Monday, March 15, 2004
IFFY
Ken Rosenthal at Yahoo
Reds center fielder Ken Griffey and $15.5 million for Mariners center fielder Randy Winn and Class AAA righthander Rett Johnson.
The exchange of cash and contracts would leave the Mariners with a $40 million commitment to Griffey over the next five years, much of it deferred. Even at $8 million per season, the risk would be enormous, especially for a franchise that frets daily over the condition of another oft-injured slugger, Edgar Martinez. Griffey, 34, has appeared in only 234 games the past three seasons.
The Mariners, however, need a better lefthanded cleanup hitter than Raul Ibanez to hit between Bret Boone and Martinez. A 5-3 loss to the Angels in a recent exhibition game highlighted Seattle's offensive inferiority. The Angels scored three runs on back-to-back homers by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen. Such a defeat in the regular season could demoralize the Mariners, who must fight for every run.
Griffey is open to returning to Seattle, according to his agent, Brian Goldberg. The Reds would receive not only Winn, a solid all-around player, but also Johnson, a well-regarded prospect. A trade such as this might be Cincinnati's best chance to create greater payroll flexibility -- the Yankees and Braves, the two other teams on Griffey's wish list, do not need an outfielder.
Granted, the Mariners might be better off using the approximately $6.5 million they saved from Kaz Sasaki's return to Japan to acquire a hitter near the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Then again, the Angels might leave them buried by then, and it's doubtful the M's would outbid the Yankees or some other big-spending team for Kansas City's Carlos Beltran next winter.
I really don't know what to think about Ken Griffey, Jr. possibly coming back to Seattle.
It's one of those deals where I should be excited, but in the end I'm just feeling underwhelmed by it. Maybe it's just me, but I'd much rather see the Mariners go after Carlos Beltran. Oh wait, he's a Scott Boras client. A client with talent. Something that Boras client Ron Villone doesn't have.
Rosenthal is right on the M's inability to score runs. They are going to have to fight for every single run, because quite frankly, this offense is not that great. It's not a horrible offense, but it's not an offense that's going to make huge waves.
I've said this since November, my enthusiasm for this ballclub is at an unknown level. Reading the news of Raul Ibanez possibly hitting cleanup for the M's makes my enthusiasm sink even lower. We're about 3 weeks from the start of the 2004 season and we're talking about Raul Ibanez batting cleanup. The agony.
Going back to Griffey...
I love the guy. He was one of my first true sports heroes. He helped saved baseball in Seattle. But he is 34 years old. He's very injury prone, and you know damn well the Kingdome turf wore him down big time.
However, if Griffey does come back to Seattle, I'd be very interested to see how he and the brass gets along. Hell, if anything, there would finally be some life in this ballclub. Maybe bringing Griffey back to Seattle would be worth it just for that reason alone.
But as I've said, I'm not sure whether the M's should bring Griffey back. We'll see what happens.
Reds center fielder Ken Griffey and $15.5 million for Mariners center fielder Randy Winn and Class AAA righthander Rett Johnson.
The exchange of cash and contracts would leave the Mariners with a $40 million commitment to Griffey over the next five years, much of it deferred. Even at $8 million per season, the risk would be enormous, especially for a franchise that frets daily over the condition of another oft-injured slugger, Edgar Martinez. Griffey, 34, has appeared in only 234 games the past three seasons.
The Mariners, however, need a better lefthanded cleanup hitter than Raul Ibanez to hit between Bret Boone and Martinez. A 5-3 loss to the Angels in a recent exhibition game highlighted Seattle's offensive inferiority. The Angels scored three runs on back-to-back homers by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen. Such a defeat in the regular season could demoralize the Mariners, who must fight for every run.
Griffey is open to returning to Seattle, according to his agent, Brian Goldberg. The Reds would receive not only Winn, a solid all-around player, but also Johnson, a well-regarded prospect. A trade such as this might be Cincinnati's best chance to create greater payroll flexibility -- the Yankees and Braves, the two other teams on Griffey's wish list, do not need an outfielder.
Granted, the Mariners might be better off using the approximately $6.5 million they saved from Kaz Sasaki's return to Japan to acquire a hitter near the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Then again, the Angels might leave them buried by then, and it's doubtful the M's would outbid the Yankees or some other big-spending team for Kansas City's Carlos Beltran next winter.
I really don't know what to think about Ken Griffey, Jr. possibly coming back to Seattle.
It's one of those deals where I should be excited, but in the end I'm just feeling underwhelmed by it. Maybe it's just me, but I'd much rather see the Mariners go after Carlos Beltran. Oh wait, he's a Scott Boras client. A client with talent. Something that Boras client Ron Villone doesn't have.
Rosenthal is right on the M's inability to score runs. They are going to have to fight for every single run, because quite frankly, this offense is not that great. It's not a horrible offense, but it's not an offense that's going to make huge waves.
I've said this since November, my enthusiasm for this ballclub is at an unknown level. Reading the news of Raul Ibanez possibly hitting cleanup for the M's makes my enthusiasm sink even lower. We're about 3 weeks from the start of the 2004 season and we're talking about Raul Ibanez batting cleanup. The agony.
Going back to Griffey...
I love the guy. He was one of my first true sports heroes. He helped saved baseball in Seattle. But he is 34 years old. He's very injury prone, and you know damn well the Kingdome turf wore him down big time.
However, if Griffey does come back to Seattle, I'd be very interested to see how he and the brass gets along. Hell, if anything, there would finally be some life in this ballclub. Maybe bringing Griffey back to Seattle would be worth it just for that reason alone.
But as I've said, I'm not sure whether the M's should bring Griffey back. We'll see what happens.
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