Griffey the Kid

Number one was on April 10, 1989. Number 600 happened June 9, 2008. Ken Griffey Jr. became the sixth member of the 600-home run club Monday, when he sent a 3-1 Mark Hendrickson delivery over the right field fence for a two-run bomb in Miami. This milestone should be the ultimate key into the Hall of Fame for The Kid - what hasn't this guy done?

First of all, he's a classy guy. He's always welcome to the fans and the media, even when the fans and the media aren't the most welcoming to him.

We know he can hit. But in his prime, Griffey was one of the most brilliant center fielders out there. Overall, he is a nine-time Gold Glove winner, and has made some memorable catches out in center at the Kingdome.

Griffey, an 11-time All Star, is the son of Ken Griffey Sr. The Griffeys are the only father/son duo to play in the same game. They also are the only pair to hit a home run in the same game, when they went back-to-back against the Angels on September 14, 1990.

Junior's career began in Seattle, when he debuted on Opening Day in 1989. After playing 11 terrific seasons with the Mariners, in which he hit 398 home runs, Griffey was traded to the Reds. On February 10, 2000, Griffey's tenure with the M's officially ended when he was dealt to Cincy for Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko and a couple of minor leaguers.

His tour with the Reds got off to a pretty good start. In the 2000 season, he hit 40 homers and came to bat 520 times. But a myriad of injuries has somewhat soured his image to the fans in Cincinnati. Before last season, Griffey did not reach 500 ABs after his Reds debut season. But when you look at the numbers, when he did play, Griffey performed better than most on the team, or in the league.




So now the question lies - when Griffey goes into Cooperstown (not if), which hat will he be wearing? Many would argue Seattle, where he made his debut and his name. But a case could be made for a Reds cap. He hit his 400th, 500th, and now 600th home runs in a Reds uniform, so why not?

But regardless of what hat he's wearing when he enters the Hall, Griffey is most certainly one of, if not the, most dangerous hitters of this generation. And in an era of steroids and other controversies, Griffey is one of the few pure hitters left in this game. Congratulations Ken Griffey Jr., and thank you for being a reminder of how this game is supposed to be played.