Griffey

[J Grundy#12]

i remember when griffey jr was my favorite player with the hustle great attitude and the best swing that i have ever seen since he hit 500 homers i dont care about all the njuries i still say he has a chance to hit 700 homers and he has made kids stop just wanting to play the infield that the outfield is jus as important.any other thoughts

[HDH]

I always thought it was a matter of time that he would eventually become one of the many high priced Yankees. Now, I just want to see him play 150 games.

[julusnc]

It kills me to see people not talk about Ken Griffey Jr anymore.His career is fantastic so far.He combined skill and ability.

Also I believe Griffey Jr to be steriod free. Thoughts?

[Windy City Fan]

I've heard allegations about Griffey, and his injury history could be supportive of accusations of steroid use. That said, I still believe in innocent until proven guilty.

Griffey was a great talent, truly historic, but now he's semi washed up and and just not the same. If only he was more dedicated to conditioning, he may have been the greatest of his generation.

[J Grundy#12]

i agree no way griffey has touched the stuff he is baseball players baseball player if u get what i mean i still think he and palmerio have the sweetest swings ever any arguements?

[Russ]

I think Griffey proved last year that he's still got it. If he doesn't play another game, he's a HOF'er. The fact that he's been hurt pretty much the whole time he's been in Cincinatti, it's truly amazing that he was able to put up such crazy numbers in the Kingdome and Safeco. The guy truly is an amazing player and steroids won't be an issue. I think he'll be remembered in a Mickey Mantle way. He accomplished some awesome things, but what could have been.

[J Grundy#12]

ok lets jus imagine if he didnt get hurt put up some numbers that u think he would have had this will be interesting

[Edgartohof]

It kills me to see people not talk about Ken Griffey Jr anymore.His career is fantastic so far.He combined skill and ability.

Also I believe Griffey Jr to be steriod free. Thoughts?

Like you said, skill and ability. I also do not think that he used steroids at any point in his career, and if he did, he sure didn't take the stuff that Conseco or Big Mac took (just in the factor of size).

[Edgartohof]

ok lets jus imagine if he didnt get hurt put up some numbers that u think he would have had this will be interesting

Well, if we are assuming he did not get hurt, here goes:

At a very conservative number, we will say he averaged 35 HR's for the past 4 years, that is another 140 HR's, which would now put him at 578 HR's, and being that he is still only 34!!! He would have plenty of time to add on to that.

Also, If you were to add up the hits he would have gotten, he would be on a good shot towards 3000. Again, on a very conservative note, if we say he were to have averaged 145 hits over the past 4 years, that is 580 hits, and added to the 1,883 he had four years ago, that adds up to 2,463 hits and still being 34, would only need to average ~90 hits over the next 6 years, to reach 3,000 hits.

So I believe he could easily have:

2400+ Hits, 575+ HR's, 1450+ Runs, and 1600+ RBI, and again, these are conservative numbers - assuming (which was the whole point of this) he did not get injured.

The biggest thing I see working for him, is the fact that he is still only 34 years old (I still just can't believe it!!!), and truthfully, still has several years left where he could be quite productive.

[The Commissioner]

I'm pretty sure that Griffey probably did take it. Look at one of his baseball cards and what he looked like when he first came up compared to now. Still, that doesn't diminish waht a great player he's been. Five years after whenever he retires, he should be a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer.

[west coast orange and black]

julusnc: Also I believe Griffey Jr to be steriod free. Thoughts?
>>> one of the great things about beliefs is that no facts are needed.

wcf: I've heard allegations about Griffey, and his injury history could be supportive of accusations of steroid use. That said, I still believe in innocent until proven guilty.
>>>

grundy: i agree no way griffey has touched the stuff he is baseball players baseball player if u get what i mean i still think he and palmerio have the sweetest swings ever any arguements?
>>> how ironic, mentioning palmeiro

russ: The guy truly is an amazing player and steroids won't be an issue.
>>> he is amazing. he will not test positive, so steroids will not be an issue, i agree.

edgar: I also do not think that he used steroids at any point in his career, and if he did, he sure didn't take the stuff that Conseco or Big Mac took (just in the factor of size).
>>> size is not even 1% of the steroids equation.

commissioner: I'm pretty sure that Griffey probably did take it. Look at one of his baseball cards and what he looked like when he first came up compared to now. Still, that doesn't diminish waht a great player he's been. Five years after whenever he retires, he should be a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer.
>>> i'm down with this.

[Edgartohof]

edgar: I also do not think that he used steroids at any point in his career, and if he did, he sure didn't take the stuff that Conseco or Big Mac took (just in the factor of size).
>>> size is not even 1% of the steroids equation.

I know that size is not a factor here, but like I said, IF he used steroids, he probably did not use the same type that the 2 afore mentioned players did, because, while he himself (Griffey jr) is no small man, he is not a neckless ball of muscle. Of course, there are many different types of steroids out there, and each has a different effect.

[MikeCameronFAN]

I'm pretty sure that Griffey probably did take it. Look at one of his baseball cards and what he looked like when he first came up compared to now. Still, that doesn't diminish waht a great player he's been. Five years after whenever he retires, he should be a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer.

Commish - If you held up two pictures - one of when you were 18 and the other when you're 34, would they look different?
I don't think that Griffey's injury history is steroids-related. I think it has to do with his poor conditioning/training when he was younger, as well as playing for 10 years on the hard turf in the Kingdome.

[WillieMaysHayes]

Commish - If you held up two pictures - one of when you were 18 and the other when you're 34, would they look different?
I don't think that Griffey's injury history is steroids-related. I think it has to do with his poor conditioning/training when he was younger, as well as playing for 10 years on the hard turf in the Kingdome.

I 100% agree with that.
The funny thing is, I was reading an article today somewhere. I can't remember where, but it was basically stating how Griffey is beyond reproach regarding steroids.
I've never heard of Jr. being involved with that so I'm wondering where some of you guys came up with this information.
Like Cameron said, how many guys look the same from a teenager to a man in his mid 30's. I know I didn't.
Bonds, on the other hand physically changed from age 35 to 36 and not just his body but look at his frigin cranium. Classical "roid head".

[DoubleX]

I've heard some people call Griffey the greatest natural talent since Mickey Mantle, and like Mickey Mantle, wasted his talent through injuries and poor conditioning. I've heard some people go as far as saying Griffey never did any conditioning whatsoever and that everything he accomplished was soley the product of natural ability, until the lack of conditioning caught up to him and tore his body apart from the strain.

Anyway, this spring, like the last three, everyone is wondering (and perhaps expecting) Griffey to bounce back and revitalize his career. I gave up expecting that last year when I put him on my fantasy team in spring to watch him get injured, yet again.

Griffey is 35 years old and has 501 homeruns. It's not impossible for him to get to 700 with a barrage in his late 30's (ala Barry Bonds), but barring a Bondsesque explosions, and given his injury woes that will only hamper him more with age, I don't think it's realistic to expect Griffey to get to 700. He'd have to average 40 homeruns until he's 40 to get there, and I don't see that as likely at this point (though it's not impossible).