Griffey finally makes it to 600

[Neroon]

Link to article

Congrats to a genuinely nice guy, who has played the game the right way. There's never been even a int of steroid usage. It's a shame that he's had those bad injury problems the past few years. Had he been able to play in at least half of that time, he'd be considerably farther up the list of career home run leaders, maybe even challenging Bonds' career mark. Who knows. Maybe Bonds would have been chasing Griffey. But no sense lamenting what could have been. He will in all likelihood end up the season at 5th on the all time list, since Sosa seems to be out of ball right now. Heck, Griffey has a decent shot at 4th on the all time list.

Of course, A-Rod will probably blow by him in 3 seasons.

The current Top 15:

[U]Rank	Player	Home Runs[/U]
1.	Barry Bonds 	762
2.	Hank Aaron 	755	
3.	Babe Ruth 	714	
4.	Willie Mays 	660	
5.	Sammy Sosa	609	
6.	Ken Griffey 	600
7.	Frank Robinson 	586
8.	Mark McGwire 	583	
9.	Harmon Killebrew 	573
10.	Rafael Palmeiro 	569
11.	Reggie Jackson 	563
12.	Mike Schmidt 	548	
13.	Mickey Mantle 	536
14.	Jimmie Foxx 	534	
15.	Alex Rodriguez 	527

Griffey's totals by season

Year  	Team  	HR
1989  	SEA  	16
1990  	SEA  	22
1991  	SEA  	22
1992  	SEA  	27
1993  	SEA  	45
1994  	SEA  	40
1995  	SEA  	17
1996  	SEA  	49
1997  	SEA  	56
1998  	SEA  	56
1999  	SEA  	48
2000  	CIN  	40
2001  	CIN  	22
2002  	CIN  	8 
2003  	CIN  	13
2004  	CIN  	20
2005  	CIN  	35
2006  	CIN  	27
2007  	CIN  	30
2008  	CIN  	7

Congratulations to a good guy.

 

[mimic]

What's a real shame is how few people were in the stands to see it. You'd think, since Florida is competitive in the NL East and there was a chance to see Griffey hit #600, people might show up. But they didn't.

 

[Neroon]

What's a real shame is how few people were in the stands to see it. You'd think, since Florida is competitive in the NL East and there was a chance to see Griffey hit #600, people might show up. But they didn't.

No kidding!! But then it's long been like that in Florida. For once the fanbase doesn't seem to be deserving of the team.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Congratulations, at long last! I hope he keeps up because I can certainly use the home runs on my fantasy team.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Congrats to Griffey He's a really cool guy. It's a shame he had some injury troubles since he was the one almost everyone wanted to pass Hank Aaron (certainly not Barry Bonds).

He still is a great all time all around player, but he'll never achieve the full numbers he once had the potential to achieve.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, it's a shame Griffey didn't pass Aaron first. I remember my step-father predicting that it would be Griffey way back in the early 90's. Alas, it wasn't to be.

 

[tomalak301]

Congratulations, at long last! I hope he keeps up because I can certainly use the home runs on my fantasy team.

I'll still take him if you're still interested in giving him up.

 

[ElScoob]

Awright Junior!

As a lifelong Reds fan, I am pleased as punch to hear this and all the more pleased that it happened while he was playing for the team he was born to play for. I have no doubt that he'll go on to carve out a very respectable place for himself even higher on the all-time list.

 

[Neroon]

I can see him passing Sosa for 5th on the all-time list this season. He has a decent chance to catch Mays for 4th, but with his age and injury history I doubt he will end up higher. Staying in Cincinnati would help, given that Great American is a hitter friendly place. Something of note I learned this morning is that Griffey reached 600 home runs in 2,439 games, the third fewest all time. Ruth did it in 2,044 games and Bonds in 2,394. I think he also is the fourth player to have at least 300 home runs with one team and 200 with another. Something like that anyway.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Junior has always been the example of what is best about Baseball. I only wish that he stayed a little more healthy, I always thought he was the one to best Hank Aaron home run record. He has always been class and I respect him greatly.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Reaching 600 would be impressive even if injuries haven't plagued him, but it's even more so given how few at-bats it took him to achieve it. And what really impresses me about Griffey, Jr. is that he's also a great fielder.

 

[Aragorn]

^ Was a great fielder.

What's sad is he should be at 700 by now, even if he had average (by Griffey standards) output on the years where he missed significant playing time due to injury. He's missed like 3-1/2 total years since he's been with the Reds. This is the most unheralded 600th homer since, well, Sammy Sosa last year.

Congratulations, at long last! I hope he keeps up because I can certainly use the home runs on my fantasy team.

I have Griffey on my team, but he was the expendable OF that had to go to the bench the second I picked up Jay Bruce.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Congratulations, at long last! I hope he keeps up because I can certainly use the home runs on my fantasy team.

I have Griffey on my team, but he was the expendable OF that had to go to the bench the second I picked up Jay Bruce.

Yeah, Griffey is usually part time for me (with sluggers like Suzuki, Hamilton, Ibanez, Soriano, and Ludwick, it's not a surprise), but I just happened to have Griffey in last night because half the league had a day off.

 

[Neroon]

THere is little doubt he is one of the greatest, most gifted players ever to put on a pair of spikes. The 600 homers alone takes him a long way in that direction. And his fielding for a long time would as well. VERY few players have ever had this combination of hitting and defense and speed. But Griff has played long enough that the injuries are increasingly taking their toll. He's still a good fielder, just not the Gold Glove CF he once was regularly. He's missed about 500 games due to injury, though I forget how many in the strike-shortened season. Add all of that back in and yeah, I think Aragorn has it right - Junior would be at about 700 home runs right now. Meaning a good shot to become the all time king. Not sure if he'd have 3000 hits, but he might.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda, mighta been. He's still had one heckuva career. His swing is still so smooth it makes cream look like granola. Aaron and Mays called him last weekend I think, and that's done as much because the Kid has done it all so well for so long and so right. It's good to see so many people giving him credit.

Of the next guys to have a chance to join this rarified air, (Manny Ramirez? Alex Gonsalez?) they have an awful lot of detractors to go with their supporters. We might not see another Griffey for a long time to come.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Of the next guys to have a chance to join this rarified air, (Manny Ramirez? Alex Gonsalez?) they have an awful lot of detractors to go with their supporters. We might not see another Griffey for a long time to come.

I say A Rod will be the next one to 600 and the person that beats Barry Bonds home run record. Then after him, I think it will be Albert Pujos.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Link to article

Congrats to a genuinely nice guy, who has played the game the right way. There's never been even a int of steroid usage. It's a shame that he's had those bad injury problems the past few years. Had he been able to play in at least half of that time, he'd be considerably farther up the list of career home run leaders, maybe even challenging Bonds' career mark. Who knows. Maybe Bonds would have been chasing Griffey. But no sense lamenting what could have been. He will in all likelihood end up the season at 5th on the all time list, since Sosa seems to be out of ball right now. Heck, Griffey has a decent shot at 4th on the all time list.

Of course, A-Rod will probably blow by him in 3 seasons.

The current Top 15:

[U]Rank    Player    Home Runs[/U]
1.    Barry Bonds     762
2.    Hank Aaron     755    
3.    Babe Ruth     714    
4.    Willie Mays     660    
5.    Sammy Sosa    609    
6.    Ken Griffey     600
7.    Frank Robinson     586
8.    Mark McGwire     583    
9.    Harmon Killebrew     573
10.    Rafael Palmeiro     569
11.    Reggie Jackson     563
12.    Mike Schmidt     548    
13.    Mickey Mantle     536
14.    Jimmie Foxx     534    
15.    Alex Rodriguez     527

Griffey's totals by season

Year      Team      HR
1989      SEA      16
1990      SEA      22
1991      SEA      22
1992      SEA      27
1993      SEA      45
1994      SEA      40
1995      SEA      17
1996      SEA      49
1997      SEA      56
1998      SEA      56
1999      SEA      48
2000      CIN      40
2001      CIN      22
2002      CIN      8 
2003      CIN      13
2004      CIN      20
2005      CIN      35
2006      CIN      27
2007      CIN      30
2008      CIN      7

Congratulations to a good guy.

Hey where is the * by Bonds name?
But Congrats to KG Jr.
Wish Seattle still had him.

 

[Neroon]

Hey where is the * by Bonds name?

Actually, there should be one by Sosa's as well, come to think of it. But there weren't any, leastways not for the reasons you & I are thinking, on the site where I first found the information.

But Congrats to KG Jr.
Wish Seattle still had him.

Although the trade talk with Seattle has cooled somewhat, do you think the fanbase there would welcome him back warmly? They do still seem to regard him highly.

 

[Aragorn]

^ The Seattle fanbase are mostly idiots who care more about hydroplane races, the hidden ball trick and rally fries. I'm surprised they even know what to do when a foul ball or home run ball comes flying their way.

It would make sense, though, for Mariners management to trade for Griffey during a year when everything fell apart and it would be best to rebuild. Griffey will put people in seats, and that's more important to them than winning. Hell, they'll probably overpay for him.

 

[Captain Ice]

It would make sense, though, for Mariners management to trade for Griffey during a year when everything fell apart and it would be best to rebuild. Griffey will put people in seats, and that's more important to them than winning. Hell, they'll probably overpay for him.

I don't think it's that simple. He's going to be a Hall-of-Famer and I suspect that TPTB in Seattle would like to see him go in as a Mariner.