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John Fay
John Fay has been the Reds beat writer for the Enquirer since 2001. Prior to that, he served in a variety of roles for the Enquirer: backup Reds writer, UC beat writer, backup Bengals writer and as a general assignment reporter. He is a Cincinnati native and a graduate of Elder High School and the University of Dayton.

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Thursday, November 1, 2007

Griffey and the Braves?

Interesting column by Terence Moore in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Ken Griffey Jr. and the Braves.

Fred Wren, the Braves new GM, doesn't go into specifics but he does say the Braves are looking for a center fielder and probably won't go the free agent route.

"I would say that going strong in the free-agent market would be our least likely alternative,” Wren said. “I say that just because, with the young players we have coming (in the farm system), it just wouldn’t make sense to go sign somebody for four, five, six years when we have what we think are better players on the horizon. With that being said, the free-agent market probably doesn’t make as much sense as a trade. The trade market is probably the most likely way we’ll fill center field.”

Griffey jumps to mind.

That doesn't mean it will happen. But given what Wren said, it's worth keeping an eye on. Apparently Wren, like John Schuerholz, doesn't talk specifics. Neither does Wayne Krivsky. So it's all speculation at this point -- but interesting speculation.


33 Comments:

at 11:19 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Junior may make sense for the Braves, but he ain't no centerfielder.

 
at 11:21 AM Blogger John Fay said...

Point well-taken. They could move Jeff Francoeur to center and play Griffey in right.

 
at 11:34 AM Blogger Mr. Redlegs said...

That's also a big-ass park with a right-center that is 20 feet deeper and right field that is 10 feet deeper than GABP. So, actually, Griffey fits better in CF there.

 
at 11:40 AM Blogger rpa said...

i have wondered during the past, whenever the "trade griffey" talk pops up, if atlanta would be a team he'd consider going to. it's a hort flight home for him, they have spring training in florida (at the disney complex, right?).

the reds certainly need to move an outfielder. there isn't room on this team for dunn, hamilton, griffey, bruce and freel (keppinger & cantu seem to have the backup infield jobs covered). especially since hopper looks like he deserves a chance to be the #5 outfielder based on how he hit this year. unless he turns out to be jon nunnally (and keppinger turns out to be chris stynes)

that said, not sure griffey can still play center, and that's really what the braves need.

francouer can probably play center from a range standpoint, but i think the braves would prefer to keep him (and that arm, good lord, that arm) in right field.

i don't know. i still question if any team should ever make a trade with the braves for a pitcher. and obviously pitching is what you have to get back in return for a trade to make any sense.

 
at 11:53 AM Blogger doerr906 said...

Griffey for whom?
The Braves are short on pitching, too and even though they have a boatload of prospects, I don't trade Griffey to Atlanta unless I get young, high upside pitching with major league experience.
So who would that be?
Jo-Jo Reyes or Rafael Soriano.
Or no deal.

 
at 12:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Regardless if Jr. is a good fit for CF. Who would the Reds get from him, prospects? I just dont know what else the Braves could or would offer us considering Griff is in the last year of his guranteed contract.

 
at 12:10 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Griffey? Don't you think Ryan Freel would be a better alternative for them? One year left on a smaller contract and he would require much less in compensation to the Reds.

 
at 12:20 PM Blogger rpa said...

i think the braves have higher standards than freel as an every day centerfielder.

don't get me long... i love having freel as a super-sub. i don't think he's at his best trying to play every day, and i think sticking him at one position robs him of a lot of his value (namely, his versatility... how great is it to have a guy that can reasonably play 5 or 6 positions reasonably well in case of injury or just a guy needing a day off?).

i would love to have freel and keppinger on the team next year, but i don't think it's a luxury the reds can afford... if they get a decent offer for freel, they should take it.

that said, i don't think there are too many teams that would see freel as an answer for an oper centerfield slot.

 
at 12:28 PM Blogger tom dunne said...

John, if you get a chance, browse through the AJC's archives of Terence Moore's articles for November 16, 2004 and May 27, 2003. This is at least the third time he's written a piece suggesting the Braves should trade for Griffey. Moore is a diehard Griffey fan and he has been tilting at this windmill for years.

Atlanta has a pile of big contracts already, a handful of potential future CFs in the minors, and a serious need for starting pitching. Why would they spend $12.5 million for one year of an injury-prone rightfielder? Andruw Jones was TERRIBLE last year, and the Braves still had the third best offense in the league. They'll plug CF with a spare part and spend on another starting pitcher (very likely Tom Glavine.) In the unlikely event that Griffey leave the Reds, Atlanta is not a realistic optiondestination.

 
at 12:47 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tom Dunne, The Reds would pick up a big part of Griff's contract.

A trade a griff is the best possible thing the reds could do this year to get a #2-3 starter, its just the braves have no one to offer

 
at 12:54 PM Blogger Rob Dicken said...

Griffey doesn't make $12.5 million per year...

I think I may have stated this before, but he hasn't been the highest paid player on the Reds since before Eric Milton was signed. Griffey only currently makes $8.5 million.

 
at 1:01 PM Blogger Don said...

Tom, I think you are right. Hasn't Moore essentially written this same article before?

Moore is simply speculating. This happens thousands of times a day on the internet blogs, but as a sportswriter, Moore has a broader audience, and therefore it gains more attention.

Moore talks about how he thinks the Braves should go after Griffey, but never mentions a word about who they would give up to get him. Heck, I'd love to see the Reds sign Josh Beckett, but who do you give up to get him? If Moore is going to speculate that the Braves should sign Griffey, I'd like to see him speculate on just who he thinks the Braves would be willing to trade to get him.

 
at 1:15 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Griffey's Deal:

2000-08:$12.5M/year, 09:$16.5M club option ($4M buyout)
- $57.5M in salary deferred at 4% interest, to be paid 2009-2024, reducing contract's present-day value at time of signing to between $9.2M and $9.3M annually, according to Reds management sources

* $5.5M of 2000 salary deferred

* $6.5M/year of 2001-2008 salaries deferred

If he's traded expect him to demand that 2009 gets picked up.

 
at 1:31 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

ANON 11:10 said " Don't you think Ryan Freel would be a better alternative for them"

I wish but Ryan Freel has ZERO trade value. Who would want him. He plays hard, that is his good side. The Bad
Gets hurt too much
Low Average
Low OBP
No Power
Too many base running mistakes

I would love to get rid of Freel as he is no longer needed with Keppinger and Hopper, but who would take him, he has a high salary for his worth.

 
at 1:31 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

It would be nice if a trade could happen. I'd settle for Bryan Pena a young backup catcher, who has hit well all through their system with a low strike-out rate. Last year he threw out half of his base-stealers too.

 
at 1:31 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Steve From Florence KY
Anywhere he wants to go is fine with me. Moving Dunn would have made more sense but that's not happenning. If they don't get Hamilton and Bruce into this Outfield this year they are not serious about winning.

 
at 1:56 PM Blogger Chris at Redleg Nation said...

As noted, Ken Griffey is not a viable option in either CF or RF at Ted Turner Ballpark.

 
at 2:10 PM Blogger John Fay said...

As I said in the original post, it's pure speculation. The reason I posted it was Wren's quote. TMoore, a Miami U./Mt. Healthy guy, has written this before, as he noted. My guess is it doesn't happen, but it's good Hot Stove stuff.

 
at 2:43 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought Griffey played right field?

 
at 3:08 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think that the Braves are that stupid. But we can hope.

 
at 3:10 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its terrible hot stove talk. Please post information from sources that don't spew the same crap year after year. Stop wasting everyones time.

 
at 3:18 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Junior better stay a Red and he better get his 38 year old aahhhhghghce into shape to play a full year in RIGHT field. Center field in the show is a young man's game. If Junior doesn't feel the love for right field then she perhaps he should consider the "junior" circuit American League where he can ride wood defensively and still swing the big lumber.

Hey ... does anyone have Kevin Mitchell's phone number?

 
at 4:39 PM Blogger Unknown said...

I'd hate to lose Griffey, but the Braves have a lot of young talent that'd be nice to acquire. Even though they gave away way too much in the Texiera trade, they've got pitching at the "A" level that might pay off. Then again, for every Matt Belisle that the Reds have gotten from Atlanta, they've also gotten a Jung Bong or Bubba Nelson. I'm not sure what the Braves would be willing to part with for Griffey, because Jordan Schafer will probably be ready in 2009.

 
at 5:18 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm all for it if it's true. Be nice to get a reliever or pitching prospect in return and open up an outfield spot for Hamilton and/or Bruce.

 
at 7:49 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

The reason the reds fall short of the playoffs every year..... pitching!!!!!
The have a great team as far as hitting. Dunn and Griffey continue to rip the cover off the ball as far as homeruns.
I think that they have to keep both Dunn And Griffey, and take the tight rubberbands off their wallet, and go buy some high quality piching.
You can not win without spending money.
I sure hope that they keep Dunn and Griffey, but given the past of the reds, they will deal both of them and get a used up player, or somebody who has no experience.
PAR FOR THE COURSE!
Mark Olding
Michigan

 
at 4:36 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Exactly, what Cincinnati needs for team morale hot stove talk about trading our hall of famer and still one of our best players. It is not like we could talk about the need for pitching and where to get it and why a team that makes money will not spend it. No, maybe cause this guy kinda said this and that guy thought something else just maybe Griffey is getting traded. Yep, that sounds like Cincinnati

 
at 4:38 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, by the way he is not going anywhere before # 600. That sells tickets and that is all that matters.

 
at 7:42 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

6:49 anon...

You mean a used up ballplayer like Griffey?

The dude has had one or two decent seasons since hes been here, he continues to strike out when runners in scoring position..the majority of his home runs do nothing to change a game. He does not hustle. He has missed half the games he should have been playing over the course of the past nine years. He has become an average outfielder defensively

Just get rid of Griffey.You people that continue to support this dude amaze me. Apparently you are content with losing

 
at 8:56 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Name one pitcher we have ever gotten from Atlanta that has worked out as advertised/projected. Belilse is the closest thing we have and he is still working to lock down the #5 spot.

I think the Reds will hold on to Griffey until June. If they are not in playoff race, he will be dealt to a contender. The problem is that when he is healthy, he makes the Reds better. I think we all saw that this year until the damn Wrigley field debacle.

I think Freel should be the candidate to trade. Hopper proved to be a similar but better asset.

Tom
Richmond, VA

 
at 9:54 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

6:49 ANON
"the majority of his home runs do nothing to change a game"

The other points have merit, but that one is weak. People said the same thing about Dunn and I will ask the same question

Can you please provide stats to back that up?

 
at 11:39 AM Blogger Steven Ross said...

Griffey needs to go because he'll be 38 and is always injury prone. Time to cut the cord and go with some combination of Bruce, Hopper, Hamilton, Dunn, Votto. Take your 3-pick.

 
at 9:10 PM Blogger Rob Dicken said...

Just get rid of Griffey.You people that continue to support this dude amaze me. Apparently you are content with losing

Apparently you are content on not watching the Reds for the past decade. Pitching...not Griffey...does that ring a bell?

What kills me, is why the hell doesn't anyone rip into Ryan Freel? The guy gets hurt just as much as Griffey, doesn't produce, and is making near $4 million a year. Ryan Freel is fast and he hustles. WHOOP DEE DOO! Ryan Freel type of players will not win ball games for you. Players that can drive in runs, walk, and get on base make the Reds offense.

Also, I am not sure where Griffey's salary numbers are coming from, but ESPN.com is reporting that Griffey made $8,446,647 in 2007. This is accurate, as Dunn and Milton were reported at both making $10.5 million even. He does not make $12.5 million a year. It's quite possible that he does have a lot of money deferred, sort of similar to the recent Ichiro deal.

Keep Griffey. He will always have his haters...but the truth is that he's worth every penny he is paid.

And quit saying to play Bruce over established Major League players. He hasn't played a single year in the majors yet. When the kid starts producing in the major leagues, then start saying he needs to be started over the likes of Griffey or Dunn.

 
at 10:52 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have mixed feelings. I don't believe Cincinnati has ever embraced Griffey the way he deserves to be embraced. We had inhumanly high expectations and when he began getting injured the city turned on him. Having said that I have been a loyal Reds fan my entire life and I want to win next year. The infield is set with the possible exception of 3rd base. We have four outfielders and one reliable starting pitcher and we all know about the bullpen. Seems like we are going to have to give someone up or spend some money. WE CANT WIN WITHOUT PITCHING.

 
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