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Jr.-to-Sox rumor won't die


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Jr.-to-Sox rumor won't die
Reds, agent, reiterate there's no deal in the works

By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer


MILWAUKEE - The trade rumors linking Ken Griffey Jr. and the White Sox have resurfaced once again.

The Reds center fielder, who has the right to reject any trade, addressed the rumors Friday at Miller Park while also reiterating his desire to win a World Series before he retires.

"For me, it's going out, playing, and doing what I'm supposed to for this ballclub," Griffey said. "If the organization feels that they need to make a change with me, then we'll look at it and make up my mind when and if.

"If not, (I'll) continue doing what I'm doing. It's in my control, but it's not in my control. The only thing I have control over is, do I want to go? I have no control over who they talk to and what they talk about."

A recent USA Today Sports Weekly report said a deal had been struck to send Griffey to the White Sox for three prospects - with the Reds picking up a sizeable portion of the more than $40 million remaining on Griffey's contract that runs through 2008 with a club option for 2009 - but that Reds owner Carl Lindner ultimately vetoed the deal.

Reds chief operating officer John Allen said there was nothing to that report. General manager Dan O'Brien said then that he never talked to Griffey about a trade. Griffey and his agent, Brian Goldberg, said they were unaware of any potential trade.

The publication followed up the original report by stating Griffey, who has a short list of teams he would be willing to play for, "may be open to accepting a trade to the Chicago White Sox, if he clears waivers."

The Chicago Sun-Times, in Friday's editions, reported the White Sox could still be interested in Griffey.

A Reds official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reiterated Friday that nothing is going on.

Goldberg essentially said the same.

"The Reds told us right before the trade deadline that nothing was going on, and Junior wasn't going anywhere," he said Friday. "Until I hear otherwise from the Reds, and only the Reds, I happen to think that's true."

Griffey is in his sixth season playing for his hometown team, and playing well after undergoing surgery to repair a torn right hamstring in August 2004.

The 35-year-old entered Friday batting .286 with 25 home runs and 78 RBI, despite a slow start in April when he was still trying to get his legs under him. He's on pace to total 35 homers and 110 RBI this season.

The Reds were 52-62 and 20½ games behind the first-place Cardinals in the National League Central Division through Thursday.

"No matter what my situation is, and what is being said, I depend on these (teammates) and these guys depend on me," he said. "So until otherwise, when this organization says, 'Do you want to do this,' these are the guys that I depend on."

Asked if he'd prefer to stay in Cincinnati, Griffey said: "I'd prefer to win."

The Reds have yet to make the playoffs since they acquired Griffey from the Mariners in February 2000.

And while he has played in the American League Championship Series, doing so with the Mariners in 1995, Griffey is still looking for his first chance at a World Series championship ring.

"That's the main reason why you play this game," he said. "As a kid you don't talk about how much money you're going to make as an athlete. You talk about hitting a home run in the All-Star Game. You're always talking about that three-balls, two-strikes walkoff home run in the World Series."

E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com


[url="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050813/SPT04/508130363/1071"]http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../508130363/1071[/url]
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Guest oldschooler
Another Article about it...


[url="http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050813/SPT05/508130375/1027"]http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../508130375/1027[/url]
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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest bengalrick

[url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2146300&CMP=OTC-DT9705204233"]espn.com[/url]

[i]Updated: Aug. 29, 2005, 6:45 PM ET
[b]Griffey's agent: Junior wants to stay in Cincinnati[/b]

CINCINNATI -- [b]Ken Griffey Jr. has no desire to leave his hometown team, his agent said Monday in response to another round of speculation that the Cincinnati Reds would consider trading the outfielder.[/b]

[b]Chief operating officer John Allen said there was no truth to reports out of Chicago that the Reds and White Sox were working on a deal for Griffey, who has the right to block any trade. Reports have popped up in various forms since July.[/b]

The 35-year-old Griffey has the final say over whether he is dealt. As a player who has spent 10 years in the majors, the last five with the same team, Griffey has the right under baseball's collective bargaining agreement to block any trade.

His agent said Monday he doesn't want to go anywhere else.

[b]"Junior is not looking to get out of Cincinnati," agent Brian Goldberg said. "If the Reds want to initiate a trade and seek his approval, that's their prerogative and Junior and I would deal with that if they were to come to us."[/b]

So far, the Reds have not. Griffey's renaissance season -- a .302 average, 33 homers, 90 RBI -- has revived his career and his popularity in Cincinnati. [b]He is tied for 13th on the career homer list with Jimmie Foxx at 534, two shy of Mickey Mantle.[/b]

Griffey is still the best draw on the Reds' roster, the one player who can get fans interested in coming to the ballpark to see him take a swing at history or make a sensational play in center field.

Any deal involving the outfielder would have to be approved by Reds owner Carl Lindner, who brought Griffey home in February 2000 on a nine-year, $116.5 million deal that [b]runs through 2008[/b]. Lindner has given no indication he would approve a trade unless Griffey asks to leave.

Allen confirmed that there have been no discussions with Griffey about a deal.
[b]
"The continued pending trade reports this past weekend regarding the Reds and the White Sox are rumors and there's no merit to them," Allen said in a phone interview Monday. "In addition, it should be remembered that Ken is a 5-and-10 (year) player and would have to be involved in any discussion in that regard.[/b]

[b]"We have not and do not intend to have any such discussions with Ken and his agent."[/b]

Trade speculation will become moot at midnight Wednesday. Any player dealt after that deadline won't be eligible for the postseason.

The speculation involving Griffey underscores his remarkable comeback from his worst injury. Griffey tore his right hamstring from the bone and had it reattached with three titanium screws last August, jeopardizing his career.
[b]
The hamstring hadn't fully recovered by spring training. He got off to a slow start, but has looked like the old Junior since July. His 16 homers since the All-Star break are the most in the majors, and he's hitting .370 in August with 10 homers and 19 RBIs.[/b] :headbang:

Griffey is hitting .458 during a 14-game hitting streak, kept intact Monday when Cincinnati's game in Pittsburgh was rained out.

[b]His contract calls for base salaries of $12.5 million in each of the next three seasons, plus an option for 2009 at $16.5 million[/b]. The club could buy out the option year for $4 million.

In all, Griffey is owed $41.5 million after the 2005 season, so he wouldn't be a short-term or cheap fix for any playoff contender looking to add another slugger.

Griffey expects to stay in Cincinnati.

[b]"There's no use talking about hypotheticals here because nobody from the Reds has asked us about any kind of trade," Goldberg said. "As long as nobody asks, we have to assume there is nothing in the works."[/b][/i]

[img]http://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/4305.jpg[/img]

Ken Griffey Jr.
Center Field
Cincinnati Reds

2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
121 32 89 82 .368 .300



griff is here to stay :headbang:

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Guest oldschooler

[quote name='The Scales' date='Aug 30 2005, 10:14 PM'] :headbang:   GOOD!

Griffey Retire a Red...Go into hall as a Red.

:headbang:
[right][post="138807"][/post][/right][/quote]




I agree....he should retire a Red.
I hope he stays healthy his remaining years
and shuts up all of the haters too. :headbang:

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I listend to the game last night as i was workin on the auto...Extra Innings comes on and i gotta believe that furman had been sippin some booze. He was uncharacteristicly pleasant, good to know he's a nice drunk....anyway that's not the point. Andy Said that Midnight was the deadline to get players for postseason rosters.


NOW this thread can die.....for now atleast.


High Andy :wave:



Griffey to the Hall as a RED!!!!

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[quote name='bengalrick' date='Sep 1 2005, 04:11 PM']that wasn't beer...

[img]http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38168000/jpg/_38168078_weedtech-bbc300.jpg[/img]
[right][post="140032"][/post][/right][/quote]



Hmm!? It is about harvest time, or so i'm told.

Seriously though Rick did you hear him last night? He did seem a little buzzed...not complaing or anything, just thought it was refreshing.

I love Furman, he's smart and does a great job. I've listened to the furball since he came to 700, over a decade ago....
... :headbang:

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