Go 2 Guy: Come on, give Griffey a break -- and a worthy reception

You might have heard that Ken Griffey Jr. is coming back this weekend. When Griffey is reintroduced to Mariners fans, what will the reaction be? It's amazing that this question yielded contrasting answers from readers.

I presumed Griffey would receive a hero's welcome, a five-minute standing ovation and a unified tip of the cap from everyone in attendance. Won't there be goose bumps? Won't there be tears?

There sure should be. He saved baseball here. How can it not be an emotional evening? Can't we all say thanks to The Kid?

You slice it how you want to slice it; this is how it's sliced here -- Ken Griffey Jr. is the best baseball player I've ever seen. Name a better one. Name one who would have had better stats than Griffey if he hadn't gotten hurt so often. The home run record would be his, not Barry Bonds'.

And you know about his defense -- he was as good or better than Willie Mays. This, from someone who idolized the Giants center fielder and named the Go 2 Pup after him.

As a sportswriter, I'm supposed to be objective and all of that kind of stuff, but I'll be honest, before that happened, I was a kid who was raised here, a kid who was crushed when the Pilots left town after one season.

When the Mariners were threatening to leave in the early '90s, those same old bad feelings about the Pilots came back. I remember going to St. Petersburg, Fla., to report on the possibility of the Mariners moving there, and it seemed closer to reality than not.

Griffey came along and put balls and people in the seats, turning what was said to be a bad baseball town into a terrific one. I want to thank Griffey for a lot of things, mostly for being so much fun to watch. Did you not expect him to unload every time he stepped into the batter's box? Or when there was a shot to the gap, with Dave Niehaus shouting "Junior's on his horse!" did you not expect him to beat the throw?

Let's say you were mad at him when he left after the '99 season. Hasn't enough time passed to let it go? It's been nearly eight years. The old saying refers to "all wounds," not "some wounds." If you've still got 'em, heal 'em in a hurry -- it's not worth holding a Griffey grudge, not this weekend.

Friday night, Griffey's return will be the lead story on ESPN's SportsCenter. Wouldn't it be great if the highlights show Griffey raising his cap to cheering Mariners fans and being moved by the moment?

Here's hoping that will happen. Here's also hoping that Griffey hits at least one home run, preferably three, and if they're game-winners, so be it.

GRIFFEY GEMS: Eighteen years ago, Griffey homered to left on the first pitch he saw in his first game at the Kingdome with his mom watching behind home plate. "Not bad for a home opener," Birdie Griffey said at the time. ... That same day, parking cost $5 at the Kingdome, hot dogs cost $1.75 and peanuts were $1.50. ... Griffey is having a house built in Orlando, Fla., with a 10-car garage, which figures. He's always loved cars, especially fast ones. As a 17-year-old, he hit a top speed of 155 mph in his BMW on the way to spring training in Tempe, Ariz., from Cincinnati. ... On the first day he got his driver's license, he totaled his dad's Mercedes, failing to negotiate a snowy turn. He and his girlfriend were uninjured, but Griffey cried for hours, upset at himself for disappointing his dad. ... A memorable Griffey quote to his dad at a poster shoot that first season: "I recall you said you'd buy me all the things you didn't have. And I recall you didn't have a Ferrari." Griffey is in the eighth year of a nine-year, $116.5 million contract with the Reds. His salary his first year with the Mariners? The league minimum of $68,000.

FANS SPEAK: Earlier this week, Smith Sinclair e-mailed to say he is still upset at Griffey for remarks he made about Safeco Field on Opening Night in 1999. Sinclair criticized Griffey for being selfish and said he would never forgive him. Readers were asked if they were in Sinclair's camp or the one that will salute Griffey.

From Charlie Jensen: "People seem to forget that Griffey signed two contract extensions when the Mariners really needed him. He waited until the franchise was on solid footing before bolting for Cincy. I miss Griffey and all that he did for baseball in Seattle and only wish him the best."

From Jerry Carson: "Did I think Junior was a great player? Yes! I just did not like the way he treated the fans of Seattle when he left town. The fans here adored him, and he was too spoiled to even know that."

From Don Varyu of Redmond: "During the height of his career, Griffey played in a charity basketball game at Lake Washington High. My 11-year-old son won a raffle for an autographed Griffey basketball. Except that it wasn't autographed.

"Griffey told him he would sign it after the game, but with two minutes left, we watched as Griffey darted out a back door. Life is full of lessons, and I guess this was one for my son -- he lost quite a bit of innocence in that moment."

From Eric Knoben: "As a batboy for the Tacoma Rainiers, I am always amused when fans praise a player's integrity or character. Yet, they do not encounter that player on a day-to-day basis. ... I will not believe that Griffey is the greatest person to grace this earth. Greatest athlete? Quite possibly."

From Todd Gordon of Lynnwood: "Smith Sinclair is an idiot! Being able to watch one of the greatest center fielders of all time for 10-plus years was a privilege and a rarity. My son and I got to witness amazing catch after amazing catch, majestic home runs and a swing as smooth as 18-year-old Scotch."

From Chuck Cretin of Anacortes: "I am in Sinclair's camp ... Griffey was probably one of the greatest natural talents to come along. But he struck out far too many times for someone of his talent. I'd love to see a stat on how many times he left a runner on third base with less than two outs. No matter what the game situation was, he always swung for the fence."

From Daniel Hutzenbiler: "I'm ecstatic to see Junior come back. I grew up in southwest Washington watching the Braves on TBS and the Cubs on WGN. I was aware of the Mariners but didn't follow them. That changed with Griffey. If I saw him come to bat, everything else around me ceased to matter. I'm going to the game on Friday, and I'll give him a huge ovation. Everyone there should recognize that perhaps the biggest reason they're able to enjoy a major league game at a wonderful stadium is the guy playing right field for the Reds."

From Julian Gonzales of Orcas Island: "For every odd remark, there was a collision at the wall, a game-saving catch, a walk-off homer or a steal to keep a rally alive. Mr. Smith, stay home this weekend because the rest of us will be enjoying a family reunion of sorts. Cynical jerks like yourself need not attend."