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Will Griffey help the White Sox?

Posted by: Tony Bleill

Thursday, July 31, 2008 12:40 PM

Ken Griffey Jr. reportedly has been traded to the Chicago White Sox for two players (Nick Masset, Danny Richar) today. It is the type of trade-deadline splash that few were expecting from the White Sox, though no one in Cincinnati expected Griffey to be with the Reds in 2009.

As a diehard Reds fan who watches Griffey play every day, here's my take on the deal. Obviously, Griffey is a shell of the player he once was, as age and injuries have eroded his skills and ability. His bat speed has slowed and he has major trouble catching up with fastballs, especially high fastballs. He remained the third-hole hitter in the Reds' lineup only because of Dusty Baker's bizarre insistence, deferring to Griffey's stature as a first-ballot Hall of Famer rather than basing his decision on current circumstances (Cubs fans probably aren't surprised by that previous sentence.) But I do believe the increased intensity of a pennant race could spark him a bit, and it wouldn't surprise me if he provided the Sox some offensive help down the stretch.

However ...

From what I've read , the White Sox appear interested in playing Griffey in center field, and that would be a disastrous mistake. No area of Griffey's game has eroded more than his defensive play. He is overweight and his knees are completely shot (he had fluid drained from one a few weeks ago). He relies strictly on his instincts, which serve him well, but he covers very little ground and will put severe pressure on the Sox' corner outfielders. Griffey really is a DH, but that spot in Chicago is held by Jim Thome, so that's out. If the Sox are intent on moving Paul Konerko to the bench and putting Nick Swisher at first, they apparently want Griffey in center.

His bat could help. But his defense will not.