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KEN GRIFFEY Jr. was the best baseball player in the 1990’s. GRIFFEY was an incredible hitter who had power and the ability to hit the ball in any part of the field. His speed turned singles into doubles on the regulack. As a centerfielder he was clearly the second coming. No one could bring an opponents home run ball back into the field of play like GRIFFEY could. He owns half of the top 10 greatest outfield plays of all time. If not for the injuries that ravaged his career after the trade to Cincinnati there would be a national holiday for GRIFFEY Jr.

Maybe that was the problem all along. GRIFFEY Jr. just wanted to play baseball. He eschewed the rockstar hype machine that so many other players were desperate for. I used to become annoyed for him because he was called ‘the Kid’ even after his dad retired. ESPN commentators called him that nickname well into his 30’s. I suppose that’s better than calling him ‘boy’ which I’m sure they did when they were off the air. People were so jealous of GRIFFEY because he made everything he did look so effortless. I watched him shag fly balls at Shea Stadium several years ago. GRIFFEY kept his glove alongside his face. That was so fucking ballsy. He was catching 350ft. fly balls barely an inch away from his eyes. KEN GRIFFEY Jr. was the best. Evar.

GRIFFEY Jr. was going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer despite the last half of his career was hobbled by assorted major injuries. Now that he has achieved the mythic number of 600 home runs his legacy is all but secured. I’m happy for him and I still hold out the hope that he will be in a Mets uniform before it is all said and done. In the meantime and in between time I copped a pair of NIKE G6’s to keep in the stash for one of those days I need to get my all-star off on the streets.

ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian shows some effing respect…