Ken Griffey Regret?

[NetShrine]

Think the Reds rue the trade and signing yet?

[BuzzBuzzard]

Not just yet, but they've got to be scratching their heads.

[jpalexa]

Like the A-Rod deal, it just seems so ill-conceived to me. Why isn't it clear by now to any GM on the planet that pitching wins championships?!? Having the Big Star is nice, but not at the expense of the necessary supporting cast.

The Yankees and the Braves start with their pitching and build outwards. If you're going to spend the money, why not follow (not just conventional baseball wisdom but) a model that is proven?

I just don't get it.

[NetShrine]

I still remember the Bowden press conference - - Jimmy quoting the date, telling people to remember it - like it was D-day or something.

[jpalexa]

More like DL-Day.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Don't lose sight of the fact that baseball is a business and like any business the idea is to turn a profit. Agreed, Griffey on the DL does not help this, but when he's playing, whether that be playing well or not, he is a draw, both at home and on the road. Having a star like that brings people to the parks, especially when on the road and getting a piece of the gate while on the road is revenue producer.

I don't think that any one in the organization is getting a good job back slapping, but no one is getting their hide tanned, yet either.

[NetShrine]

"yet" being the key word - Jr. is now 31 - - same age as some other "future legends" (Sierra, etc.) when they hit the tanks - - 'tho, I'll admit, Griffey has more talent in his left nut than Ruben has in his whole body. Desire? Ability to stay healthy? Not so sure..........

[jpalexa]

Ah, the Business of Baseball. Takes the joy right out of the Game.

I'm still not entirely convinced that having the one superstar for "draw power" is better for the bottom line than fielding a consistently winning team. I don't know that Cincinnati's per-game attendance is any better this season with or without Griffey, Jr. Or if their road draw is different. And, if there is a difference (home and road attendance), is it substantially different? Maybe for the first year or two, but the effect has got to wear off pretty quickly.

I'll bet that winning is more of a draw overall, over the long haul, than one superstar.

Needless to say, having the superstar *and* winning probably brings more revenue than either by itself...it is just that some GMs (Cincy, Texas) have eliminated themselves from this formula by spending way too much money on the superstar and then not being able to afford the supporting cast to put a winning team on the field.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by jpalexa
I'll bet that winning is more of a draw overall, over the long haul, than one superstar.

Amen.

[jpalexa]

Originally posted by NetShrine
"yet" being the key word - Jr. is now 31 - - same age as some other "future legends" (Sierra, etc.) when they hit the tanks - - 'tho, I'll admit, Griffey has more talent in his left nut than Ruben has in his whole body. Desire? Ability to stay healthy? Not so sure..........

You know, it is funny -- the one guy Hank Aaron thinks can break his all-time HR record doesn't come across (to me, anyway) as having the desire to do so. Age isn't a factor -- Hank hit a big chunk after he was well into his 30s. I guess the money takes the edge off?

[BuzzBuzzard]

I agree, too, but it is not the only thing. That was my only point.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
That was my only point.

Stop giving me that straight line!

[NetShrine]

Makes it worse for the Reds:

Thursday, May 17
Griffey examined by soft-tissue specialist
ESPN.com news services

The coordinator of the University of North Carolina sports medicine program introduced the possibility that Ken Griffey Jr.'s hamstring injury might be season ending. Griffey was examined at the university May 7.

"Whether it's a season-ending injury, I truly don't know," program coordinator Bill Prentice told the Charlotte Observer. "It depends on how he responds to the therapy we recommended for him."

Griffey is on the disabled list because of a partially torn hamstring. He was examined by Dr. Bill Garrett, chairman of the UNC Hospitals' orthopedic department and considered one of the nation's top soft-tissue orthopedic specialists. Garrett referred Griffey to Prentice, who also is North Carolina's athletic trainer.

"He's frustrated by this," Prentice said. "Hamstings are a real problem, especially with somebody as strong as he is. He definitely has some imbalances from one leg to the other. Hopefully some of the things we recommended will help.

"We want to reassess him somewhere around the first of June, to see if the muscles have responded to the therapy. If not, surgery is a possibility, but hamstrings typically don't have a great history for surgery and therefore aren't done very often."

Prentice said Garrett had done several hamstring reconstructions with good success.

"Now it's up to Griffey, and how hard he works," Prentice said.

[jpalexa]

I wonder -- how many wins is Ken Griffey, Jr. (or A-Rod, or Manny) worth? How many games would the Reds win with Griffey vs. how many they would win with a different centerfielder? Cincinnati is 17-22 -- mostly without Griffey. Guesses as to where they would be *with* him? Better than St. Louis' 23-15?

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by jpalexa
Cincinnati is 17-22 -- mostly without Griffey. Guesses as to where they would be *with* him? Better than St. Louis' 23-15?

Not better than St. Louis. I you gave Jr. credit with winning an addl 6 games over a 39 game stretch, that extrapolates to 25 games over an entire season and I just can't accept that. Maybe that is your point.

Manny on the other hand........... He did go deep earlier to spot Cone to a 3-0 lead in Minny.