I love DVRs - Junior's 600th HR

I love the DVR! Had it not been for this handy little device, I would have missed seeing Ken Griffey Jr.'s 600th homerun. Whew! Sorry, just one of my priorities over the past week or so - to see Junior's homer. It's a shame though, had he not missed roughly the equivolent of 3 years during his prime, it could have been his 700th. But injuries are part of the game, I can accept that. I'd sure like to see him have some more productive years (although it probably won't happen with the Reds). The nice thing about Junior though has been we baseball fans have never, not once, heard a report of him doing steroids. Go Junior! Go Reds!

I read this in the paper this morning... conrats Jr...

Yes, quite a milestone for Junior. Cincy, I was meaning to ask about this, but I read a number of stories and heard from Reds fans that the whole quest for 600 was downplayed in Cincinnati and there really wasn't much buzz from the fans. I know he has said a couple things to honk off fans, like something about how he lives in Florida and only works in Cincinnati. Do you think there has been a falling out of sorts or has the media made a big deal out of nothing?

Markwes wrote:Yes, quite a milestone for Junior. Cincy, I was meaning to ask about this, but I read a number of stories and heard from Reds fans that the whole quest for 600 was downplayed in Cincinnati and there really wasn't much buzz from the fans. I know he has said a couple things to honk off fans, like something about how he lives in Florida and only works in Cincinnati. Do you think there has been a falling out of sorts or has the media made a big deal out of nothing?

Well, when he got to 599, Thom Brennaman (local Reds announcer) wanted to interview Junior, but reportedly he turned him down. Junior then said to a bunch of Cincinnati reporters something like "Do I talk about it with you?" as if to say he's not treating Brennaman any differently than he does the rest of the media.

BUT THEN, right after that, the Reds go to Philly, and there's Junior holding court with the Philly media talking about 600, which I know put off some of the regular scribes that follow the Reds. So in a way, 'maybe' he's his own worst enemy. If he'd be granting interviews left and right and coming up with catchy cliches, the media would be all over him.

But I think when it comes right down to it, Junior has NEVER been a "Rah-rah look-at-me" type player, which the media sometimes gravitate towards. He's the epitome of a professional ballplayer. Doesn't throw a temper tantrum when he strikes out or doesn't like a pitch, etc... I think some confuse that and say he doesn't care, which is pretty far from the truth. His hero is his dad, who he said would come home from his games and you never knew if he went 0-4 or 4-4, he just wanted to 'play with his kids.'

I know some Reds fans complain about how much money he makes or that he doesn't hustle, but what they forget is that he could have broke the bank entering the Free Agent Market if he wanted to. Instead, he took a 'hometown discount' of only 116.5 million (I can't believe I typed only) when he could have gotten A-Rod type money. As for the hustling part, well, don't forget he's got a couple of titanium screws holding a hamstring to his bone after it had completely ripped off the bone. I'm willing to cut him some slack on that one.

All in all, he's the best player I've seen in my lifetime.

I don't think he could have gotten A-Rod money.. I think the $116 is about as close as he could have gotten.. maybe $20M more somewhere else, but his skills have notably dimished. I still like him.. for the same reasons you said. I remember hearing him talk about how he never jumps up and down after a home run, he said it's because after his first one he went nuts and was jumping around, then his dad told him to look like a professional and look like it's something you expected to do or that you've done before... or something to that effect, and ever since he does his trademark swing with a trot and watches it.

Something to think about.. and I know I've said this before.. but him and Frank Thomas were both injured for a couple years in total, and everyone dogged them because of it, now we find out it's probably because they were the only two NOT on 'roids and it was just the natural progression of their body wearing down.

Card, definitely agree with you about the Big Hurt. If he hadn't been hurt those few years, he'd be right there in the 600 company.

I have another one for you...Manny Ramirez. I don't recall anyone ever accusing him of the 'roids, and he just recently went past the 500 mark. He'll probably end up with 625-650 or so, barring injuries.

When you were describing Junior and the "act like you've been there before" speech he got from Senior Griffey, I couldn't help but think of Marvin Harrison. Pretty much the same way. Catches a TD, goes back to the bench, doesn't do any silly theatrics like Chad, Terrell, or Joe Horn. I appreciate players like that!