Griffey Back to Seattle

[200tang]

Are you surprised boomboom? I love Griffey as much as the next Seattle fan, but looking at the way he left us in the first place this doesn't surprise me at all.

If you remember he waived his no trade clause for only 4 teams the first time, all were in 1st or 2nd place in the NL. Then he later changed it to only Cinci and played the 'family card' and basically forced us in to a trade where we realistically had no leverage. Mike Cameron turned out okay sure, but lets be honest that trade and the whole way it unraveled wasn't pretty.

I never understood why people got upset for A-Rod leaving for a TON of money, but when Griffey forces us to trade him everyone is cool about it. He was a prima donna then and he's a prima donna now in my eyes.

[boomboom]

At least when Griffey left and we got something in return, that is why.

[TheNamelessPoet]

I was ESTATIC to hear back when he was traded that he wanted at 1 point to go to 1 of 2 teams... The Reds or the Braves... I was devistated when he went to the Reds then resigned there. Obviously at this point I'm glad that happened but boy... I collected every card I could find of that guy, when I was a kid. I think I have over 300-400 different cards of him. Even if he stinks now... if he becomes a Brave... I will buy EVERY card he apears in our uniform

[KowboyKoop]

At least when Griffey left and we got something in return, that is why.

This is an insult to Michael Garciaparra and Rene Rivera.

[dolfanar]

What I don't understand is all this talk of Griffey DHing. The guy is still decent enough in the field to play RF, or at worst LF. With Ichiro in RF it seems to me that there isn't much room for a guy like Griffey.

If I'm Griffey I'm looking for a team where I can play in the outfield atleast vs righties.

[eggson27]

He doesn't stink! He is still a great player that can hit 15-20 home runs and play solid defense! He's in decline, but he's still good.

[HoustonGM]

What I don't understand is all this talk of Griffey DHing. The guy is still decent enough in the field to play RF, or at worst LF. With Ichiro in RF it seems to me that there isn't much room for a guy like Griffey.

If I'm Griffey I'm looking for a team where I can play in the outfield atleast vs righties.

If you're Griffey, sure, you'd look for that. If you're a team, you keep him out of the field. He is no longer even an average defender.

He doesn't stink! He is still a great player that can hit 15-20 home runs and play solid defense! He's in decline, but he's still good.

He's good if you allow him to ONLY do the one thing he's good at - hit righties.

[dolfanar]

If you're Griffey, sure, you'd look for that. If you're a team, you keep him out of the field. He is no longer even an average defender.

At this point I would say he is a below average CF, an average RF or LF. His arm isn't a canon, so players will test it, but he can still throw people out, and while his wheels aren't what they used to be, he can still get to most balls. I'd see no problem with him playing RF or LF. I don't know what Chicago was thinking getting him to play CF last year though. That was a bit of a head scratcher.

[HoustonGM]

At this point I would say he is a below average CF, an average RF or LF. His arm isn't a canon, so players will test it, but he can still throw people out, and while his wheels aren't what they used to be, he can still get to most balls. I'd see no problem with him playing RF or LF. I don't know what Chicago was thinking getting him to play CF last year though. That was a bit of a head scratcher.

Ultimate Zone Rating has him at -11.6 runs in RF in 2008 and an atrocious -30.4 in 2007. In center field, he was -24 runs in 2006, -19.9 in 2005 and -21.6 in 2004. His overall UZR's for the last 7 years:

2008: -13.4
2007: -30.4
2006: -24
2005: -19.9
2004: -21.6
2003: -2.7
2002: -4.7

THT's Revised Zone Rating, BP's Fielding Runs, AND Plus/Minus all agree with UZR that he has been terrible in the field for a while now. (+/- has Griffey at -25 plays at BOTH RF and CF over the 2006-2008 period).

[200tang]

Yeah the guy can't play OF at all. Griffey will definitely look to play the OF over DH which could be the deciding factor, but he really has no business playing there. The thing you have to realize is, no matter how good his offense is in this final season, if he does play in the OF his defense will negate quite a large portion of it.

[TheNamelessPoet]

No he isnt!!!

[boomboom]

No he isnt!!!

NOT SO FAST

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/0...ey-agrees.html

[grasshopper]

I stick with my earlier statement that Griffey would finish a great career going back to Seattle. Prima donna or not, when free agency occured, Seattle didnt stick their necks out to keep him. Same with ARod and Randy Johnson. Please dont cry poverty cause they had that new stadium and fans who were starting to get into it. Like prev. discussed, they gave huge money to Ichiro because they finally caught on to the fact that keeping superstars costs money.

[boomboom]

I stick with my earlier statement that Griffey would finish a great career going back to Seattle. Prima donna or not, when free agency occured, Seattle didnt stick their necks out to keep him. Same with ARod and Randy Johnson. Please dont cry poverty cause they had that new stadium and fans who were starting to get into it. Like prev. discussed, they gave huge money to Ichiro because they finally caught on to the fact that keeping superstars costs money.

We never had the chance to resign Griffey before this offseason. He demanded that trade in 2000. This is the first time he has been a free agent. He should be coming back to Seattle.

As for A-rod, he didn't want to talk about this contract in 2000 until after he became a free agent.. ala Borris for you.