Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tackles Ken Griffey, Jr. and where Reds’ slugger might finish the season. Rosenthal explores all the options. He speculates that the Reds could keep Griffey and collect two draft picks if he leaves as a free agent, but that gets complicated:
However, to gain draft-pick compensation, the Reds would need to decline Griffey’s option, pay him a $4 million buyout and then offer him salary arbitration — a process they almost certainly would prefer to avoid. The Reds could also get the picks if a team signed Griffey before the deadline to offer him arbitration. But such a scenario is unlikely.
Ultimately, Rosenthal concludes that if Griffey requests it, the Reds should do everything in their power to ship Junior to a contender, including eating a chunk of his 2008 salary.
Where could Griffey land? Rosenthal speculates the Rays are an option, though, as he points out the Rays’ biggest need is pitching. The Indians and Blue Jays could be buyers, but they could just as easily be sellers.
The Mets could be an option. They’ve already got Moises Alou and Trot Nixon. Why not corner the market on injury prone outfielders?
Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. He can be reached here.
