The farewell tour blew up in smoke. The Mariners realized it, slotting Ken Griffey Jr., former face of the franchise, into a part-time DH role. The fans realized it, as they heard more about Griffey falling asleep in the clubhouse this season than about his play on the field. Finally, Griffey realized it.
Yesterday, Griffey announced his retirement. The 40-year-old outfielder called it quits in the midst of his 22nd MLB season. Over his storied career, Griffey had amassed 13 All-Star appearances and 11 Gold Gloves.
He had captured the attention of a generation and had become widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. In an era of speculation and scandal surrounding steroids, few doubt that Ken Griffey Jr. played the game the right way.
From the kid who put his cap on backwards, to the 40-year-old pinch hitter, Griffey has always been a character and a player who will be remembered. This first ballot Hall of Famer asked for no attention on the day of his retirement.
He was not in the clubhouse before the game, and the team said he would not be at Safeco Field. Griffey was never one for personal attention; he played the game he loved, for the good of the team.
In stepping down, Griffey said, "While I feel I am still able to make a contribution on the field and nobody in the Mariners front office has asked me to retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season and was invited back that I would never allow myself to become a distraction."
Even in his final moment, a moment which has brought many grown men to tears, Griffey continued to put his team first.
"I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair distraction to my teammates and their success as a team is what the ultimate goal should be," Griffey said.
On the season, Griffey was hitting just .184 with no homers and seven RBI's. He ends his historic career fifth on the all-time home run list and ranking in the top 50 ever in total bases, RBI's, runs and hits.
Griffey did more for baseball, especially baseball in Seattle, than most people realize. He was a star from the time he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 draft. For Seattle, he played in 1,685 games, hitting .292 with 417 of his 630 career home runs. In 1997 he won the AL MVP, practically saving a franchise that was in danger of relocation when he was first called up.
Griffey was Seattle Mariners baseball. "He did everything," said teammate Rob Johnson, "He wasn't just a home run hitter. The guy played outfield as good or better than anyone who ever played...To me he's the greatest player to ever live and to get a chance to play with him is pretty special."
No one saw Griffey's retirement coming, and teammate Milton Bradley said it best, stating, "on a day like this it should rain in Seattle."
With Griffey's retirement, a piece of my childhood has vanished from the game. As I sit here writing this article, hat turned backwards, Griffey's legacy lives on. He made America's pastime fun again. He treated baseball as the game it was. For that, he will be forever remembered.
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