6.02.2010

The events of the day

I was sitting down and watching the Blind Side, and I couldn't help but notice the similarities in the movie, and part of my own life. You see a few years back, my family was driving home from a super rich function (my Dad's a doctor) when we noticed a homeless kid walking home. Dad wanted to go to Taco Bell, but Mom made him pullover and take the kid home with us. He was real shy, but was a real solid individual. Mom taught him how to play baseball with her sass and wit (and little Erik taught him how to make friends). Anyway, long story short... that kid went on to great success in the game we know as baseball. That kid... was THE Kid... Ken Griffey Jr.




Mom never really got the credit she deserved for Griffey's success, but no worries, Sandra Bullock couldn't have handled that role. Lots of nuances and no crummy accent.

Griffey retired today. A year too late. But that doesn't change the fact that he is the greatest baseball player to ever play the game or at least since uhhh... 1970 or something. Anyway, you'll never see a better ball player, and he did it clean baby! Should be the first 100% first ballot Hall of Famer (but some dickhead writer won't do it). Anyway congrats Griff!

Thanks Griffey. Greatest of all time.

39 comments:

Erik said...

Did you know that Babe Ruth retired on this day 75 years ago?

Just sayin' ...

Mr. F said...

Serious business?

Fortune said...

Did you know we drafted him on June 2, 1987? That is to show the significance of the date, not to shoot holes in your story. How could Erik teach him anything when he was a baby?

jimi said...

we should probably just skip all the sports writers. he was, at the very least, the best player of his era (the steriods era). For not being a juiced up asshole, the hall should induct him today and simultaneously give bonds, sosa, and mcguire the finger. never forget hitting my head on the ceiling in 1995 when he slid home. the fastest any human has ever ran.

Mr. F said...

Agreed. I've stopped reading the stuff, because for some reason, people feel compelled to discuss what Griffey WASN'T and how he isn't as good as people think. Fuck that. He's the best all around baseball player ever since Willie Mays. And really... you can't compare the two. Griffey is the best baseball player we will ever see play.

jimi said...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5247355



a worthwhile read

Pervitron 3000 said...

"http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5247355

a worthwhile read"

I...CAN'T...READ!!!

Bobby said...

Top 10 player in the last two decades for sure. Respect for a great carreer.

Mr. F said...

Bobby, I think this is you trying to be nice... or maybe trying to start a fight, I can't tell. I'll respectfully ask you to name the other 9 players you have in that category... Pujols I'm guessing? Not the all around player Griff was. And Bonds? Come on. I'll hear arguments for Kirby Puckett certainly, but who else comes close?

jimi said...

i read that if you use that sabermetric stat stuff (baseball math) that Brian Giles was just as productive as Griffey. so there you have it. Kirby Puckett and Brian Giles

Mr. F said...

I read differently about WAR

jimi said...

"Good God"

Bobby said...

Finn

1) Barry Bonds
2) Frank Thomas
3-5) Griffey, Pujols, ARod
6-10) Piazza, Bagwell, Mauer, Biggio, Gynn (too early to tell though with Jumbo Joe Mauer)

I might be forgetting players from the early 90's, but forgive me, I was but a child then.

Mr. F said...

I assume you mean Gwynn, and clearly a phenomanal hitter, but I'd even take Puckett's overall game over his.

Bonds is a juice head, so is A-Rod.

Bagwell, really?

And Biggio, you've gotta be fucking kidding me.

As for Frank Thomas? Please, he can't sniff Junior's jock.

Mr. F said...

Until Pujols gets caught with the juice, you gotta allow that him in the discussion.

Bobby said...

Gywnn I meant. And Puckett probably should be on my list. Maybe Mark Grace as well. I would say Matt Williams too but well see how he does once he gets resurrected, one or two good years and hes on the list.

Mr. F said...

Yeah, all great players, but I'd take Girfey over all of them, with the exception possibly being Pujols and we'll see how that ends.

Bobby said...

When Pujols carreer is said and done, well discuss his proximity to #1.

Juice or not, there is absolutely no comparison between the numbers Bonds put up and the numbers 2+ put up. Frank Thomas is in the top 10- I plugged him in at #2 since Im a Thomas homer- but he could be dropped a few spots.

Biggio = big heart, little man

Pervitron 3000 said...

Frank Thomas ranked higher than Griffey? Simply basing this on stats:

Griffey:
Career Batting avg - .284
Home Runs - 630
RBI - 1,836
Hits - 2,781
Stolen Bases - 184
All Star - 13X

Thomas:
Career Batting avg - .301
Home Runs - 521
RBI - 1,704
Hits - 2,468
Stolen Bases - 32
All Star - 5X

AND, Ken is a MARINER! No contest really

Erik said...

Why are you a Thomas homer?

And if we really are talking about all around, Thomas isn't close. The guy played 1st base and DH. And I might be wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't a very good 1st baseman.

Obviously Bonds was a great player to begin with, but the steroids really did help out a lot. I mean if the guy is hitting everything out of the park that makes pitchers tip toe around him, or just flat-out intentionally walk him, which leads to inflated OBP. Also, he was never as good a fielder as Griffey. Case in point, the guy couldn't throw out Sid Bream. Was Bonds a better hitter than Griffey? Yeah. But all-around? It's definitely up for debate.

One thing I can say, without a doubt, is that Bonds' skull was better at expanding. And that includes the episode of the Simpsons when Griffey drank that tonic. (An episode that Bonds wasn't on might I add.)

Bobby said...

Sorry Pervert, Griffey is/never has been a GIANT so there is no bonus points there. In fact, Thomas has been an A (thats odd to write) so he gets a small bonus.

Griffey has great numbers and can be put ahead of Thomas. In fact, so can Pujuols and maybe one or two others mentioned. The .284 is a bit of a blemish though, but his power numbers and 13x all star make up for it.

Bobby said...

http://www.karemar.com/blog/barry-bonds-best-baseball-player-ever-steroids-or-not

Bonds:

1. Holds record for most MVP awards (7) and consecutive MVP awards (4) (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
2. Holds records for most home runs in a season (73)
3. Holds records for most walks in a career (2,512)
4. Holds record for consecutive seasons with 30 homeruns (13).
5. Only player in 400 home run and 400 stolen base club
6. Only player in 500 home run and 500 stolen base club
7. 14 time all star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
8. One of four players in 40-40 club (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases)
9. Holds record for most consecutive seasons with .600 slugging percentage or higher (8)
10. 5-time SF Giants Player of the Year (1998, 2001-04)
11. 14-Time All-Star (1990, 1992-98, 2000-04, 2007)
12. 7-Time Baseball America NL All-Star OF (1993, 1998, 2000-04)
13. 3-Time Major League Player of the Year (1990, 2001, 2004)
14. 3-Time Baseball America MLB Player of the Year (2001, 2003-04)
15. 8-Time Gold Glove winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-98)
16. 12-Time Silver Slugger winner for NL Outfielder (1990-94, 1996-97, 2000-04)
17. Led the Major Leagues in home runs (1993, 2001)
18. Led the NL in batting average (2002, 2004)
19. Led the NL in on base percentage (1991-93, 1995, 2001-04, 2006)
20. Led the Major Leagues in slugging percentage (1990, 1992-93, 2001-04)
21. Led the Major Leagues in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
22. Led the Major Leagues in on base percentage (1992, 2001-04)
23. Led the NL in runs (1992)
24. Led the NL in RBIs (1993)
25. Led the NL in walks (1992, 1994-97, 2000-04, 2006)
26. Led the NL in intentional walks (1992-98, 2002-04, 2006)
27. Led the NL in runs created (1992-93, 2001-02, 2004)
28. Led the Major Leagues in total bases (1993, with 365)
29. Led the Major Leagues in runs created (1993, 2001-02, 2004)
30. Led the NL in games (1995)
31. Led the NL in extra base hits (1992-93, 2001)
32. Led the NL in at bats per home run (1992-93, 1996, 2000-04)
33. 3-Time NL Hank Aaron Award winner (2001-02, 2004)
34. Led the Major Leagues in batting average (2002, with .370)


A lot of those came from the 90's as well. And stereroids (which Bonds was never convicted of) may help, but they are not going to propel a player to anything like what Bonds acomplished above. They certianly didnt help the dozens (maybe hundreds) of other MLB'ers who used them.

Erik said...

Wow! He lead the league in games played in 1995? That pretty much ends the argument.

Can you honestly tell me what the Hank Aaron award is without looking it up?

Look, I already said that Bonds was obviously a great player to begin with. But the ridiculous power, OBP, slugging numbers he put up AFTER he was 35+ are almost certainly inflated by steroids. I didn't realize he'd won 8 Gold Gloves, so that's a plus. But if you look at highlight reel catches Griffey blows him out of the water.

Unfortunately, Griffey wasn't as durable. Maybe because he played 11seasons on the Kingdome turf, or maybe because he didn't have any unnatural help in his recovery.

Bateman, do you honestly believe Bonds never took steroids or HGH? I really want to know.

Erik said...

Also, I love how that site was listing reasons why Bonds was the best ever, with or without the 'roids and #2 on their list is his home run record.

Fortune said...

Ill go ahead and say "WERE BACK!"

Bobby said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bobby said...

No I think he took them. I just dont think they are a HUGE deal. I mean dozens or hundreds of players have taken them. And nobody put up numbers close to his.

That list was just cut and pasted... it was a little redundant at times (see 5 and 6, 7 and 11). But if you look, a lot of those feats were done before he supposedly juiced up.

He is in a different league as far as numbers go. The injuries thing is a tough break (no pun intended) for Griffey, but how can you argue that anyone other than Bonds is #1 of this era?

Also, Griffey has 10 GG's, Bonds has 9. Not a huge difference... and you can argue the juice cost Bonds more (because it does make you less athletic). Not saying I feel bad for Bonds, but if you are going to use the juice argument one way, you gotta use it the other way.

Its telling when you google "best baseball player since 1990" you get a list where Bonds is pretty much a unanimous #1

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?42635-Top-10-Players-by-Decade-1990s

Mr. F said...

The M's AND HCM!!!!

Bonds may have been great before the juice, but guess what, we'll never know now. Sort of like OJ was a good running back before he murdered two people. Now he's just a murderer.

And for those keeping score at home.. yes, in my book, taking steroids is just as bad as a double homicide.

Bobby said...

What pitchers would you enter into the running as possible being one of hte top 10 best baseball players since 1990?

Maddox, Glavine, RJohnson, Pedro, John Rocker, Shilling... any others?

Mr. F said...

The Big Unit, Jamie Moyer, Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Freddy Gracia, John Halama, Aaron Sele, Jeff Fassero and David Aardsma.

Mr. F said...

It's actually a good question, but I would seperate the two lists.

If we're combining, I think you gotta look at Pedro, Unit, and Maddox.

But let's not combine.

Erik said...

Probably Rocker.

I don't even think we can call them "Best Baseball Players." It has to be a different category just for pitchers.

I'd have to put The Unit and Maddox at the top. Unit won 5 Cy Youngs I think? And Maddox won 4. Clemens won more, but then we have to get into the steroids argument again.

That being said, it has to be Felix Hernandez.

Erik said...

I hadn't seen Finn's post when I published mine.

Bobby said...

Well I think its important to be comprehensive. Also, what cricket players do you think fit in the mix?

Id say:

1. Don Bradman
2. Barry Richards
3. Garry Sobers
4. Viv Richards
5. Sachin Tendulker
6. Jack Hobbs
7. Brian Lara
8. Graeme Pollock
9. Greg Chappell
10. Sunil Gavasakar

Bowlers:

1. Sydney Barnes
2. Dennis Lillie
3. Malcom Marshall
4. Shane Warne
5. Imran Kahn
6. Richard Haddle
7. Muttiah Muralitharan
8. Ray Lindwall
9. Wasim Akram
10. Waqar Younis

Mr. F said...

that cricket line made me laugh

Bobby said...

Hey Pervert, ---->

wanamaker said...

It's actually a good question, but I would seperate the two lists.

If we're combining, I think you gotta look at Pedro, Unit, and Maddox.

But let's not combine.

wanamaker said...

Why are you a Thomas homer?

And if we really are talking about all around, Thomas isn't close. The guy played 1st base and DH. And I might be wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't a very good 1st baseman.

Obviously Bonds was a great player to begin with, but the steroids really did help out a lot. I mean if the guy is hitting everything out of the park that makes pitchers tip toe around him, or just flat-out intentionally walk him, which leads to inflated OBP. Also, he was never as good a fielder as Griffey. Case in point, the guy couldn't throw out Sid Bream. Was Bonds a better hitter than Griffey? Yeah. But all-around? It's definitely up for debate.

One thing I can say, without a doubt, is that Bonds' skull was better at expanding. And that includes the episode of the Simpsons when Griffey drank that tonic. (An episode that Bonds wasn't on might I add.)

wanamaker said...

"http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5247355

a worthwhile read"

I...CAN'T...READ!!!