Kurkjian predicted on SportsCenter that Ken Griffey, Jr will be traded after getting his 600th dinger. Specifically, he predicted he will "move to the AL so he has a shot at winning a championship".
I found this interesting, for several reasons.
1. The implication, to me anyway, is that he would move to the AL so that he could DH.
2. Then, there's the question of where he would go. There are only a few teams with a legit shot at a ring in the AL. I'll say the Angels, the Indians, the Red Sox, and the Yankees.
3. And there's also the question of where Griffey would consent to go. He went to the Reds to be closer to his family, I think in Florida?
So, who among those four teams both has a need for a lefty DH and would be someplace Griffey would agree to be traded to?
The Halos could use a lefty DH, no doubt about it. But he's moving further away from the family. And I'm pretty sure Grifey is a 10-5 guy, so can veto a trade he doesn't like?
The Tribe already has Travis Hafner...but he's sucking wind, so maybe they'd be willing to move him in order to get Griffey in the lineup? But I doubt they would cut bait on a young Hafner in order to rent an old, fragile Griffey.
The Yankees need to get more left-handed like they need a hole in the head, and they already have a logjam of guys that need to DH. And most of them have NTC protection, so I don't see them agreeing to move to Cincy to accomodate Junior.
The Sox are set with David Ortiz, although I suppose with J.D. Drew down they could always stick Griffey out there in right.
Of the other semi-contenders, Oakland could use the bat, no doubt about it. But they won't contend, much less win, and there's the whole farther-away problem.
The Rays have Hinske and Cliff Floyd, and almost certainly will fall short of the playoffs.
The Tigers don't have a position for him to play, unless they cut Gary Sheffield, and they are looking like they're cooked anyway, and of course they need more pitching before another bat.
Thoughts? Will Griffey move, and where? Why?
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