White Sox Decline Options On Griffey, Hall

^^it might happen but i think that the cubs will go after a Giles.

Giles will be staying in San Diego. It seems like he doesn't want to play for anyone else at all.

I think the Sox will re-sign Hall and the Cubs will re-sign Blanco, but we'll see. If the Sox want, they can have Koyie Hill.

Well said, JP. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Same here. I mean I can remember the late-90's, early-00's, at age 6-9, thinking "800." Sadly, that never came to be, due to the aforementioned injuries.

Yeah. You know, you never really think about it, but legitimate superstars really can suffer the worst kinds of injuries. Like, most of the time, when a player goes down for substantial amount of time, it's either a "no big loss" type of player (ie Julio Lugo) or a really good/great, yet unproven player (Chien-Ming Wang). As you said, it truly is a shame, what has happened to Ken Griffey, Jr., one of the greatest players in Major League history.

Boo hoo for King Griffey Jr.

IF he had conditioned himself better earlier in his career, some of the injuries he suffered later wouldn't have happened.

IF his EGO hadn't gotten in the way, he would have moved to Right Field a couple of years earlier and thus reduced the wear and tear on his legs and been able to play more and thus EARN all of the millions the Reds are saddled with paying him.

IF his EGO hadn't gotten in the way and he tried to hit the ball to the opposite field more often, his Home Runs might have dropped but his overall numbers would have been better. But NO!!! He just HAD to try and pull EVERY pitch for a Home Run.

For those crying for KGJ and playing the what if game, then what IF:

Babe Ruth had come up and played the Outfield his whole career?

Josh Gibson wasn't kept out of the Major Leagues because of the color of his skin?

Ted Williams didn't have five years of his career taken away because he was serving our country in World War II and the Korean War?

Mickey Mantle didn't hurt his knee?

There are a LOT of players throughout MLB history that you can play "what if" with and feel sorry for. However, for me, I can NOT do that with KGJ. He brought a lo of the things on himself and is now paying the price for it.

***But to say that the option "is easy for them to pick up"

Ctownboy, you bring up a couple valid points, but there is nothing wrong with feeling bad for KGJ. A few of those injuries that cost him were made in Seattle diving for baseballs, specifically when he crashed into the wall at the Kingdome and broke his wrist. That's the type of play I am talking about. Agreed, he could have done a few things differently, however, many of those were not his fault. And a note about Ted Williams, he chose to go and serve in the military. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of the military and am thankful that he would do that for his country, but he made that choice to serve so I applaud him for that and don't feel sorry for him for the baseball time he lost. He was serving a greater good.

JP,

I don't think you have to worry about Pujols becoming like KGJ because Albert seems to put his EGO aside and do what is right for the team.

From all I have seen and heard, Pujols didn't beotch and whine when he was asked to change positions. He did it and then worked hard to improve. Why? Because THAT was best for the team.

For over two years, KGJ whined and pouted anytime it was brought up that he should move to a corner Outfield position. This, even though, it would have been better for his OWN health and it would have been better for the TEAM.

I worry simply because it is often for great players to begin getting hurt and stay hurt. Hopefully that does not happen with Albert. With Griffey, I agree that I don't like the fact that he complained about switching positions ,however, he went ahead and did it though.

I think it is obvious that something ran up Ctown's crouch and died!!!

I don't think the injuries were necessarily his fault. He played CF in the Kingdome on artificial turf for most of his career, at least prior to being hurt.

I know he's not the same caliber player, but I believe Torii Hunter will end up being hurt in the next year or 2 because of all those years in Minnesota. That turf is brutal on the knees.

ChiCity Sox: Think we'll be saying that in a decade or so about Longoria/Upton/Kazmir? Or Pedroia/Lester/Ellsbury? Sort of proves the luck that has to go with winning a championship, talent alone won't do it.

Speaking of TB (sort of...), they're looking for a L DH, anybody think Griffey could go there? They're clearly contenders and he could play the field occasionally (probably away to keep him off the turf). Would certainly up the stock of lefty relievers in the AL East.

JP: I don't think Pujols has to worry about the same injury concerns since he plays a far less strenuous position in 1B. Probably adds some years to his career.

ctownboy: Josh Gibson is probably the most interesting what-if. Truly sad that we will never know what great talents went unfulfilled in the Negro Leagues.

-JM

can griffey play first???? MIght open up some major doors

Hall was a slug for 2 years; poor D and little hitting.

ChiCity Sox:

My point about the young guys was more of a "think of the talent these guys have and how their success together or lack thereof may project." As I recall, Griffey, ARod, and Johnson never won a WS together with the Mariners. That's where the luck comment comes in. Granted, I don't know much about how those teams were constructed, so I could be totally off the mark, but it seems to me that if your team is built around Griffey, ARod and Johnson in their primes and you can't manage to win a WS, you're either completely incompetent or there's some luck working against you. Good planning is certainly part of it, but there's only so much good planning can do for you. You can't necessarily plan for major injuries or a guy not performing up to par or something like that. The team that wins the WS often seems to be the one that kept it together the longest.

Take this years Phils for instance. There were a lot of questions about how Brad Lidge would do, particularly as to how he'd handle the disappointment of blowing a save. We're still waiting on that one. Injuries didn't befall their team for much of the year (I don't recall Utley, Howard, or Hamels spending much time on the DL but I could be wrong). To use a counter example, the Red Sox had a great team built up, but they got bashed by injuries. Sure, one might have predicted that Ortiz and Drew might go down given their histories, but Lowell has been pretty solid through his career, and Josh Beckett's mysterious ailment seemed to come from nowhere.

Not saying luck is the defining factor as I may have implied, but it certainly plays a part in winning a championship.