Junior Retires

When Ken Griffey Jr announced that he was retiring on Wednesday night, it was sad to see such a great player and class act end his career on such a bad note. With his Mariners doing poorly this season and his own numbers in a daze (as well as himself in the clubhouse), it is easy to forget what a great player Griffey was.

Ken Griffey Jr. was a 13- time All Star, a 10-time Gold Glover, and also won an MVP in 1997. Amazingly Griffey was named to the All-Century team, despite just being in the middle of his career when the team was named in 2000. Fans will always remember Junior busting it around the bases in the 1995 ALDS to score the winning run and eliminate the Yankees, his diving catches into the wall, and his pure left-handed swing. Unfortunately, it was his great defense that also cost his, as he injured himself numerous times playing an aggressive centerfield.

Still, Griffey finishes with 630 home runs, leaving him 5th all-time. Tim Kurkjian of ESPN considers Griffey Jr. the 5th best center fielder of all-time, which is amazing for a guy who so much time due to injury, especially during his years as a Cincinnati Red. You hear a lot of "What ifs" when people think back on Griffey's career, but the truth is that durability is part of the game. Hank Aaron, the former all-time home run king, never had a season over 50 home runs, something that Griffey did twice, but his durability allowed him to reach that record. While it is certainly possible that Griffey could've added at least another 100 home runs to his total, this cant be assumed.

Still, the lasting memory of Griffey will not be his injuries or his disappointing return to Seattle, but instead he will be remembered as a man who played during the Steroid Era, but played the game clean. While McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, A-Rod and Manny all have steroids questions swirling around their heads, it is believed by most the Griffey was a clean player. This elevates Griffey's numbers to even more impressive, and makes him one the best players of the past 20 years.