Joel zumaya ken griffey jr biography

My feeling is that with Ryan Freel out there, it joels zumaya ken griffey jr biography us strong defense up the middle. On May 10,Griffey hit his sixth home run of the season and the th of his career, tying Rafael Palmeiro for ninth place on the career home runs list. On June 22,Griffey made his first return to Seattle after his trade to the Reds.

Never did I imagine that it would be like this coming back. I spent 11 years here, 11 wonderful years here. This place will be [my] home. I didn't realize how much I missed being in Seattle. Following the Cincinnati Reds versus Seattle Mariners series from June 22—24,a fan movement emerged petitioning Mariners' management to bring Griffey back.

Griffey received the most votes of any player in the National League for the All-Star balloting, [ 69 ] and in the July 10 game, he went on to drive in two runs for the National League. On September 19,in a game against the Chicago CubsGriffey fielded a Derrek Lee single in right field, then suddenly went down in pain. This marked one of many seasons in Cincinnati in which Griffey had to end the year on the disabled list.

On August 22,Griffey was selected as an all-time Rawlings Gold Glove winneron a list of nine players considered the greatest defensive players in the last 50 years. On April 4,Griffey passed Reggie Jackson for 16th on the all-time list after driving in his 1,nd run. Fans of both teams gave him a standing ovation. Despite being ranked second in the National League All-Star voting for outfielders for most of the first half of the season, Griffey finished fourth with 2, ballots, 87, votes behind Kosuke Fukudome.

He was not selected to the All-Star Game as a reserve. At the All-Star Break, Griffey was batting. If you can't hit a tough lefty, bunt. If you can't hit a tough righty, bunt. On July 30, Griffey hit his th career home run in his last game for the Reds. Griffey was criticized by some for his effort during his stint with the Reds. Gregg Doyel had this to say of the years Griffey was with the Reds in comparison to the Reds team: "It's a different Reds team than the older, beer-bellied softball teams of recent years.

Those Reds were Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn lounging on the clubhouse's leather couches, hitting home runs, misplaying balls in the outfield, and thinking they had it all figured out, when all they knew how to do was lose. Dickeywhich moved him into a tie with former outfielder Sammy Sosa for fifth place in career home runs. Griffey's signature moment with the White Sox came on September 30, the last game of the season; an extra rd game between the White Sox and Minnesota Twins to break the tie atop the AL Central.

In the fifth inning of the scoreless game, the Twins threatened with Michael Cuddyer on third and one out. Twins third baseman Brendan Harris flied out softly to Griffey in center field, who threw a strike to White Sox catcher A. Pierzynski who tagged out Cuddyer at home in a home plate collision to complete the double play and end the threat.

As a free agent, Griffey was courted by the Mariners and the Atlanta Braves. The national media was dubious about Griffey's ability to contribute meaningfully, with The Washington Post noting " Griffey indicated he was motivated by sentimental reasons toward Seattle, where he received an overwhelmingly positive reception when he last played there as a Cincinnati Red in Junebut was inclined towards the Braves for its proximity to his home in Orlando, Florida, and his desire to be with his family during the season.

Griffey went 1-for-3 with a home run in his regular-season debut on April against the Minnesota Twins. On April 15,Griffey hit his th home run as a Mariner th of careeroff Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaverbecoming the first MLB player to hit home runs with one club Mariners and home runs with another Reds. Griffey returned to the Mariners for the campaign with a similar one-year contract to that of[ 97 ] but struggled offensively over the first two months while posting a.

In MayMariners' manager Don Wakamatsu made the decision to significantly limit Griffey's play due to his ongoing poor performance. On June 2,with the clubhouse still in turmoil, Griffey left the Mariners after the second game of a four-game series with the Minnesota Twins, leaving in the middle of the night for a cross-country drive to his home in Florida.

Mariners president Chuck Armstrong was only made aware of this by Griffey's agent a few hours before gametime the next day; Griffey then called from the road to confirm it. On February 17,Griffey was hired by the Mariners as a special consultant. He is involved with the Mariners at spring training and the regular season, along with visiting most of the Mariners minor-league affiliates.

He was formally inducted on August 10, Jamie Moyer was selected in Drive just after his announcement to retire from baseball. Writer Bill Simmons pointed out the prevalent belief that Griffey was the best home run hitter of the s who everyone was convinced never used performance enhancing drugs. Therefore, Simmons stated Griffey was the one player who would be the most devastating to "an entire generation of American men" should he ever be linked to steroids.

Griffey returned to Cincinnati for the weekend activities and choked up during his speech when he mentioned wearing the same uniform as his dad. On October 25,Griffey joined the Mariners ownership group, becoming the first former player to hold partnership interest in the Mariners. The other three are Chipper Joneswho was inducted inHarold Baineswho was inducted by the Veterans Committee inand Joe Mauerwho was inducted in To coincide with his Hall of Fame election, the Mariners announced on January 8,that they would retire his jersey number The retirement took effect with the start of the MLB season, with the formal ceremony taking place prior to the Mariners' August 6, game.

The Mariners also honored Griffey in a unique fashion in the MLB draftselecting his son Trey in the 24th round matching his jersey numbereven though Trey, at the time a wide receiver at the University of Arizonahad not played baseball since his preteen years. In AprilGriffey was diagnosed with pleurisyan inflammation of the lining of the cavity surrounding the lungs which can cause painful respiration and other symptoms.

Griffey has a private pilot certificate and owns a Cirrus SR On May 26,Griffey drove the pace car for the Indianapolis In JanuaryGriffey attempted suicide by swallowing aspirin pills but wound up in intensive care at Providence Hospital in Mount Airy, Ohio. I got depressed. I got angry. I didn't want to live. Contents move to sidebar hide.

Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. American baseball player born For his father, also a former player and coach, see Ken Griffey Sr. Baseball player. Early life [ edit ]. Professional career [ edit ]. Draft and minor leagues [ edit ]. Seattle Mariners — [ edit ].

Departure from Seattle — [ edit ]. Cincinnati Reds — [ edit ]. Chicago White Sox [ edit ]. Return to Mariners — [ edit ]. Retirement [ edit ]. Post-playing career [ edit ]. Baseball Hall of Fame election [ edit ]. Philanthropy [ edit ]. Film and television [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Suicide attempt [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. Ken Griffey Jr.

References [ edit ]. Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on August 23, Retrieved February 16, Albert Pujols? Gets the Nod". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 3, I Dream of Baseball. February 13, Retrieved February 13, MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on January 23, Retrieved January 23, March 17, Retrieved May 14, Seattle Mariners.

Retrieved August 11, The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 7, January 6, Archived from the original on January 7, Retrieved January 6, Retrieved January 22, Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 21, Although the injury led to some very un-Griffey-like regular season numbers 72 games, 17 home runs, 42 RBIand a. While the Mariners slipped back to the pack inJunior began an astonishing four-year run in which he clouted round-trippers and racked up RBIs.

Despite missing 20 games with a broken bone in his right hand, Griffey set short-lived Mariners records with 49 home runs and RBIs while batting. But even that stellar performance was merely a prelude to his magnificent campaign, one which saw the year-old superstar win just the ninth unanimous MVP in American League history. Leading the Mariners to their second division title in three years, Griffey posted gaudy numbers: 56 home runs a total topped only by Roger MarisBabe RuthHank Greenberg and Jimmie Foxx in league historyRBIs, total bases and a.

For good measure, Griffey chipped in 15 steals and his eighth consecutive Gold Glove. His stature as the best player in baseball stood virtually uncontested. To Griffey, the trade was evidence that the Mariners were unwilling to spend the money needed to make the team a contender. With a strategy of stockpiling promising young talent bolstered by the fast emergence of pitchers John Halama and Freddy Garcia, two of the joel zumaya ken griffey jr biography prospects acquired in the Johnson deal the Mariners looked towards the future — beginning with the mid-summer opening of Safeco Field, a brand-new natural grass stadium with a retractable roof.

For all its aesthetic offenses, the Kingdome had served as a launching pad for the offensive fireworks which had helped Griffey reach career home runs at a younger age than anyone than anyone in history. Whatever the reason, it was obvious that Junior wanted to be elsewhere. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his era and one of the best all-around players in the history of baseball.

Ken Griffey Jr. He grew up alongside his brother, Craig Griffey. Griffey Jr. Ethnically, he is white, and his religious affiliation is Christianity. He quickly gained national attention due to his remarkable power, speed, and defensive skills. While helping his father move some boxes in the attic at his father's home in advance of a fire approaching the area, a 50 to 60 pounds 23 to 27 kg box fell on his right pitching shoulder, separating it.

He was placed on the day disabled list at the start of the season. Zumaya was placed on the day DL with a sore right shoulder on March 27, Zumaya had surgery in August, ending his season. He was in obvious pain and needed assistance walking off the field. The next day an MRI revealed he had a non-displaced fracture of the olecranon. Doctors said it would take four months to heal, ending his season.

Zumaya missed the entire season after undergoing exploratory surgery on his right elbow on May While the surgery, performed by James Andrews found no new damage, it was determined that the screw inserted during his previous surgery needed to be replaced. Zumaya retired in February In an interview for Detroit radio station WRIFformer Tigers pitcher Denny McLain stated that he believed the numbers on stadium and television radar guns were inflated.

However, there is a new technology on the horizon that reads pitch speeds more accurately and does not inflate those numbers. It uses cameras and software to obtain the data.

Joel zumaya ken griffey jr biography

Part of Enhanced Gameday tracks pitch speed, break, and trajectory. Zumaya led the major leagues with Zumaya's average fastball was After his baseball career, Zumaya had other careers distinct from baseball. Inhe worked as a fisherman. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version.

In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item.