This FO group is smart and they don’t care what everybody else thinks. They know it’s a bad idea and they won’t do it.

I don’t really see where everyone is getting these indications that he’ll be this 25th man, only 40-50 starts deal. (Unless the FO slipped something out at the LL/USSM meetup) Until something gives me an indication that Junior is indeed the LF bat off the bench (Like for example, Wak or Z mentions that Langerhans is gonna be given an expanded role or The Front office signs a FA like Nady or Winn) I’m assuming 80 to 90 starts

Although as graham said in the other thread, it’s all opinions.

I like Don Wakamatsu – I really do, but for me anyway, he certainly made his share of questionable lineup decisions last year, and I’m not sure I’d put it past him to overuse Griffey. We’ll see.

Griffey started 102(?) games last year (91 as DH). I voted for “80-110” due to reading the numbers wrong (though he started 117 games when that’s the number of games he’s appeared in). It’s probably somewhere between “50-80” for this coming season.

He’ll get DH starts when Bradley needs a day off, plus the occasional pinch-hit.

But I would venture his actual performance will greatly affect his playing time. Hopefully if he plays more it’s because he’s producing.

Or something went oh so right?….. Jr. did tell wak he is coming back “cut”! Jr. had his crappiest year by far last season and i doubt hes gonna repeat the same numbers i see him having numbers closer to what he did a few years back, even at his age you may be the only one capable of hit 30+ hrs this year.

Legs drive the ball, Jr. had 19 homeruns in less than 400 abs with bum knees he had surgery to fix the knee problem hes working out, if he can get his bat speed up he will be just fine im sure he doesnt want to go out on a bad note hes well aware that he was a dissapointment last year and hes doing everything he can to be a productive player this year.

Kind of like DH? I bet Wak writes him into that spot almost every game.

Really? Seems like he’s better suited to an interrobang.

is that the most for one of these?

Here’s why I think Griffey will start much more than many expect. The biggest reason for me is that Milton Bradley will be our everyday left fielder. Even a bad year for Bradley is much better than what Saunders did last year and personally if he stays healthy I think Wak and Griff will keep his head right and Milton will have a great year (somewhere around .280 and 20 HRs). Second, reports are that Griffey has lost five pounds thus far and his repaired knee is pain free. He hit 19 HRs last year with very few at bats and being healthier can only help him. Obviously he still could get injured and be out for the year but it seems that he is getting in better shape. Lastly he will actually have some better hitters around him this year. He will have better hitters in front of him and behind him because of the off season moves of adding figgins and milton to the lineup. I still expect him to walk a lot because he is very discipline at the plate but last year sadly teams would actually pitch around the .220 hitting griffey because most of our lineup he actually was somewhat of a threat to leave the yard. I predict Griffey to start about 110 games and pinch hit frequently in the games that he does not start in and produce about a .245 AVG with 24HRs. Most will say I’m a hopeless romantic but I think this year is a better situation for him to succeed and there have been other 40 year olds to succeed in this league and Griffey is better than the majority of them.

First off I want Milton to be the everyday left fielder because he is a better hitter and better outfielder. I have a friend that works in the scouting office for the Mariners and he says that Saunders is a zoo in the outfield and takes horrible routes and gets bad jumps on balls. He was even iffy on how good a hitter Saunders will develop into. The thought was that he needs to develop more in AAA. As far as Griffey’s health I didn’t track the comments about his health last year but it seems that a 39 year old with out a team would probably not be very motivated to work out. This year a 40 year old desperately wanting a ring and playing for a team that just added one of the best left handed pitchers in baseball plus chone figgins would be much more motivated to work out. I realize that he’s never been a great care-taker of his body and thats largely why he isn’t with out question the best player of his era but if there was an off season that he did turn it up a few notches I would think this would be the one.

But let me throw another concept at ya’ll.

Let’s say Griff is healthier than he’s been in years. He knows this is either his last year or very close to it. The team is confidant and happy and he regresses to a time when he was MVP style stud. Suddenly, the bat speed is back, the team is dominating and he wants that series ring. He brings it from the DH, he brings it from the pitch hit spot and suddenly they have to bring out a second candy bar cause he’s just that awesome.

It’s Ken Griffey Jr. The prodigal son is back. Let’s believe the very best scenario possible. I already love this new team more than any so far. They’re going to make movies about this year.

I am trying to write a post and would really appreciate it if that time did not go into moderating an absolute trainwreck of a thread. So if you all could behave, that would be peachy.

If someone could delete my comment about Langerhans that would be great. I’m sorry for devaluing him on here. I will stop posting but this is my final statement. Many on here think that this team would be better without Griffey and that is because you all are so caught up in the numbers and measurables. Obviously if we could go out and sign a DH that hits .280 with 30 HRs then yes our team would be better but since we don’t have that Griffey is a huge asset to this team. If you are trying to say that Griffey’s presence in the locker room wasn’t a huge influence on why the worst offense in the AL ended up winning 80+ games then you do not understand club house dynamics and chemistry. If you think he didn’t have an impact on Ichiro who was very annoying until last year in that he finally became a team player and actually enjoyed being a mariner then you don’t understand the value he brought. If you think that the Mariners would have been nearly the team they were last year without him than you are someone that does not understand all of the dynamics of the game. I have played college baseball and have coached baseball for years and my dad was a college baseball coach and I know first hand that you can have all the talent in the world but without chemistry you will not win championships. I have seen some very talented teams crumble and very average teams achieve great success because of chemistry and leadership and that is what Griffey brings.

but once due diligence has been done maybe the MagicMike treatment is not uncalled for?