LOS ANGELES – Whether it was his effortless speed, athleticism, dazzling catches, or that famous tucked-in elbow sway and long stare after a moon shot, the best way to describe Ken Griffey Jr. was memorable.
Even as the young talent in the MLB grows, historians still regard him as one of the best to ever play this game. Griffey Jr. wasn’t just a five-tool player; he was the epitome of it. It was as if a group of scientists went into a lab to create the perfect baseball player and Griffey was their creation.
While Ken Griffey Sr. eased his son’s transition in Seattle, it didn’t take long for “Junior” to establish himself as a star eventually becoming the face of baseball during the 90’s. Junior’s potent mix of speed and power took the league by storm with fans piling into stadiums sporting their number 24 Mariners jerseys to see something majestic on any given night.
Griffey’s talent, international popularity, and marketability helped the MLB re-establish a negative image brought on by the labor strike of 1994.
His sweet swing was effortless and when he connected, the ball just seemed to keep going. Griffey’s subtle bat drop, long gaze toward right field, and four-step walk before trotting toward first became iconic.
His defense might have been better than his hitting. Griffey patrolled center field like he owned it robbing opponents of extra bases. With his speed and athleticism, there wasn’t a play he couldn’t make. Griffey owned the AL Gold Glove in center field for a whole decade taking home the honor 10 times from 1990-1999.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed Griffey in the second half of his career when he was traded to the Reds. If there was any stain on Griffey’s career it’s never winning or playing in a World Series.
The Kid essentially did everything else over a 22-year career. His 630 home runs is seventh on the all-time list, he was a four-time home run champion, a seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner, 13-time All-Star, AL MVP in 1997, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 receiving 99.32 percent of the vote, second-highest all-time.
Griffey was a generational talent, but more importantly, he will forever be a known as a player who did everything cleanly in an era that was anything but clean.
