows are pretty ruthless towards many players. It’s not always, but often seems to be focused on those players making $1million+.
Greg,
I held my breath after each one of those plays, hoping Griff wouldn’t come up lame. The fact is he made those plays, and that’s what they pay him the big bucks for. I hope he’s making those plays because he still has the talent and the desire instead of playing mad over something he read in the paper or heard on the radio.
I’m a Griffey fan. He’s good people and he’s got the guts to do what it takes to stay in the game despite bad luck that would have caused many a super star to call it a career.
Play Ball !!!!!
Pinski said: No one needs to see validation in ancedotal evidence, the statistics are clear.
Ha! Is this why you don’t watch baseball? Because the statistics give you a better indication of what’s happening on the field than actually watching?
when the statistics show that a guy hits 150 over 1000 AB, do I need to watch the guy bat to know that he sucks? NO
The statistics for Griffey clearly point to the fact that Griffey is one of, if not the worst, CF when considering range. You can watch all the games you want, and remember the amazing plays, but when he makes 1 good play out of 10 and the other 9 are below average, you will still think he’s good, when he has the same range as Bernie Williams.
After you read the statistics and “reconstruct” what happened on the field in your parallel reality using using your defensive statistics, tell me exactly where Griffey’s defense is killing the team.
Range stats are far from accurate, and you know that.
Defensive statistics (at least the publically-available ones) are pretty close to useless. That said, they’re still worth looking at. In Griffey’s case, we’ve got a real mystery, because some people say he’s terrible out there, some say he’s still great, and the numbers seem to say he’s closer to terrible.
Personally, I think it’s different from day to day, which makes sense the older I get. He’s still got great instincts (jumps) game wisdom (positioning), and coordination (hands), but his foot speed just isn’t there some days, when balls drop in front of him or between him and Kearns. Other times, like most of last week, he looks like he could still run down anything.
Maybe the statistics do a good job of evening out those peaks and valleys and giving us an season-long idea of where he stands.