Hit it, Larry LaRue. This is the most obvious link and blockquote in the history of the Mariner blogosphere.
The Griffey that a year ago helped build camaraderie in the Seattle clubhouse has taken a leave of absence this season. There have been times during games when he’s retired to the clubhouse, texted friends, watched the TV broadcast.
...So why didn’t Wakamatsu go to Junior off the bench.
"He was asleep in the clubhouse," one player said. "He’d gone back about the fifth inning to get a jacket and didn’t come back. I went back in about the seventh inning – and he was in his chair, sound asleep."
I'm not going to use this as another reason to get mad at Junior. That wouldn't be fair. What I will say, though, is that maybe people should lighten up on Milton Bradley a little bit. Players leave the dugout all the time. Pitchers shower and hang out in the clubhouse. Griffey falls asleep. If Bradley "quit on his team," then so did Seattle's greatest sports icon, because while Bradley may have left the stadium, it's not like Griffey was offering much support from his barcalounger.
Interestingly, LaRue hints that the time may be nigh for the organization to find a solution to the Griffey dilemma. I didn't realize we had options.
Note: here's the text-only version of the article, if the link isn't loading.
0 recs | 330 comments
Really hope this turns into the first step for the retirement announcement.
To be able to open up that roster spot (maybe 2 if Sweeney goes away too) would go a long ways in enabling some flexibility and maybe adding a good bit of offense (if the right piece can be traded for)
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Is the link to LaRue's article broken for anyone else?
TrashiDawa - May 10, 2010
As you can imagine, it's generating a lot of traffic
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Good.
As long as the word is being spread.
TrashiDawa - May 10, 2010
I also sent it over to Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors
Just to get it out there some more… He just posted a brief about it over there.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
At the rate it's spreading, the TNT blog servers are doomed.
Brian Floyd - May 10, 2010
LaRue oughta get a raise for all the traffic he is generating today.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
He doesn't blog much, but he apparently blogs big.
marc w - May 10, 2010
The money from a traffic increase may need to go to new servers
Brian Floyd - May 10, 2010
Quality > quantity, as the saying goes.
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
Ina bold, dramatic managerial move, designed to show how seriously this sort of thing is taken,
Wakamatsu has replaced Griffey’s recliner with one of those #3.99 plastic outdoor chairs from Home Depot. When asked about it, he said “I’d like to see ANYBODY fall asleep in one of those things!”
pdb - May 10, 2010
Wow I really can't type today.
pdb - May 10, 2010
It was still funny.
1L - May 10, 2010
From personal experience
I’m not sure it’d be able to hold his weight.
yakvalleycardinal - May 10, 2010
You've had to bear Griffey's weight?
ToddK - May 10, 2010
He must play for the Mariners.
w00tah - May 10, 2010
If this team was serious about winning they'd give Jr. Sr. the retire with dignity, go to the 60 DL, or be released ultimatium
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Which apparently is happening?!?!?!
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Wait, what!?
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
I can't wait to read that article!
Poochie - May 10, 2010
I'm lucky to have gotten in before the server crash... It really is something that could have a large affect on things in the minds of fans
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
I'm just going off of twitter hints
Poochie - May 10, 2010
When prodded gently by a teammate,
Griffey farted, mumbled something about the war, and continued sleeping, although the snoring was quieter.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
This just made my coworker,
who isn’t even an M’s fan, do a full-on spit-take. Well-played, sir.
D'ohboy - May 10, 2010
Seriously?
Seriously?
Seriously?
I mean….. Seriously?
Henry Valz - May 10, 2010
Those remaining Griffey promotions are going to be awkward if he is released.
Janic - May 10, 2010
60-day DL is the likely way if he doesn't retire, I would think..
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
With what?
Insomnia?…
It’s not…. fatal familial insomnia, is it?
JY - May 10, 2010
Thats the worst.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Realistically, knee problems?
Drew_D - May 10, 2010
We do need a new hitting coach
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
That would be interesting...
Hey Alonzo! Thanks for coming up and acting as hitting coach… But, well..
..
Here is your bus ticket back to Tacoma.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
From the announcement, he was the interim hitting coach, so I'm not sure if he really is expecting to stay long.
seattle_since_81 - May 10, 2010
Problem solved!
harkening - May 10, 2010
Thats gotta be kind of annoying for him.
the other side - May 10, 2010
For Alonzo Powell?
Probably, but he went 16/56 in his big league career. I don’t mean to be harsh or anything, but…there are people with established pedigrees floating around who can, in theory, actually hit. And have proven it over long big league careers.
A self-aware man should know that his qualifications don’t really merit certain positions.
harkening - May 10, 2010
Yes.
I mean he was probably happy in Tacoma and now he has to be in Seattle for some unspecified amount of time.
the other side - May 10, 2010
You know how well Paul Molitor took off, though.
I’m tempted to ask Dan Wilson what his thoughts are on being a hitting coach or a manager. He probably has other things to do, but he strikes me as the kind of smart you need to be.
Two Rs and Two Ls - May 10, 2010
He was a better catcher than Wak.
RoJo go bye bye.
w00tah - May 10, 2010
Wilson would send Rob up to Vancouver to take lessons from Luongo or something.
more hockey goalies need to become catchers. All we gotta do is find one who can hit.
Two Rs and Two Ls - May 10, 2010
Maybe in the US...
But in Japan he was batting champion 3 straight years. Which i don’t consider to be ANYTHING to be sneezed at. Maybe he didn’t play much here, but I still think he is qualified.
That being said, Employing Griffey as a Hitting coach/pinch hitter that we can trot out at the end of meaningless games for fans adulation is a great idea, and I hope that management thinks the same thing
ambrosia2112 - May 10, 2010
If we're going to run out a player with zero skills could we at bring Byrnes back?
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Playing softball will certainly help cut down on his uppercut swing
Matthew - May 10, 2010
No.
Decatur - May 10, 2010
Aw jeez it's not like the Royals will give up Yuni
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Your ideas bring nothing but pestilence, famine, and rapine to the land.
Decatur - May 10, 2010
Aw they're mostly stolen from Fogel
Poochie - May 10, 2010
I'm the one that likes Brynes
Robert - May 10, 2010
No that's me
Poochie - May 10, 2010
No that's me
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
No that's me.
Decatur - May 10, 2010
You all can have Brynes
I’m the one that likes Eric Byrnes
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
No that's me
Robert - May 10, 2010
Yeah Eric Brynes
that is who we’re talking about
Poochie - May 10, 2010
I love him
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Pretty please
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
For as little as hitting coaches probably really help,
Griffey would probably be a horrible one. What’s he going to teach?
“Don’t worry about work ethic, just rely on the unbelievable talent you were given until you’re thirty or so, give up,
and milk that reputation for another ten years.”
BigR - May 10, 2010
Amazingly talented players, typically make shitty coaches,
because mortals can’t do things the way they did them.
Rich Langford - May 10, 2010
Not only the promotions, but this:
xero3k - May 10, 2010
The All-Star game has coaches, right?
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Ask Tommy Lasorda how it feels to be a base coach at an ASG
pdb - May 10, 2010
I like that Griffey's picture has a grass background when he's unlikely to ever see the field.
Mariner John - May 10, 2010
Ooohhhhh
This makes me sad and happy and depressed and optimistic and just generally conflicted and split in two.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
So, I'm guessing maybe the Kangaroo Court hasn't been in session a whole lot.
and, boy, he must really be missing the sugar from all that sodypop.
msb - May 10, 2010
Glutamate
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
Oh man, I can't wait to read this whole article!
ThundaPC - May 10, 2010
Dave just threw up a post about the same thing
and he seems to think one of our DHs is gone within the next couple days. Also, he took away from that article that Jr was the one possibly leaving. So yea, traffic die down so I can read it myself!
Fear - May 10, 2010
Ha!
Honestly, I really wish he was still decent enough to contribute.
Because really, it’s pretty awesome having a fat old guy on the team
that makes himself unavailable to pinch hit due to nap time.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t contribute. It’s time for either hitting coach Junior or 60 day DL Junior.
BigR - May 10, 2010
Here's a solution
A big F U to Griffey for quitting on his teammates and directions to the nearest dugout.
We all know he sucks. No we know he doesn’t give a shit.
tait644 - May 10, 2010
I don't believe this is true.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Griffey has always been primarily about Griffey
it’s just that Griffey 2.0 is wrapped in a much more consumer-friendly package than Griffey 1.0 was. Seriously, if you’ve followed Griffey’s entire career this isn’t that far out of character for him.
pdb - May 10, 2010
I don't disagree with this.
I found Mr. 644’s implication that he’s “quit” on his teammates to be a little strong.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
If I went to sleep on the job my employer just might consider that quitting.
Sec 108 - May 10, 2010
he was just trying to relax a little
Wak’s been saying all along that the hitters are pushing too hard. Griffdawg was just trying to find his zone.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
Can't expect players to stay alert for 162 games a year
Griffey falling asleep in the clubhouse looks bad, but it isn’t really much worse than horsing around in the dugout or checking out ladies. All that stuff about always being on the top step, cheering your team on – that’s college shit.
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Agreed, but being unavailable to pinch hit?
That is a step beyond horsing around.
Sec 108 - May 10, 2010
This happened with someone a year or two ago but I can't for the life of me remember who it was
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
John Olerud(?) was locked in the bathroom
I think it was him.. Can’t find it though
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
He & Aurillia got stuck in the video room.
msb - May 10, 2010
Here you go:
"John Olerud and Rich Aurilia found themselves trapped inside the video room just behind the M’s dugout during the fourth inning Saturday night after an unnamed teammate snapped after grounding out and took his frustrations — and his bat — out on the office’s door handle.
As minutes passed and the inning extended, Olerud began knocking on a window to attract the attention of Randy Winn in the adjacent indoor hitting area. When Winn couldn’t open the door from the outside, team officials scrambled to locate a maintenance man to drill the lock open.
All of which led to one of those situations Melvin never quite imagined during his preparations for becoming a big-league manager.
"Randy comes up the tunnel and says, ‘Hey, we’ve got a little problem here. Our next two hitters are locked in the video room,’ " Melvin recalled Sunday. "So I go down there and it’s like a fire drill around that door. It was like a scene out of Abbott and Costello." "
msb - May 10, 2010
Bahahahaha
Awesome.
the other side - May 10, 2010
This is hilarious.
E-Lizz - May 10, 2010
How have I never heard this before? Fantastic
Torrid - May 10, 2010
I immediately played this out in my head as a MacGruber sketch.
I’m blaming this weekend’s SNL.
schismatix - May 10, 2010
Wake his ass up.
Unless he was dead in the chair.
harkening - May 10, 2010
It looks bad to bloggers and fans who have no idea what it's like to grind out a pro season.
Yes, it was on a homestand so jet lag had nothing to do with it, but a true pro knows you’ve got to bank some sleep by taking cat naps BEFORE road trips.
In the days before blogs and deadspin, great players used to grab a few minutes of shut-eye ON THE FIELD. They’d wake up if a ball was hit towards them, or when their teammates shouted (this is how the tradition of calling for fly balls originated). What’d we do with those players? Did we kick them off the team, or hound them out of town? We put them in the hall of fucking fame, people.
marc w - May 10, 2010
He fell asleep in the clubhouse during a game.
How do you excuse that?
tait644 - May 10, 2010
At least he doesn't regularly fall asleep on the field like Mike Brumley
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
Touche'
tait644 - May 10, 2010
He is a 0 WAR player when he is asleep
Ballard Erik - May 10, 2010
So he becomes more valuable?
the other side - May 10, 2010
Yes.
Ballard Erik - May 10, 2010
I agree with you
but seems like a 0-8 run is a time when every player ought to care a little more.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
But, realistically, it's a time for every player to get frustrated and drift off in his own little world
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Dave posted recently about Wakamatsu's much discussed 'belief system'
and how player-friendly it is. I suppose all that trust and support comes with a certain downside – the expectation that a struggling player tries a little harder what is minimally acceptable.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
It looks worse than usual because I get the sense he was basically bought back to be a coach
Poochie - May 10, 2010
I know.
I’m sure that I’m scrambling to rationalize that behavior of my childhood idol. But from the article it didn’t seem that the players were up in arms about it. They would know better than I what’s acceptable in the clubhouse.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
They probably also realize that Griffey being unavailable to pinch-hit may be in the team's best interests
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Someone's sneaking some NyQuil into whatever Junior's
drinking instead of soda. Probably a good call.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Seriously, I'm guessing Wak didn't wake him for this very reason.
It’s still disappointing that Wak needs a crutch/excuse to choose another hitter, but here we are.
marc w - May 10, 2010
We're going to look back on this as being way more hilarious than it feels now
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
It just feels sad.
But if it leads to a real DH for the rest of the season I’ll be happy.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
I'm sort of moving that direction now.
I mean, fundamentally, this is pretty funny. A bit sad, a bit surreal, but funny.
marc w - May 10, 2010
I miss Turbo
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
He needs a crutch/excuse to choose Sweeney.
>:(
harkening - May 10, 2010
Also Griffey wasn't the only left handed bat on the bench better than Sweeney
I’m still wondering why Wak didn’t pinch hit Saunders in that situation.
wetzelcoal - May 10, 2010
I think he does give a shit
But this is Griffey we’re talking about and this article doesn’t really surprise me all that much, honestly. Griffey cares. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have signed.
E-Lizz - May 10, 2010
Yeah this isn't that different from him running
autographed photos up to the booth during games last year. It’s just that we’re not winning right now and no one’s happy so fans are out for blood.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Maybe he doesn't give a shit.
And he’s so bad because he’s constipated?
harkening - May 10, 2010
Griffey is clearly done.
But I’m still going to be sad to see him go
wetzelcoal - May 10, 2010
As a kid, Griffey was the most exciting player I'd ever seen.
I still have an autographed picture of his from spring training in 1989.
This whole season tarnishes his legacy though; to me, the less I see of him now, the better. I don’t want him doing any more damage to this team.
I desperately want him gone now, because then I’ll finally be able to cheer for him one last time.
marc w - May 10, 2010
I'm curious as to how the Griffey apologists will respond to this.
Rollo Tomasi - May 10, 2010
"He is just old... Look at Milton!! He left the stadium!!!!"
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
"As long as Sweeney is still on the team Griffey can nap all he wants"?
wetzelcoal - May 10, 2010
He was showing confidence in his teammates
by making himself unavailable.
Ballard Erik - May 10, 2010
"He doesn't sleep well at night, he's away from his family, he's comfortable in the clubhouse..."
“They could have awakened him.”
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
Have any of you watched an m's game this year and not drifted off?
I can’t blame Griffey at all for getting sleepy. This offense is the cure for insomnia.
FisteeFisterer - May 10, 2010
EVERYONE would fall asleep if they watched me at work, but I'd still be fired if I fell asleep at work.
marc w - May 10, 2010
Maybe I can sympathize
because I HAVE fallen asleep at work before.
Ballard Erik - May 10, 2010
There is a cached version of the article available.
I have no idea if this will work for anyone else.
the other side - May 10, 2010
That's what I just sent to Brock and Salk.. Who are reading it right now
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
The "text only" version
loads faster
msb - May 10, 2010
There we go
Corco - May 10, 2010
Probably for the best that it was a post without comments, as well.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Good choice. Definitely.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Well holy shit
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Wow. LaRue sounds convinced that this is Griffey's last week with the team.
I also get that it has nothing to do with his sleeping during a game, at least not a lot.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
I think it's progress that people are starting to realize that he is done.
the other side - May 10, 2010
This makes me really, really, wish the Griffey had retired at the end of last season.
Because his ending to this season is not going to be pretty.
ThundaPC - May 10, 2010
That's the saddest part to me.
He has the perfect chance to go out on a high note last year and like so many aging superstars just couldn’t let go.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Exactly.. last year was PERFECT timing to call it a career
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
He was even not-that-horribly-awful last year!
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
I think that's what we were all hoping for, yeah.
And while I’m sure that this isn’t an unprecedented occurrence, it’s just not acceptable within the context of his lack of performance. It makes him LOOK lazy and uncaring, whether that’s the reality or not.
Go home, Junior. You can nap all you want.
Jeff Nye - May 10, 2010
Yeah, this bothers me
I don’t want Griffey DHing, but I feel uncomfortable thinking that he will be released. I wish he could have gone out gracefully, but he didn’t, and now things could get really… awkward. I don’t know if that’s the right word.
E-Lizz - May 10, 2010
Junior, for the love all all that's good, PLEASE retire now
What a totally embarrasing end to a hall of fame career. I can’t think of any sure HOFer (well, non-pitcher) who’s ever gone out with such a whimper. He must be regretting having come back for this last year.
AltCtrlDelete - May 10, 2010
There have been many
Willie Mays comes to mind.
At 41 he hit .184 w/ 0 HRs in 19 games, then was traded to the Mets…where he did slightly better.
At 42 he hit .211/.303/.344 with 6 HRs.
Thus far, Griffey has been worse this year, but last year he was better than Willie’s final line.
That said, Griffey is probably the biggest and most untainted superstar of our generation, so I think he gets more leeway than any other “star” from the steroid era. You wouldn’t see Sosa or Ortiz getting this kind of leash, and that’s for a valid (though maybe not very good) reason IMO.
HititHere - May 10, 2010
Here's the game, by the way
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201005020.shtml
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Aw man that was a close one
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Oh God that game was like watching a video of a crash.
You know it’s a disaster, you’re not quite sure at what point in the video it will happen, and people are going to fucking die.
the other side - May 10, 2010
So, when would the PH have come?
in the 4th, with the bases loaded, or in the later innings when noone was on base and he was the last out? Game impact seems minimal. But that only reaffirms my belief that the napping is a small part of the move.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
Yeah, no, he's not nearing the end because he fell asleep
In fact, I’m guessing this isn’t the first time this has happened.
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
Wrong game
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA201005080.shtml
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
I thought it was
Both were painful, though.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Oh, shit. Well, could have used a lefty bat there
not sure if Griffey was the answer really, but still. That was the game right there.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
I bet he would have taken that walk
Poochie - May 10, 2010
My favorite part is where it says Rob Johnson specifically.
Like he is the only one not hitting. Apparently every IS Rob Johnson’s fault.
the other side - May 10, 2010
.
Cool. I will. Fuck you, Griffey.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
I'm so glad I didn't sign on for Grifflent
BigR - May 10, 2010
There is an out clause for retirement, right?
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
No, no there is not.
Suckers.
the other side - May 10, 2010
No happy ending to this story unless he hits it out.
I guess it doesn’t have to be ML though.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
Beer League Softball!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Who is actually still doing Grifflent?
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
Equally solid question!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
I am...
I’ve even lost a few pounds. I’m torn on whether or not I want Griffey to hit the HR… My willpower probably isn’t strong enough to keep this up once I lose that motivation.
seattlecougar - May 10, 2010
As a co-creator of the Kenneth Griffey Jr Challenge, yes there is.
Kirk - May 10, 2010 via mobile
Sucker.
BrianL - May 10, 2010
Who's dumber, the creator or the idiot who follows him in giving up hot sauce?
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
Yes.
ToddK - May 10, 2010
Griffey- Mays
I’m too young to remember but I wonder if this was the same discussion in 1973 when Willie Mays was a shell of is former self on the Mets World Series team.
ptpine - May 10, 2010
1973 Willie Mays destroys 2010 Griffey
Poochie - May 10, 2010
It's not really that clearcut
Because Mays started 1972 out HORRENDOUSLY… and the 1973 numbers are too similar:
Mays: .211/.303..344 6 HRs over 88 games
Jr: .208/.265/.234 0 HRs over 23 games
Ok, Junior is worse this year… but hey, ground balls to the right side that make it through the hole are still hits, right? Right?
If Griffey played 88 games, maybe he’d end up getting an HR or two to even things out.
HititHere - May 10, 2010
Please nobody mention the wOBA
Because Mays in 1973 was .302 and Jr 2010 is at .233, and that’s a pretty big diff.
HititHere - May 10, 2010
Not to mention Mays could probably run a little
Poochie - May 10, 2010
Mays had 10 doubles and 1 SB over 239 appearances
I guess that’s better than 2 doubles and 0 SBs over 83.
Junior hasn’t stolen a base since 2007, when he stole 6. You gotta go back to his last year as an M, 1999, to find a year where he stole double-digit bases.
HititHere - May 10, 2010
Griffey - Mays
BA OBP SLG OPS
1973 Mays .211 .303 .344 .647
2010 Griffey .208 .265 .234 .499
Unlike Griffey, Mays did play the field. He was so bad that that point may favor Junior.
ptpine - May 10, 2010
I'd be more than happy if we released him
But I just hope for the sake of goodwill towards the FO he retires.
Stormton - May 10, 2010
I may be comparing apples and oranges
But it stands out to me as more than a little interesting that the reaction to Griffey falling asleep in the clubhouse during a game is so drastically different than the reaction to Yuni missing early BP because he was asleep on the team plane during the announcement.
seattlecougar - May 10, 2010
In other news...
“ModernTube: Keith Hernandez falls asleep during Mets game” is a current headline linked on the righthand menu.
seattlecougar - May 10, 2010
Asleep? Or diabetic coma?
Coach Owens - May 10, 2010
I really hope he just becomes a bench coach or retires
It would make me sad to have him be released
SeaKoala - May 10, 2010
I'm sure Powell hasn't moved yet.
Griffey, you can retain your dignity by relinquishing your 25-man roster spot and becoming the hitting coach.
BrianL - May 10, 2010
It would make me so happy.
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
Why?
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Because he is old, fat, and useless.
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
I understand that.
Yet you seem to be actively rooting for his embarrassment as opposed to some sort of retirement or face-saving transition to the front office. I may be misreading you however.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Well, I would rather he become a coach or something,
but I just want him off the roster.
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
On this we agree.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
That would be awesome.
It would make this whole thing less awkward.
E-Lizz - May 10, 2010
He will go home to his family
he will not coach until his kids are off to college, I guess.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
I think he'll retire.
The chances of him staying with the organization right now are basically nil.
Jeff Nye - May 10, 2010
I'm not sure if it's the same as the blog version
But it’s on the main TNT site here
Brian Floyd - May 10, 2010
Yup... That's it!
GO GO GO – before it crashes again!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Uh oh... It has comments enabled!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Anyone know a Joe Rehberger?
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
Yes, because everything in that article about Griffey leaving says it is all up to him!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
This is why the comments should have stayed closed.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Somebody apparently thinks we still have Adam Jones.
I love our fans.
melenious - May 10, 2010
I mean that guy hasn't done anything for the mariners lately.
Cut him now.
the other side - May 10, 2010
I say we trade him to the Orioles and see if we can pry away that budding ace Erik Bedard...
thehemogoblin - May 10, 2010
Bavantastic Idea!
ToddK - May 10, 2010
Damn it Griffey why didn't you call it a career after last season you old geezer :(
This will not end well. Signing him on for another season was a disaster waiting to happen.
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
As they say... Preaching to the choir.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
How embarrassing.
Or is it even embarrassing at this point? I don’t know anymore.
Sigh.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
Nope just darkly hilarious
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
Good call.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
This is awesome
Graham MacAree - May 10, 2010
Great news!
I can’t wait for people to somehow blame this on Milton Bradley.
Sarcasm…I hope.
OceanBird - May 10, 2010
He's ruining the clubhouse with his absence!
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
And his presence!
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
Griffey was so depressed that Milton was depressed.
His performance suffered. Dammit Milton.
Hopefulmsfan - May 10, 2010
As an old school Mariners fan this makes me sad
The sleeping in the clubhouse is bad, but if his legs are as shot as LaRue says, and as they appear to be from his play, Griffey needs to retire. The team can hold a ceremony, retire #24, and bring in someone who can contribute more than happy memories..
njpozner - May 10, 2010
This is how I feel as well.
I don’t share the joy and mirth of those who are glad to see his downfall, or whatever this is.
I was 9 when Griffey joined the team. He is one of my childhood heroes. I was 15 when he when from first to home on the double. Watching him play last year was incredible and magical. I was there for what should have been his last game last year. They had so much fun, and in a way, I think Griffey thought that this could last forever, or at least one more year.
This feels like someone is stomping on my nuts. Seriously. I want to cry.
Henry Valz - May 10, 2010
You really didn't see this coming?
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.
Yeah, you knew it was coming. But no one thought it would be this bad.
Henry Valz - May 10, 2010
I did
Aaron Campeau - May 10, 2010
I was delusionally hoping the team would do what it said it was going to do.
And have Griffey in a limited role. Basically just along for the ride. Then they made him the starting DH and I knew this would end poorly.
Hopefulmsfan - May 10, 2010
Yes, Griffey wouldn't have been such a hot topic if he was only playing occasionally.
Mekias - May 10, 2010
Absolutely
As a spot start at DH/occasional pinch-hitter, I didn’t have an issue with him being the 25th man on the roster.
But then we brought Sweeney back as well.
And we then proceeded to make Griffey the starting DH against righties…what we have seen has been predictable since…
Omerta - May 10, 2010
There was no way this season was going to end well for Griffey,
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
I feel the same as Henry
We all knew the season was likely going to end badly, but no one predicted a PR debacle where Gramps fell asleep in a La-Z-Boy backstage while the team was mired in an 8 game losing streak.
If there was 1 thing The Kid could still do, it was…well…stay awake and joke with his teammates through a horrendous losing streak.
Seriously. If anyone predicted a Napgate scandal going into this season, I’d love to see it.
HititHere - May 10, 2010
Subject line please...
I would argue that just about EVERYONE thought / knew it would be this bad..
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
I don't think we thought it would be THIS bad
I think before the season I even said .335 wOBA!
seattlebruin - May 10, 2010
No more nostalgia.
Mariners nostalgia in 2010 is officially fucking dead and buried.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
No it isn't, which is why it's so fucking annoying.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Yeah, I know.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
I'm a bit older, but in the same basic age range.
Aren’t you desperate for him to leave and end this catastrofuck? If you saw Griffey in 1990-1995, then you know how agonizing it is to watch him now.
I’d like him gone, and I’d like to never mention that he was on the team in 2010 again.
marc w - May 10, 2010
Agreed.
This is just ruining his legacy. Like Jordan’s third stint in the NBA.
zeeehjee - May 10, 2010
More like Jordan's stint with the White Sox.
the other side - May 10, 2010
I felt so happy for Griffey's return on the last day of last season when he was carried off the field to a standing ovation
that was the perfect ending to this Griffey 2.0 story. The 2010 postscript has been agonizing.
pdb - May 10, 2010
The perfect ending would have been for him to be traded here during 2007... or to retire here on a one day contract in 2009.
Poochie - May 10, 2010
*sigh*
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/2/4/749561/mariners-plan-april-ceremo
Jeff Sullivan - May 10, 2010
You are right nearly 100% of the time
Poochie - May 10, 2010
As someone who is also late 20's ish
Yes. I’m ready. I wanted to see one more home run in a Mariner uniform in 2009. I got it. Let’s win some games.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
I just hope this doesn't have a negative effect on Ichiro
Its been in the back of my mind ever since the season started. Ichiro seems like Junior’s little brother.
OceanBird - May 10, 2010
Ichiro will be fine.
Its nice when Ichiro is happy but he’s been excellent on some bad teams with sad clubhouses and he’ll continue to be excellent until his body breaks down.
TrashiDawa - May 10, 2010
Thats the part I've been worried about
I knew Griffey would slow down, but I understand what his presence did for Ichiro last year. Ichiro will continue to put up great numbers… but if all of us feel this bad watching our childhood hero deteriorate before our eyes, imagine how Ichiro feels.
E-Lizz - May 10, 2010
Yeah, I hope he doesn't return his pre-2009 form.
He was terrible then.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Yeah, especially
that one year when he got less than 200 hits oh wait that didn’t ever happen
pdb - May 10, 2010
Good news!
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
If nobody else is going to do it
I will begin the speculation on who the two players were. We know they must have been around while this game happened (May 2 2010).
Hint 1: “Two Mariners players, however, weren’t. Both are younger players, fond of Griffey. Neither had an ax to grind.”
They must be “young” players. We don’t know if this refers to their age or number of years in the majors. For our purposes we can throw out any thought of players above 28 years old.
Hint 2: "He was asleep in the clubhouse," one player said. "He’d gone back about the fifth inning to get a jacket and didn’t come back. I went back in about the seventh inning – and he was in his chair, sound asleep."
Player A (just to keep a distinction between the two sources) entered the clubhouse in the 7th inning. Fister pitched 8 innings so we can rule out any members of the bullpen from entering the clubhouse at this time. Therefore it must be a SP or position player.
Hint 3: “The other player, who knows Griffey a little better, tried to ratonalize.”
This tells us that player B knows Griffey better than player A. One could assume that player A was not on the team last year and player B was. Player B could be any of the position players or pitchers but likely was with the club last year.
Player A: younger than 28 yrs old, not part of the bullpen, likely did not play on the team much last year
Suspects: Casey Kotchman, Adam Moore, Matt Tuiasosopo, Doug Fister
Player B: younger than 28 yrs old, played on the team last year
Suspects: Rob Johnson, Jose Lopez, Franklin Gutierrez, Felix Hernandez, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Jason Vargas
There are definitely flaws in the assumptions but it whittles the list of players down.
Edgar for Pres - May 10, 2010
Player A always tells the truth and Player B always lies.
Cantu Easley Winn - May 10, 2010
If Player A is on a train headed to Chicago at 97 mph and Player B is hitchhiking to Akron in the back of an Amish buggy
what time does Wakamatsu wake Griffey up from his nappy naps?
pdb - May 10, 2010
Too much mention of "Player A"!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
It's his mom.
Oh wrong brain teaser.
Hopefulmsfan - May 10, 2010
Warning: Nappy Times! Enter only if you have a valid passport to dreamland!
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=745
Eyebrows - May 10, 2010 via mobile
Wheeeeee
royalcurve - May 10, 2010
If Player A is on a train headed to Chicago, I say we blow up that damn train.
Two Rs and Two Ls - May 10, 2010
Which door would the other Player tell me to enter!
katal - May 10, 2010
Griffey sleeping in chair bobblehead night!
I love it! They will have another near sell out!
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
They should convert four Diamond Club seats to recliners and upgrade four fans a game
pdb - May 10, 2010
I love it!
I know just the seats that can be taken out for the day!
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
I would go, for that bobblehead.
Jeff Nye - May 10, 2010
RALLY NAPS!
people can come to the game with their signs quilted on a blanket. When the Ms offense is sputtering, they can nod off to try and boost the team’s fortunes.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
First 1000 entrants get a free juice box!
ThomasG - May 10, 2010
By the way, ESPN has picked up the story.
No way this one isn’t going to get national attention now. Still no sign of it on the Seattle Times page, though. Get with it, Baker ;)
Rachmaninoff - May 10, 2010
Baker is still recovering from writing his usual fluff blog pieces.
ThundaPC - May 10, 2010
Maybe Geoff has a theory on how we can trade Junior
for Octavio Dotel.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
I believe everyone is flying to Baltimore.
I assume that they may now know the proverbial fan has been hit, but may not have the chance to respond.
msb - May 10, 2010
Does this mean I can't make
passive-aggressive swipes? Because if so I’ll never have anything to say.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
Never stopped any of us before.
msb - May 10, 2010
Yes it does mean that because there's no reason for them
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
Well now I'm confused.
TheBishop - May 10, 2010
How does that work?
I thought they get the day off and fly out tonight.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Steve Kelley did jump on the "M's won one for Cockrell" train, though.
Brian Floyd - May 10, 2010
If they had lost it would have been, "see the hitting coach doesn't matter" or "now they need a new scapegoat".
the other side - May 10, 2010
Feeling good I didn't enter the Griffey Challenge.
zeeehjee - May 10, 2010
Holy shit, the perfect opportunity...
Griffey
-→ DFR (retirement)Saunders
-→ fulltime LFBradley
-→ fulltime DHLangerhans
-→ Backup OF who can spell Frank and Mike once in a while. And Ichiro twice this season.Please please please please please…
lailaihei - May 10, 2010
And then I don't hate Sweeney being on the team any more
Aaron Campeau - May 10, 2010
As much
Aaron Campeau - May 10, 2010
One hugger is astronomically better than two.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Hate Sweeney, like Girffey but want him to go away three years ago
Poochie - May 10, 2010
I don't understand why you hate Mike Sweeney
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
He's terrible and annoying
Aaron Campeau - May 10, 2010
So why would Poochie hate him?
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
Harbors a grudge for Sweeney breaking the news that not all dogs actually go to heaven
Matthew - May 10, 2010
Mike Sweeney is too rich to go to heaven
Poochie - May 10, 2010
zomg?
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
Unfortuantely, they would probably send down Langerhans and try
to acquire a right-handed bat.
Coach Owens - May 10, 2010
I don't think so, Langerhans is an incredible 4th OF.
If we need a RH bat, it’s going to be at the expense of Sweeney. Sweeney’s only job is RH bat, he sucks at it, and if Griffey gets cut it’s hard to imagine them keeping a soft spot for Sweeney.
lailaihei - May 10, 2010
Hm...
Coach Owens - May 10, 2010
Let's add
Sweeney — retirement
Hannahan — new good Bloomquist role
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
Frank and Mike?
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
Gutierrez and Saunders, I assume.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Yeah it doesn't work
Dewey N - May 10, 2010
I agree.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
I agree, as well.
lailaihei - May 10, 2010
I'm listening to Brock and Salk right now, it is just comical.
‘We can’t release him! That is no way you treat a legend! We can just keep him as a utility player!’
Buh.
melenious - May 10, 2010
This is why they can't be taken seriously.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Salk called the caller out on this.
“How can Griffey be a utility player if he can’t play a position?”
TrashiDawa - May 10, 2010
Oh ok it was a caller. That makes more sense.
the other side - May 10, 2010
Jack of all trades, master of napping in the clubhouse.
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
To be clear that is a random caller's opinion.
Not Brock & Salk’s opinion.
TrashiDawa - May 10, 2010
Should note, this is from a caller.
melenious - May 10, 2010
A utility player...
who can’t play any position in the field… which is the definition of a utility player.
zeeehjee - May 10, 2010
Or a coach!!!!
msb - May 10, 2010
Brock wants to wait until we find out if JR had permission to head back into nappyland.
msb - May 10, 2010
Maybe he meant utility worker.
Griffey, after all, does have experience sleeping on the job.
ThomasG - May 10, 2010
And now the callers are turning on the two anonymous players.
BrianL - May 10, 2010
I'm surprised it's taken this long.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
NARC!
msb - May 10, 2010
What if the players were Griffey and Sweeney?!
Coach Owens - May 10, 2010
Oh snap now Salk is tearing into Junior.
BrianL - May 10, 2010
Hooray!
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Damnit. I missed it! What did he say?
melenious - May 10, 2010
Just went on a rant saying that Griffey is responsible for hitting, being a clubhouse presence, and putting fans in the seats
and it sure as hell doesn’t look like he’s doing any of that.
BrianL - May 10, 2010
I hate sports radio
but Salk seems pretty cool. Brock, on the other hand, seems like an arse.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
Salk is a smart dude. He has an audience that he has to keep in mind
but he knows what’s what
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
All this talk about naps....
Is making me tired. Have a great afternoon everyone. See you in a couple hours!
zeeehjee - May 10, 2010
Give this 8 hours
it will come out that Bradley was the unnamed player who ratted Griffey out, and everything will be about Bradley being a bad boy again
Freneau - May 10, 2010
Bradley Accused of Reading Griffey Bedtime Story; Legend Falls Asleep During Game
ThomasG - May 10, 2010
Griffey hurts this team by drooling when he naps.
pdb - May 10, 2010
Griffey hurts this team by drooling when he hits.
ThomasG - May 10, 2010
To tell you the truth, I always wondered if Ibanez drooled when he hit.
I mean his face was constantly crammed full with tobacco. Wouldn’t surprise me.
Coach Owens - May 10, 2010
Then the sleeping Griffey, la-z-boy chair and all, was carried out of the stadium on the shoulders of his teammates.
Slowly moving pass those close enough could hear the mournful voices of Griffey’s teammates “Jesus Christ, didn’t we do this a few months ago?” “At least we didn’t have to carry this fucking chair then!” “Esta zorra es la grasa.”
With tears in their eyes, the crowd stood, raised their hands in the air and sang one last time: HEY HO! HEY HO!
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
Don't worry everyone...
Mike Sweeney will lead…
blue bandwagon - May 10, 2010
Hey, do you guys want back a player that is really good at giving hugs and creating clubhouse chemistry?
seattle_since_81 - May 10, 2010
Griffey is a trending topic on TWITTER
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
Holy crap, that is IMPRESSIVE
thehemogoblin - May 10, 2010
Shannon Drayer has a followup story
Sleeping on the Job?
ThundaPC - May 10, 2010
The capitalization made me think this was a reference to the biblical figure.
Chris Hafner - May 10, 2010
Shannon Drayer is great. If I am ever on trail, I hope she is there to be a character witness for me.
mark sobba - May 10, 2010
Against the bears? Boy Scouts?
rbr07 - May 10, 2010
I like "On Trail" makes it sound rustic!
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
If I were a cynic, I'd wonder if these reports were a pre-emptive PR bomb from the org to help justify Griffey's impending release.
Because, after all, this is the kind of thing that could compel average fans to accept a Griffey release in a way that arguments about opportunity cost and roster construction would not. This is exactly the kind of cover the organization needs to make the right move.
That would be a shrewd bit of realpolitik, but I’m not yet quite that cynical. I don’t think this was planned, partially because it would make it harder for Griffey to retire gracefully, but the organization probably has a window now in which they could sever ties in a respectful way.
Chris Hafner - May 10, 2010
Don't worry everyone, false alarm, Griffey napping on the job is nothing new.
Per Drayer.
lailaihei - May 10, 2010
I think the real money quote is the part about the cut or force retire.
seattlesundevil - May 10, 2010
She's trying to defend him and saying that he could be woken up if need be,
but wasn’t he needed in that situation? It seems like this shows the trust level in him as a PH or maybe I’m reading too much into it.
seattle_since_81 - May 10, 2010
Yeah, that's what I'm taking from this.
Two Rs and Two Ls - May 10, 2010
Okay okay we get it he likes to nap and its not a problem
can we still get him off the roster? I mean, I don’t really care if he was unavailable to hit because he was stepping on kittens or ministering to SoDo methheads. I just want the retirement party.
Bearskin Rugburn - May 10, 2010
I love the first comment on that.
Fearless Frog - May 10, 2010
I am not surprised. I fall asleep all the time watching the Mariners offense....
Rich Langford - May 10, 2010
Yeah but you're not supposed to be a part of it.
Eyeball Kid - May 10, 2010
And you don't get paid for it.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
Oh yeah, I hadn't realized this.
Rich Langford - May 10, 2010
Your signature is apt here.
CapSea - May 10, 2010
So the real take-away here is that those two unnamed Mariners should STOP SNITCHIN'
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
I just finished watching Season 4 of The Wire
and I can’t get the phrase SNITCH BITCH out of my head right now.
pdb - May 10, 2010
.
sanford_and_son - May 10, 2010
Amazing.
Goose - May 10, 2010
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