Ken Griffey Jr About To Hit 600 Homeruns: Why Isn't There More Attention?

Ken Griffey Jr yesterday hit his 599th Career homerun against the Atlanta Braves, moving him one homerun away from joining the 600 club. While That was supposed to be the highlight of the day, it wasn't. Jay Bruce, the Uber-talented young outfielder for the Reds, hit his first career homerun, a Walkoff Homerun. Bruce said that was his first walkoff homerun...Ever!

Griffey Is About to reach the plateau of 600 homeruns, joining Sammy Sosa, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds as the only players with 600 homeruns. Why isn't there more attention being given to the milestone?

It's not like Griffey was involved in any thing steroid related. Griffey has battled injuries for years, for him to get to 600 homeruns, that should be a huge deal right now. The Reds have finally struck the jackpot with young talent, why isn't more attention being given to them?

As I Type this, the Reds are one game below .500 and 7.5 games behind the NL Central and Major League Leading Chicago Cubs. The Reds have a fantastic young pitching staff. Johnny Cueto is among the NL Leaders in Strikeouts. Edinson Volquez leads the Majors In Earned Run Average! And Let's remember this is in Great American Ballpark, not a Pitcher's Park by any stretch of the imagination!

The Reds have always been among the lead leaders in offense. They have old sluggers like Griffey Jr and Adam Dunn. They have new sluggers like Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce.

The Reds have a manager in Dusty Baker who was close to taking the San Francisco Giants to a World Series Titile in 2002. He was close again in 2003 as he managed the Chicago Cubs to an 89-73 record and had them five outs away from their first World Series Appearance Since 1945. It's not like Dusty's a bad manager. In 2005-2006 injuries to key stars kept the Cubs away from competing. Dusty was run out of The Windy City in 2007, was a broadcaster for ESPN for one season, before managing the Cincinnatti Reds this season.


It looks right now like Chicago is about to run away with the NL Central Title, but it's just June 1st. There's a whole lot of baseball left to be played. If there was one team in the NL Central that could make a huge surge after the All Star Break and make a run at the Cubbies, the Reds would be that team.

Every other team in the NL Central has flaws that are holding them back. The only thing holding the Reds back so far this season is Dusty Baker asking Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn to bunt with two strikes, only to hit walkoff homeruns!

I Don't get why the Reds and Griffey don't get more attention.

They're too good to be ignored.

Three Days Into Baseball Season...

Here's What I've Observed...
KANSAS CITY SWEEPS DETROIT
There is optimism in Kansas City, especially after the upstart Royals swept their much hyped division rival Detroit Tigers. This was Kansas City's first opening sweep since 2003. Kansas City fought to come back in Game one as they beat Detroit 5 to 4 in eleven innings. In the second game, Kansas City Starter Brian Bannister held Detroit to just three hits as Kansas City beat Detroit 4 to nothing. In the final game, Zack Grienke had a great pitching performance. Grienke allowed one run in seven innings of work.

And, Speaking of Great Pitching...
ROOKIE PHENOM JOHNNIE CUETO STRIKES OUT TEN DIAMONDBACKS
History was made at Great American Ballpark as Johnnie Cueto became the first Reds pitcher since 1900 to strike out ten batters in his major league debut. The only hole in the armor was Justin Upton's solo homerun in the sixth inning.

Some Reds fans may think they have their own version of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in Homer Bailey and Johnie Cueto, but I would like to caution them: You're with a manager who likes to overwork young pitchers and likes to keep them in ballgames when they have been on the mound a very long time. I would not be suprised if Bailey and Cueto got the same type of problems Prior and Wood have gotten from being overworked in the Dusty Baker Era.

KOSUKE FUKUDOME WITH AN INCREDIBLE " KONNICHIHA" TO WRIGLEY'S FAITHFUL
Kosuke Fukudome had an unbelievable debut opening day. He doubled off Ben Sheets in his first Major League At Bat. Fukudome came through huge in the ninth inning, as he hit a game tying, three run homerun to tie the game at three. Fukudome batted .1000 at the end of Opening day as he went 3-3.

Through his first three games, Fukudome is 4-8 with three RBI'S, and three of his four hits have gone for extra bases.

Kosuke's the real deal. Teams will be trying to figure him out all season long, so he may be able to keep his hot streak going for a while.

WALKS WILL KILL YOU IN EXTRA INNINGS. JUST ASK THE NATIONALS!
The Philladelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 8-7 as Jason Werth helped score the tying run on a bases loaded walk. Werth never got thrown a strike, and Philly gets an important early lesson on why it is important to be selective at the plate.

NEW YORK'S GOING OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW
Both New York teams are getting new ballparks next season. Shea Stadium, opened in 1964, will close down after this season. The "Cathedral Of Baseball" The "Big Ballpark In The Bronx" Yankee Stadium, opened in 1923, will also close down. The Mets are moving to Citi Field, while the Yankees are moving a few streets down to New Yankee Stadium. I'm sad to see both ballparks go because there have been many great players and great moments that have happened at these ballparks.