Unrealized Potential: Ken Griffey Jr.

I love The Kid, always have, always will. But does anyone else feel kind of let down, now that his career is coming to an end, that we really didn`t get to see the Junior that we all thought we were going to see? Home Run King rival, etc? I feel kind of let down, and none of it is his fault. You can`t really help being injury prone. Like I said, I love the dude, he was always one of my favorites, but now that it is pretty much at the end, I can`t help but feel kind of let down that we all really didn`t get a chance to see the Junior that we alk know we could have.

I don't really feel let down but I do feel bad for him. He played the game the right way and kind of was punished for it. Without injuries he's definitely at the top of the HR leader board.

kdailey4315 said:

I don't really feel let down but I do feel bad for him. He played the game the right way and kind of was punished for it. Without injuries he's definitely at the top of the HR leader board.

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Agreed. I don't feel let down, but I do pause for a moment when I think back to his huge playing days.

Theres no reason to feel "down" or "bad" for him. he had a great career.

Did he cheat? probably, but who hasn't? i really feel that all the top stars of the game
cheated in some way over the years.

Baseball was born out of gambling and shady human beings profiting from the downfalls
of others. Baseball has always been about cheating, and always will be. Get over it everyone.

ThoseBackPages said:

Theres no reason to feel "down" or "bad" for him. he had a great career.

Did he cheat? probably, but who hasn't? i really feel that all the top stars of the game
cheated in some way over the years.

Baseball was born out of gambling and shady human beings profiting from the downfalls
of others. Baseball has always been about cheating, and always will be. Get over it everyone.

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Roid Rage Eric? :^)

Where did all of the cheating talk come from?

Eric, do you need a hug? :grouphug:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

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He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

I believe that if Griffey was healthy for his whole career he would be the
HR King

craiger122003 said:

I believe that if Griffey was healthy for his whole career he would be the
HR King

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I think the same thing could be said about several players from that era. It's all a big "what if?" Either way, he had a great career and is a sure fire 1st ballot guy.

craiger122003 said:

I believe that if Griffey was healthy for his whole career he would be the
HR King

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yeah, i think most everyone feels that way.

I seem to remember hearing or reading somewhere that Griffey felt he didn't need to stretch out which may have contributed to several of his injuries. Still his career is HOF worthy.

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

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He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

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Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

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Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

I love griff.....he was my favorite player growing up and still is to this day. I want to say he and A-rod didn't poke each other with needles but that would just be turning a blind eye and hard to rule out. I think MANY major leaguers made a deal with the devil and are paying for it as they age.....I think in another year it will be A-rod's turn.......I hope it never is known that Griff did anything illegal......but if it is true I would still vote for him for the HOF in a second.

thenumberonemetfan said:

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

Click to expand...

Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

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Wow, so you actually think Cal Ripken Jr used steroids too?

Have you seen him before? Even at the end of his career, he was still not very big at all. Think what you want but the idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

thenumberonemetfan said:

[quote="ALL_THE_HYPE":2m6bp38j]

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

Click to expand...

Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

Click to expand...

Wow, so you actually think Cal Ripken Jr used steroids too?

Have you seen him before? Even at the end of his career, he was still not very big at all. Think what you want but the idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

[/quote:2m6bp38j]


I never said I think he used steroids I was just pointing out that hr total doesn't mean anything.

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

thenumberonemetfan said:

[quote="ALL_THE_HYPE":12qt7evv]

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

Click to expand...

Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

Click to expand...

Wow, so you actually think Cal Ripken Jr used steroids too?

Have you seen him before? Even at the end of his career, he was still not very big at all. Think what you want but the idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

[/quote:12qt7evv]


if you read what i wrote, i said "used". i didnt say "juice" per-se, i said "used" as in something.
He played a long long time without missing any time, and did that on a higher "level" then most
of his peers. To just dismiss him as "clean" because he wasnt built like the incredible hulk is
also very ignorant.

I understand that he's the mega-popular white boy for the MLB, but give me a break. He's still flesh and bones
like everyone else.

thenumberonemetfan said:

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

thenumberonemetfan said:

[quote="ALL_THE_HYPE":316c307q]

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

Click to expand...

Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

Click to expand...

Wow, so you actually think Cal Ripken Jr used steroids too?

Have you seen him before? Even at the end of his career, he was still not very big at all. Think what you want but the idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

Click to expand...

I never said I think he used steroids I was just pointing out that hr total doesn't mean anything.[/quote:316c307q]

Well if you don't believe it, then why would you try to support such a wildly ignorant claim? It is completely ok to have your own opinion in life and not just follow what others say even though you don't agree with them.

One main difference between Cal Ripken Jr and Jose Guillen is that Ripken was one of the most consistent performers in the game, putting up 20-30 homeruns every year until he turned 30 when he started to decline. Guillen never hit more than 14 homers in any of his first 5 seasons and then all of a sudden doubled his production hitting his career high of 31.

ThoseBackPages said:

ALL_THE_HYPE said:

thenumberonemetfan said:

[quote="ALL_THE_HYPE":1brhq4qh]

ThoseBackPages said:

ronfromfresno said:

I think that if you feel let down by Griffey Jr then the same can be said of fans of Mickey Mantle. Not everyone can run out on the field every game for 15+ season like Ripken Jr did.

Click to expand...

He's another one. Since he's the MLB Poster child, i doubt we'll ever find out about what he "used"

Click to expand...

Yeah because Cal Ripken Jr who made it to 30 homeruns one time was juicing his entire career. Give me a break.

Click to expand...

Jose Guillen was on the juice and he only hit 30 hrs once(31).

Click to expand...

Wow, so you actually think Cal Ripken Jr used steroids too?

Have you seen him before? Even at the end of his career, he was still not very big at all. Think what you want but the idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.

Click to expand...

if you read what i wrote, i said "used". i didnt say "juice" per-se, i said "used" as in something.
He played a long long time without missing any time, and did that on a higher "level" then most
of his peers. To just dismiss him as "clean" because he wasnt built like the incredible hulk is
also very ignorant.

I understand that he's the mega-popular white boy for the MLB, but give me a break. He's still flesh and bones
like everyone else.[/quote:1brhq4qh]

Consistency. 20 homeruns or more from age 21 to age 30. No ridiculous spikes in his numbers, and slowly declining stats after age 30. Sounds like regular human body, which primes physically in its 20s and slowly declines from early-mid 30s until death.

The fact that he's just a skinny guy is only one piece of this. Look at his numbers if you'd like. Read about him if you'd like. Just don't go around throwing idiotic statements like your idea that every player in the history of baseball cheated, because that is probably the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Have you ever played baseball before? Just because you see A-Rod and Manny Ramirez getting caught for using steroids doesn't mean that every human being that has played baseball is a cheater.

If the Iron Man was on steroids it would be the ultimate slap in the face for baseball.