Homer drought doesn't worry Griffey

[CincyRedsFan30]

Homer drought doesn't worry Griffey

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CHICAGO | ESPN sent a camera crew to Wrigley Field to do the What's Wrong With Ken Griffey Jr. Story. Why no home runs?

It airs Sunday, but it won't have comments from Griffey, who avoids ESPN like The Fugitive, Dr. Richard Kimble, avoided Marshal Samuel Gerard.

"There is no chance of that," Griffey said of him appearing on camera to talk.

The count is 73 at-bats without a home run this season, but a cursory check of the scorebook reveals that Griffey has hit eight balls five feet or closer to walls. And he has seven doubles.

He had a bases loaded double and four RBIs Tuesday and two singles Wednesday.

"It has just been a matter of hitting most balls too high or hitting them too low (for doubles)," he said. "It is just one little adjustment here or there. I'll get it."

Griffey wonders if anybody realizes he is coming off rare surgery, three screws re-attaching his hamstring to the bone?

"Nobody else has had this done," he said. "Who do I talk to about it? Nobody. I can't ask people about it. Every team has a bunch of pitchers who have undergone Tommy John surgery and they can compare notes and talk about it with each other."

Griffey has not backed off defensively, either, and made a rolling catch against the Cubs Tuesday.

"My teammates gave me a 9.5 on the catch, but only a 4.7 on my dismount," he said. "They gave me an overall 7.7."

When it was mentioned that Sean Casey hasn't homered this year, either, but ESPN wasn't asking about him, Griffey said, "Wait until he reaches 200 (career homers) . . . then they'll ask."

Easy way out

Adam Dunn hit a home run Tuesday and on the next pitch Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano hit Austin Kearns in the left buttock.

"If Zambrano had that kind of control all night he wouldn't have given up six runs," Dunn said. "He didn't want out there any more. He had enough. So he took the easy way out."

Zambrano was ejected, but later denied he hit Kearns on purpose, blaming a blister and adding that he likes Kearns and shook hands with him the day before.

"Not true," said Kearns. "Never happened. I can't tell you the last time I talked to him. He must be mistaking me for somebody else.

"The catcher (Mike Barrett) told the umpire Zambrano was just trying to throw inside," said Kearns. "If he is trying to throw inside, he does it with sinkers, not a four-seam fastball straight at me."

A fall for Graves

Closer Danny Graves continues to be entertaining — and not just because of his ninth-inning escape acts.

On Tuesday, Graves delivered a pitch and fell to the ground.

"Never done that before," he said. "Just wanted to add some more excitement for the Wrigley fans. I turned my ankle and down I went.

"I rolled real good, though, didn't I?" he said. "Every time I pitch these days, I entertain. Why? Don't know. It's the same thing as to why I fell. Don't know."

Sickness: round two

The flu-like and sinus-like infections that have ravaged the Reds roster since the first week of spring training not only continues, it is visiting some players for the second time.

Relief pitcher Kent Mercker was stretched out on a training table during batting practice Wednesday and said, "My second time with it. I head feels like a beach ball and my gums and teeth hurt. We need to find out who the host monkey is and cane him."

Mercker, like so many of the Reds this season, took his medication and played. After Joe Valentine gave up a three-run homer to Derrek Lee in the seventh inning, Mercker arrived to get the final two outs.

[missionhockey21]

I really hope Griffey can slam a few before ESPN can air that. Nothing more I would love than to see their plans for a hot story fizzle.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Same here.

It would be funny if he hits about three HR before it airs and then they get to look like absolute fools.

What would they say exactly?

"Although Griffey now has three HR on the year, it took him a while to hit any".

[redsrbetter]

Yep I hope Griffey hits one. But I am just happy that he is hitting again. He was a big part in our series chances this week. Thanks Junior!

[QuietAcre]

I don't think that Junior is worried about the homerun drought, but sadly, I feel that he isn't surprised. We all know that Junior won't be in the game much longer as a CF, and who could blame him if he left the game as a CF rather than giving in to injuries and playing 1B? Junior has lost a least a step on the speed of his swing, and he is misplaying a lot more hits to the gaps and CF. While the media is all over this "Junior is in a homerun drought!" topic, I'm hoping that many of us who became a fan of his when he played for the Mariners, are realizing that "this is it, Junior".

[CincyRedsFan30]

Well, he's 6 for his last 14 and made a great catch against the Cubs. I don't see his outfield defense as being that bad either. He might not be quite as quick at getting to balls, but I don't think it's because he is "misplaying" them. He still has great field vision, as he always has.

[QuietAcre]

Well, we see things differently, then. :p I know I have seen the frustration on Junior's face when he isn't sure about how to make a play on something that in the past he just made because he was The Kid. The problem with Junior is that while in the back of his mind he knows his bat is slowing down and that he doesn't have the throwing accuracy he used to have, and that he can't get to balls he used to have no problem getting to, when his adrenaline is flowing he still plays like he doesn't have issues related to aging. That often leads to a player not adjusting to the game. Just like he will have a very difficult time hitting homeruns like he used to, unless he has perfect timing. Before games and after the fact, he knows that he should "adjust", but when push comes to shove he mind still acts like he's 20 years old. At his age and experience, you can no longer get by on talent alone. You must adjust to the game, or the game will force you to adjust to life after the game. I'm assuming that you know that a 16 at-bat sample just isn't big enough to conjecture on how great Junior is playing. He's been struggling for longer than this season. Having a great catch against the Cubs is nice, but great centerfielders make plays like that everyday. Not much else I can say. Just enjoy the time he has left (mark my words, one more injury to his legs and he will walk away from the game), but be realistic about it.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I didn't say that 14 AB means he is playing "great". I do think it's a sign of him turning things on though.

Also, he hit 20 HR last year in limited PT.

[griffeyfan3]

yea im just glad griffs getting hits now. but id like to see a few homers too.

[redsrbetter]

I'd like to believe in what Junior has said himself. I do not believe in him making up excuses. I have watched every Reds game this season, and it is truth. Junior has hit the ball hard a lot, and the ones that should have been home runs were just too high or a line drive off the wall for a double. Tjis is true. I for one, love the long ball and would love to see Junior get one soon, but it is far more important to me to just be able to see him hit. If he were not hitting right now I would feel the sam way as QuietAcre feels. But he came out this series and has hit the ball well. Something tells me that he has already adjusted. I agree that it must be very tough for him to adjust, given his greatness when he was a kid it has to mess with your pride a little bit. But he still can swing that bat, and he still can go get that ball, and he still can throw that runner out. But maybe just not quite as well. But that should not and cannot be expected any longer. Still, we have a premiere CF in Griffey even without the same guy in a Seattle uniform!