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Ken Griffey Jr. in a Sox uniform? I'm stoked

Mike Downey | In the wake of the news
August 1, 2008

I zipped over to the Web sites as fast as my fingers could type Thursday to find out if it was fiction or fact.

Cincinnati Enquirer, 9:47 a.m.: "Reds trade Griffey."

Not might trade. No "trade Griffey?" with a question mark. Did trade.

And to the White Sox yet!

Mike Downey Mike Downey Bio | E-mail | Recent columns

The Tribune, 9:36 a.m.: "Griffey headed to Sox."

Excellent news. I was stoked.

Oh, that Ken Williams, always something up his sleeve. If not an ace, then a king.

Ken Griffey Jr., in center field at the Cell?

A cause to rejoice—set off the fireworks.

If you can get a guy who has more home runs than Frank Robinson, Mark McGwire, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, Ernie Banks and Lou Gehrig, hallelujah and amen.

I began to picture it.

Griffey in between Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye in the outfield?

OK, so maybe it wouldn't be the defensive equivalent of Reed Johnson in left, Jim Edmonds in center and Kosuke Fukudome in right, but it'll do. (Dye has been playing a mean right field, in fact.)

Ah, but Griffey right behind Quentin and Dye in the batting order? I like the sound of that.

Followed by Jim Thome sixth, Paul Konerko or Nick Swisher seventh and Joe Crede (as soon as he comes back) eighth? Pitchers will swallow their seeds and gum.

Could this be true?

Uh, oh:

ESPN, 10 a.m.: "Griffey to ChiSox: Will He Agree?"

Major League Baseball's authorized site, 10:20 a.m.: "Griffey to White Sox, pending OK."

Oh, no.

Related topic galleries: Ted Williams, Paul Konerko, Joe Crede, Bobby Jenks, Carlos Quentin, Lou Gehrig, Jim Thome

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

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