Around the NL: Junior Respect

With his hat on backwards, a grin on his face, a major-league name on his back and a can’t miss tag on his future, a teenaged Ken Griffey took baseball — and Seattle in particular — by storm in 1989. The first draft pick overall in 1987, Griffey joined a franchise that had won as many as 78 games just once in its 12-year history. By Griffey’s third season, the Mariners had broken the .500 barrier and expectations were growing. The buzz around baseball in Seattle, and the Mariners’ popularity led to the building of SAFECO Field in 1999. Due to myriad factors, Griffey asked to be traded to his hometown Reds, leaving the Emerald City prior to the 2000 season.

Other stars — Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez — had left the Northwest as well, and fans weren’t shy in expressing negative feelings to both Johnson and A-Rod upon their return to Seattle in visiting uniforms.

Last week, when the Reds made their first ever trip to Seattle, Griffey anxiously expected similar treatment. Much to his surprise, the fans welcomed Griffey like a long lost hero, crediting him as the reason Seattle has a nice state-of-the-art ballpark. Taken aback, Griffey addressed the crowd, and genuinely seemed to miss Seattle.

Whatever your impressions of Griffey as a youngster — spoiled, overrated, getting preferential treatment, aloof. And whatever we may have thought about him as he orchestrated his exit from Seattle, one thing has become apparent as the young Griffey has matured. He is a professional ballplayer and a terrific person. It was Griffey who led the effort to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day by honoring the pioneer by wearing Robinson’s No. 42. Devoted to his family, Griffey has avoided the limelight that many other stars seem to crave. And when all the steroid discussions arise names like Bonds, Giambi, Sosa, Palmeiro, Piazza, and others are mentioned. But rarely — if ever — do you hear Griffey’s name. Hopefully this season Griffey will hit home run No. 600. That moment deserves to be celebrated.

Can’t Hit Their Weight
At one time there was a despicable stigma attached to a ballplayer who couldn’t hit his weight. It was expected that big guys were better hitters and light shortstops were weak hitters, so a comparable baseline was their relative weights. But in recent seasons even the ballooning ballplayers have managed to keep their averages tipping higher than their bathroom scales.

But this season there are three hitters in the National League who are on pace to qualify for the batting title, but are far from that goal. A more modest objective would be to post an average higher than their body’s mass. What’s most surprising is that the three players finished second, sixth and seventh in NL MVP voting in as recent as 2005.

The Braves’ Andruw Jones “leads” the list at .199 weighing in at 210. Strikeout artist Pat Burrell weighs in at 234, but is tips the batting average scales at just .205. And the Mets’ Carlos Delgado has set the bar the highest. His weight is listed at 264. He’ll need to raise his average 39 points from .225 to match his weight.

What a difference two seasons makes.

Lookout Lefty
Of all players with as many as 50 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, three boast an average higher than .400. All three call South Florida home. The Marlins’ third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who should be a lock for the All-Star team, is expected. The right-handed Cabrera has feasted on lefties throughout his career. He’s third at .410. Second is another Miguel. Olivo, that is. The part-time backstop hit lefties at a .412 clip. Hanley Ramirez is batting .413 against southpaws, and just .289 vs. righthanders.

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