Griffey's done for the year

[CincyRedsFan30]

09/22/2005 11:06 AM ET
Griffey to undergo knee surgeries
Outfielder is expected to recover in time for Spring Training

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

Ken Griffey Jr. has been out of action since Sept. 4, when he strained his right foot while running the bases. (Dave Miller/AP)

CINCINNATI -- Ken Griffey Jr.'s comeback season has come to a close.
It will end in the spot Griffey has found himself all too often in his time with the Reds -- on the operating table.

On Monday, Junior will have arthroscopic surgeries to clean out both his left knee and the scar tissue surrounding the incision at the point of his 2004 right hamstring surgery. The procedures will be performed by Reds medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek.

Griffey has been out of action since Sept. 4 in Atlanta, when he strained his right foot while running the bases. He had been listed as day-to-day since coming out of that game.

A leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, Griffey hit .301 with 30 doubles, 35 home runs and 92 RBIs in 128 games this season. It was the most action he has seen since 2000, his first season with the Reds.

Griffey's left knee has been bothering him the past two seasons, and the surgery is expected to clear up that problem. The scar tissue operation should mend the hole left in Griffey's leg from last year's surgery to repair his torn right hamstring. The hole often caused him to bleed on his pant leg during games this season.

Junior is expected to fully recover from both surgeries in time for Spring Training.

Though he will have missed the vast majority of the final month of the season, Griffey showed in '05 that he can still be a dangerous threat in the lineup, when healthy. He was the subject of rampant trade rumors involving contending teams, as a result.

"It's easier to give up," Griffey said earlier this year. "I'm not a very vocal player. I lead by example. I take the attitude that I've got to go out and do it. Because of who I am, I've got to give everything I've got to come back."

And he'll have to give everything he has once again in order to return in '06.

[Wally Mo Pena]

this may have hurt his bid for comback player of the year, but he's had a great season either way. I think he changed a lot of minds this year, and while i still think that we should have moved him when we had the chance, as Grif himself would tell you, i have a lot of hope at this time that he will be able to produce again next year. That's something i couldn't say at this time last year, so that's certainly a comeback of sorts.

[Slyder]

300 average 30 hrs just udner 100 rbis? Who even remotely comes close?

[love_that_reefer]

I'll tell you who, Tony Clark and he has split time this year with Tracy.

[Geki Ace]

Tony Clark isn't eligible.