Junior deal is a winner
INSIDE PITCH | Griffey hasn't put up big numbers, but Sox have gone 13-6 since he was acquired
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 22, 2008
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<!-- Article By Line -->WITH CHRIS DE LUCA cdeluca@suntimes.com
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Ken Griffey Jr. hadn't been in a White Sox uniform for more than an hour, and manager Ozzie Guillen already felt the need to set the record straight.<!--dropend-->
It was Aug. 1, and Griffey was about to make his debut with the Sox. Guillen was asked if the seventh spot in the lineup would help ease the pressure on Griffey. Guillen was taken aback.
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<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->''Pressure?'' Guillen asked. ''I'm just going to make it clear. Kenny, he didn't come here to save this ballclub. Make sure you guys know. He came here to help this ballclub to get better. If you're going to put pressure, or people in Chicago think Kenny's come here to save this or we're going to be automatic, he doesn't deserve that.
''He just came here to help his teammates to have an opportunity to be in the playoffs. That's his job. He's not going to be carrying the load; he's not going to be blamed. I don't want him to come here and say, 'I'm here, and I'm going to carry you guys.' No. That's not the reason we did it. I think we're going to be better.''
We are now in Day 22 of the Griffey era with the Sox. It's safe to say Griffey -- with his .244 batting average and one home run -- has not exactly been carrying the load.
And with so many other transactions that helped build the 2008 Sox, this wasn't Plan A or even Plan B during the week before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
The Sox' biggest need was another arm for the bullpen (remember, this was before veteran Jose Contreras had been lost for the season because of a torn left Achilles tendon). General manager Ken Williams was targeting Huston Street, then the Oakland Athletics' closer. Those talks got nowhere, so Williams moved to Plan B.
Guillen long has wanted a speed element to his lineup, and the Sox had been eyeing Baltimore Orioles second baseman and leadoff hitter Brian Roberts. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry could have predicted how this would unfold: The Orioles weren't going to move Roberts.
The clock was ticking, and Williams thought he needed something more for his team. He insists his strategy never is to make a move simply for the sake of making a move, but the Sox needed a little extra something. And Griffey was available. The deal came together remarkably fast. The biggest time drag was waiting for Griffey to give his OK.
Was Griffey the Sox' biggest need before the deadline? No way. Are they a better team with Griffey? Absolutely.
He got his first extra-base hit Wednesday, a two-run homer in the Sox' 15-3 pounding of the Seattle Mariners. No, he hasn't carried the team. But you could make a case that he has been something of a savior.
''He's one guy who's going to help this lineup just with his presence,'' Guillen said Wednesday. ''If he starts swinging the bat, obviously it's going to be a dangerous lineup. Obviously, every time Junior's at the plate, he's dangerous. I think he can still swing the bat.''
Since Griffey arrived, the Sox are 13-6. First baseman Paul Konerko had been in the worst slump of his career, prompting Williams to acquire Griffey for insurance as much as anything else. But since Griffey arrived on Aug. 1, Konerko has hit .319 with three home runs and nine RBI.
In 20 more at-bats during July, Konerko had just one home run and five RBI. In fact, he hadn't had more than six RBI during a full month since getting 17 in April.
Nick Swisher is hitting .289 in August. Not bad for a guy coming off a .193 mark in July. Swisher has struck out only five times since Griffey arrived, after striking out 31 times in July.
Konerko and Swisher were the two players who were facing the most potential bench time once Griffey was acquired. They have responded by clutching to their spots in the lineup.
Remember what Guillen said the day Griffey arrived: ''He just came here to help his teammates to have an opportunity to be in the playoffs.''
That is exactly what he has been doing.
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INSIDE PITCH | Griffey hasn't put up big numbers, but Sox have gone 13-6 since he was acquired
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 22, 2008
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<!-- Article By Line -->WITH CHRIS DE LUCA cdeluca@suntimes.com
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->Ken Griffey Jr. hadn't been in a White Sox uniform for more than an hour, and manager Ozzie Guillen already felt the need to set the record straight.<!--dropend-->
It was Aug. 1, and Griffey was about to make his debut with the Sox. Guillen was asked if the seventh spot in the lineup would help ease the pressure on Griffey. Guillen was taken aback.
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- start sidebar --><!-- begin poll --><!-- end poll -->RELATED STORIES
White Sox angling to catch some Rays
<!-- Fact box starts here -->
<!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->''Pressure?'' Guillen asked. ''I'm just going to make it clear. Kenny, he didn't come here to save this ballclub. Make sure you guys know. He came here to help this ballclub to get better. If you're going to put pressure, or people in Chicago think Kenny's come here to save this or we're going to be automatic, he doesn't deserve that.
''He just came here to help his teammates to have an opportunity to be in the playoffs. That's his job. He's not going to be carrying the load; he's not going to be blamed. I don't want him to come here and say, 'I'm here, and I'm going to carry you guys.' No. That's not the reason we did it. I think we're going to be better.''
We are now in Day 22 of the Griffey era with the Sox. It's safe to say Griffey -- with his .244 batting average and one home run -- has not exactly been carrying the load.
And with so many other transactions that helped build the 2008 Sox, this wasn't Plan A or even Plan B during the week before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
The Sox' biggest need was another arm for the bullpen (remember, this was before veteran Jose Contreras had been lost for the season because of a torn left Achilles tendon). General manager Ken Williams was targeting Huston Street, then the Oakland Athletics' closer. Those talks got nowhere, so Williams moved to Plan B.
Guillen long has wanted a speed element to his lineup, and the Sox had been eyeing Baltimore Orioles second baseman and leadoff hitter Brian Roberts. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry could have predicted how this would unfold: The Orioles weren't going to move Roberts.
The clock was ticking, and Williams thought he needed something more for his team. He insists his strategy never is to make a move simply for the sake of making a move, but the Sox needed a little extra something. And Griffey was available. The deal came together remarkably fast. The biggest time drag was waiting for Griffey to give his OK.
Was Griffey the Sox' biggest need before the deadline? No way. Are they a better team with Griffey? Absolutely.
He got his first extra-base hit Wednesday, a two-run homer in the Sox' 15-3 pounding of the Seattle Mariners. No, he hasn't carried the team. But you could make a case that he has been something of a savior.
''He's one guy who's going to help this lineup just with his presence,'' Guillen said Wednesday. ''If he starts swinging the bat, obviously it's going to be a dangerous lineup. Obviously, every time Junior's at the plate, he's dangerous. I think he can still swing the bat.''
Since Griffey arrived, the Sox are 13-6. First baseman Paul Konerko had been in the worst slump of his career, prompting Williams to acquire Griffey for insurance as much as anything else. But since Griffey arrived on Aug. 1, Konerko has hit .319 with three home runs and nine RBI.
In 20 more at-bats during July, Konerko had just one home run and five RBI. In fact, he hadn't had more than six RBI during a full month since getting 17 in April.
Nick Swisher is hitting .289 in August. Not bad for a guy coming off a .193 mark in July. Swisher has struck out only five times since Griffey arrived, after striking out 31 times in July.
Konerko and Swisher were the two players who were facing the most potential bench time once Griffey was acquired. They have responded by clutching to their spots in the lineup.
Remember what Guillen said the day Griffey arrived: ''He just came here to help his teammates to have an opportunity to be in the playoffs.''
That is exactly what he has been doing.
<!-- BlogBurst ContentEnd --><!-- Start Bottom Story --><!--text-->
