A Tribute to "The Kid"

I know this may come off as a bit bias since I have made it very clear Ken Griffey Jr. is my favorite baseball player, I don't really care, it's all true!

As one of the best to ever do it calls it quits I want to take time out to pay him the proper respect. Most people are going to ponder what his career numbers would look like if he did not endure numerous injuries and miss what amounts to about 5 full seasons due to time on the DL. However, as always I'm different, instead of dwelling on what could have been I want to take a moment to cover what was, absolute greatness.

Ken Griffey Jr. spent his entire life in a baseball clubhouse and with ties to the summer sport. He was born in the same hometown, Denora, Pennsylvania, and on the same exact day as MLB hall of famer Stan Musial. This birthday and being the son of Big Red Machine legend Ken Griffey Sr. started "The Kid" on his path to Cooperstown. While Jr. never had the pleasure to play in a World Series during his playing days he did wipe champagne from his eyes a couple times growing up. A young Griffey followed his father, as most boys do, everywhere he went and to every team and clubhouse. Sr. played for the Reds, Braves, Yankees, and a brief stint with the Mariners to join his son before retiring. Senior is mostly known from his time as a Cincinnati Red. Griffey idolized his father, as I did mine up until my dads passing, growing up. Griffey Jr. learned from the best from the jump. During the glory days of the Reds Jr. got to watch fellow hall of famers Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and life long mentor Joe Morgan join his dad leading the Reds to 4 NL Pennants and 2 World Championships in the 1970's. Griff even has stated many times that this childhood experience was a true gift and made him the great player he later became.

Griffey was great, indeed. In his illustrious career as a member of the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago WhiteSox he compiled 630 home runs (5th all time, 2nd most for primary CF), 1,836 RBI (14th all time), 2,781 total hits, 1,662 runs scored (31st all time), 524 doubles, 1,312 walks, 5, 271 total bases (12th all time), a .538 on base percentage, a .370 slugging percentage, 184 stolen bases, 13 All Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves (AL record for outfielder and tied for second most all time for outfield, Clemente, 12), 7 Silver Slugger awards, 3 Home Run Derby titles, a .985 fielding %, the 1992 All Star Game MVP award, the 1997 AL MVP award, the only U.S. player to be selected to the inaugural World Baseball Classic All World team in 2006, and a smile that will never be duplicated. No matter how down in the dumps I was anytime I would see Griffey's smile one would appear on my face without even thinking. On top of all of the statistics, that will earn him the right to be enshrined one day, Griffey was also a marketing wizard for baseball and kept the sport in the main stream during a 90's decade that saw a strike shortened season in 1994. Several of Griffey's counterparts have had their stat line tainted by allegations and in some cases proof of steroid use. All of Jr.'s accolades were accomplished without any hint of performance enhancing drugs. It may be true that Griffey is the only player to hit 50 or more long balls in the last 30 years without the use of some kind of PED, he hit 56 in back to back seasons in 97 and 98. Griffey did this while playing stellar defense in the toughest position out of the three outfield spots. I already brought up the 10 Gold Gloves he won and their representation of his spot in history, however, to add the offense he put up on top of that great defense is outstanding and what makes him legendary. During his two 50+ homer seasons Jr. became only the second player in baseball history to hit 50 or more jacks in the same year earning a Gold Glove at Center Field, a position that before Mays was known as a place for a slap hitting lead off guy.

Now that I'm finished explaining Griffey's resume here is where I think it places him amongst the legends of the game. As far as defensive Center Fielders, I have him second behind his idol, Willie Mays. When it comes to defensive outfielders in history I place Jr. third, Mays despite having the second most golds is the top guy again due to playing the toughest outfield position, center. Clemente is my number 2, he has the record for outfield Gold Gloves, he won all 12 of his at Right Field, Griffey comes in at third. In terms of the top Center Fielders of all time Griffey lands in the same spot he batted at in the lineup throughout most of his career, third. Mays, in my opinion the best all around player ever, ranks at the head of the class, Ty Cobb is my runner up. While Griffey brought more of an all around blend of defense and offense Cobb was one of the best hitters to ever pick up a bat. Cobb's 4,189 hits and .366 career average give him this honor, he did finish with a .961 fielding percentage which isn't exactly horrible. To round things out after placing Griffey at third, I have Joe Dimaggio (9 rings, 56 game hit streak, 3 MVP's, a .978 field %, and 1,537 RBI in only 13 seasons) in fourth and Mickey Mantle (7 rings, 536 homers, 1,509 RBI, 3 MVP's, and a .982 field %) at 5. Kind of weird isn't it? My 3 through 5 guys are placed in the same slots they were by their managers when constructing a battling lineup with them in it during their primes and beyond.

All time rankings such as these in sports can always be argued, however, I feel despite my bias, I was very fair to both Griffey and the other comparable players in the 100+ years of Major League Baseball. Regardless of where you feel Jr. stands amongst the legends of baseball it is clear that he will someday stand along side them in the Hall of Fame. If it were not for all the injuries his stat line as well as his standing historically would be harder to argue and his rankings may even be higher. Unfortunately that does not matter now.  What matters is that Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the best players ever in a sport with rich history and I consider it an absolute honor, as all of my generation should, to have seen him play and have grown up watching his many jay dropping highlights. Griffey played the game they way it was meant to be played.

Final Prediction: In 5 years as a testament to his "natural" career the writers association will make a statement and award Griffey with one more record, the highest vote percentage on a first ballot. Tom Seaver currently holds that mark with 98.4% but I believe Griffey will even exceed that number.

As I said in my first BDL post it will be a cold day in hell when the Buzz-saw loses a KGJ debate. Thanks for the memories.