24 is the new 21 don't you know...

We all know that if you've ever played Blackjack you don't want to go over 21 or you bust. I'm quite glad that the trade that came to me this week has a guy who's favorite player wore #24. One of the newer blog sensations is TJ who is a Junior Junkie. I recently sent him a small box with a couple of extra Griffey's I had laying around (you get a few cards of Ken when you are a Mariners collector). He in turn sent me a small flat rate box packed with all kinds of M's cards. The most important cards were definitely these 4 babies!

The last 3 cards I needed to finish off the 1991 Upper Deck Update cards. I really thought those three might be the death of me since they seem to be ones I don't see around very often. I was not surprised to find a 98 UD Griffey I needed too. Who wouldn't think that a Junior collector wouldn't come through with some of his cards. Also in the mammoth box was some cards of my favorite current Mariner in Kyle Seager. I don't know why, but this kid is one I really like and think he might have the chance to do some good stuff.

Not to be outdone, there was a few cards that hearken back to when I first became a Mariners fan. I found the team in the summer of 1982, when I came to the Seattle area with my grandmother when she moved here. It was a nice vacation from living in the desert in the 110 degree summers. There was rarely too many games on TV back then, but I would listen to Dave Niehaus on the radio and became a Mariners fan, and some of these guys were the first ones I got to know.

Not to be outdone by putting cards to knock down the Super Set, TJ included a couple of cards from my favorite Mariner still to this day. There is a reason why he is still known as Mr. Mariner. While I have no disrespect for his favorite guy in Ken, I still believe the Mariners need to do the right thing as an organization and retire #21 for Alvin as the first number to be retired. Alvin came in to the team after Ken Phelps broke his hand in the third game of the season. All Alvin did was become an All Star and win ROY in 1984 with teammate Mark Langston finishing second. We would be with Seattle through 1991, only to be released at play a season closer to home in Riverside, CA with the Angels. I have a special place for these Alvin's.

In about the middle of all the Mariner goodness was this beauty. While I'm not a guy who goes after autos, relics or any of that stuff, It always cool to get one just to say I have in my collection. This a pretty nice one of a guy that had promise but injuries have derailed him. Adam Moore was going to be the catching savior that Jeff Clement couldn't be. We've only really ever had one good catcher in Dan Wilson. Adam showed promise in the appearances he made, but after continuing to tear parts of his knees it all went downhill. What good is a catcher if his knees are shot? Adam was let go last year, and caught on with the Royals, but is in their camp this spring as an NRI.

If you have any cards of Ken, whether they be Seattle, Cincinnati, or White Sox send them down to Louisiana way. I also know that if you have cards of players that were born in the Bayou State or the Saints he would be happy to see those too. I might have to put together some Who Dat's for him since I have a stockpile of stuff from when my cousin was a Saint for 5 seasons. Gigantic thanks again to TJ and go see him and see if you can hook him up too...

Not to end the fun there, I was the victim of the highly common PWE Bombs that are sweeping the nation. I think everyone knows the sneakiness of Wes who runs Jaybarkerfan's Junk. You open your mailbox and BOOM! there are random cards you weren't expecting. I got an envelope that contained the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I would classify Mark Lowe and Sean Green as the good. Jeff Harris was bad, he just wasn't all that great and somebody had to be the bad guy. Sorry Jeff. I won't hide my disdain for this guy and will always call him the ugly stain on the M's franchise. The Orioles gave us a worthless Erik Bedard, and got some damn good players in return. I don't even know what happen to Erik, nor do I care. I just want Adam Jones back so we could have a good center fielder. We haven't had one since this guy on his old school looking card. But Mike has to share company with an old card in Mark Langston and his spring training mesh back hat.

Big thanks to Wes for some random M's from all over the board. Keep an eye on your mailbox because you never know where he might strike next. It could be you, or any other of the great bloggers and traders out there who get free cards at any time without warning!!

Like hugging a cactus

Yesterday was the day that the Mariners new special assistant showed up to spring training. Ken Griffey came to camp yesterday and held an impromptu news conference. I don't know if he meant to be a jerk, or if it just seems that way. Here is a transcript of the meeting with the media from Seattle Times Larry Stone:

"I'm only going to do this one time, and this will be the last time I talk about it.


"Last year, I felt it was necessary for me to remove myself from the team due to, I told Chuck and Howard, No. 1, if I become a distraction or feel I'm going to be a distraction, then I will retire. Because that's the one thing I didn't want to become is a distraction to the organization.

"Second, I gave myself a little bit of a head start. A lot of people that are friends of mine would have tried to talk me out of it. I just felt it was best for me and the organization to retire. No fault of its own. Things happen. I'm not upset. I think people thought I was upset. That wasn't the case. I just felt it was more important for me to retire, and instead of being a distraction...it no longer became the Seattle Mariners. It became when is Ken doing this. When it Ken doing that. That's something that I didn't want to have my teammates who I truly care about have to answer these kinds of questions day in and day out.

"With that being said, I'm happy to be back. I'm glad that the Mariners gave me an opportunity to be part of the future and what goes on from here on out. I'm looking forward to the challenges. I think it's going to be fun.
What are your duties? "I think me coming to spring training, it's just a matter of what they need me to do. Jay's here, that's going to help me out, he's done this a couple of times. I'll follow Jay's coattails, then I'll drag him on the road a couple of times."

Are you going to work with the minor leaguers? "That was part of the plan, to be able to travel and go see the guys. Being in the organization at age 17, you don't really know the ins and outs. Now I get an opportunity to go spend some time with the kids and give them my opinion on things and the way I see things."

When you retired, did you feel you still had anything left in the tank? "That's not important. The important thing is, it was time. That's all that needs to be said."

Do you think you could have been talked out of your decision? "Those are what if question. I wanted to not be a distraction, it became a distraction. I did what was best for myself and the team."

Reflect on your career: "Just go out and play as hard as I could every day. That's the only thing that is important to me."

Have you spoken to Don Wakamatsu since you retired? "No."

Why you're not if not upset: "My phone rings. That's just the way it is."

Was it hard when you were driving home? "Yeah. I've been a professional since I was 17. You look at it, I had four days after I graduated from high school. People think it's easy, blah blah blah, it's not an emotional day. Yeah, it's emotional. It was best for me. I've always said I'm not going to have a big old press conference, but I guess people didn't believe me. That's not my fault. I always try to tell people the truth. I said I wasn't going to have a press conference and I didn't. No fault of its own. I just didn't think having a press conference is one of the things I really like to do."

Was it a relief when you got home? "It was just one of those things. You just don't stop becoming a dad. It was straight dad mode, picking the kids up and things like that. I had the two days to drive to think about what was going on. But once I got home it was, what do I have to do to make my kids life's easier."

Did it bother you that some fans didn't like the way you left? "I mean, you want me to apologize for something I felt was right? I felt it was right for me to leave. I'm not going to do it. It was not intended to hurt people. It was a decision I made that 15 years ago. It wasn't like it was something you guys hadn't heard before. I mean, you guys have heard it from day one. There are some people that are upset, and there are some people that are not. I can't worry about it. I had to do what I thought was best for me."

Was it weird being home in the summer? "Yeah, it was weird. I had to do what was best, drive a car to Atlanta, be around the kids and do their things. Just because a part of my life is over, I still have other parts that don't stop, and that's raising kids."

How long did it take to digest? "I don't know. You sort of get used to it now. I've been home for, what, nine months."

At what point did you reach your decision?"When I felt I was a distraction to the ball club."

Was that the day you left? "I don't know. I do know, but I'm not answering."

Are you sorry you came back in 2010, in retrospect? "No. No. I mean, things happen. No fault of its own. Things happen. I got to meet some great people last year. Am I sorry? No. If I wouldn't have done it, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet some of the people in Seattle I did meet, who still call me to this day. So, no, I'm not sorry I came back."

Is it odd to be here without Dave Niehaus? "Yeah, it's odd. If someone tell you it isn't, it is. You're definitely looking around, not seeing those white shoes, those tight pants he wears, that semi-tight shirt, and that voice. I think that's the biggest thing, that voice saying hello, teasing you, having a good time at the ballpark. That's the thing that the guys who have been here over the years is going to miss. Even the guys that have only been here a year or so are going to miss it too. I've known him since I was 17. Like I said in Seattle, he was like a grandfather to a lot of guys. He was one to me. I'm going to miss that. You're not going to be able to replace that. You can replace a player, but that voice, you can't do it. It's going to take 50 people. Even those 50, it's not going to be the same."

Was there ever any question you would come back to the organization? "No. This is the organization I grew up in. If there was going to be an opportunity for me to be in baseball, it was going to be here. I got an opportunity to get a chance to do it. It's a lot of learning, because it is a little different. I'm still going to be the same person. I'm not going to change. You're going to now exactly how I feel. It's a chance to help kids get better. That's the one thing. You guys that have known me throughout my whole career. It's not that I'm jealous of anybody. If you work hard, you're going to get things. If you don't work hard, you're not. That's the things I'm going to express to young kids, that hard work doesn't start in the game. Hard work starts the night before."
Will you be doing broadcasting (asked by Rick Rizzs): "I'll go up there with you a couple of times, but it's going to cost you."

Will they call you coach: "My pop Warner football team did. I was coach Griffey, coach junior, coach ken. Some of them said, you just play baseball, what do you know about football? Try to answer that from an 8 year old, it's kind of tough. But we did well. No, Junior. I'm not going to change."

What will be your first lesson: "Just go out and play. The biggest thing is going out and playing baseball. That's it. Play baseball. Like I tell everybody, the game doesn't change from 7 to 8. Just the stands change. The people in the stands. The game is still played the same. You catch, hit throw. And it's how you execute that counts."

Will you wear a uniform the rest of spring? "No, I get a chance to hang out in street clothes. I don't think Rizzy would like me doing the broadcast in full uni."

When was the last time you swung a bat? "Two weeks ago in the Philippines. I went over there and did some US ambassadorship camps. I actually was at the same field Babe Ruth and a couple of other guys hit some home runs. I hit a few out. It was good. It was fun. We ran seven camps in four days. In between 75 to 125 kids, ranging from age 7 to 20. Had some kids who can really play baseball over there. A couple of girls softball teams were really unbelievable. They've got some kids who can play. It was very refreshing to go out there and not worry about what's right and what's wrong, just go out and teach. We had a blast. I didn't get a chance to go where Ali fought. They asked me to come back again, and I said that's the one spot I'd like to go." It was fun. I really want to thank everybody... Even the Mariners helped out by telling me, you have prior obligations, go there and do that before you come here. Just come here when you can, and I was able to do it. And I'm here.

Wedge wants you to remind players of Mariners history: For the most part, it's baseball history, period, no matter what organization. Sometimes you forget who was here before you to help you out. I was fortunate growing up having guys like Joe Black and Brooks Lawrence and those guys at my house. Telling me about baseball. Willie Mays being at the house. People forget about that. It is different a little bit, it's just a mentality, but baseball hasn't changed. It's going out and playing. To have guys who have been through some of the things these guys are going to go through gives them a little heads up and a little warning, if you do right and do things well, you're going to be rewarded. If you're not, you're not going to make it. Everyone is here with one goal and that's to make it to the big leagues and ultimately play for a world championship. That doesn't start right when you get here. The preparation is the night before, or the off season before you get here."

Will you come out of retirement like Michael Jordan? "I was thinking about that in basketball. I was think about going to basketball. Much safer."

Is your commitment to the Mariners open-ended? "I still got the Woody Woodward contract for Trey, so it's around that. I think you have to look at it, I've been with this organization since I was 17. Whatever I can do, on and off the field, I'm going to do it."

While reading it doesn't sound too awful, the video that came from it shows the demeanor and tone in his voice better here. I know that some will defend Ken to the end, but I think he needs to be a little more humble, and embrace the fans that wanted him to be here instead of being high and mighty. He might have been this at one time:

But is becoming this now:

Big Whooptie Doo

I know this will sound like blasphemy to some, but should I be excited that Ken Griffey Jr. is coming back to the Mariners? Here is the press release from the Mariners yesterday:
SEATTLE, WA - Seattle Mariners President & Chief Operating Officer Chuck Armstrong announced today that Ken Griffey Jr. has accepted the position of Special Consultant to the franchise, effective immediately. "Ken has been steadfast in his desire to continue his relationship with the Mariners since his return to Seattle in 2009," Armstrong said. "We have designed a position that will allow Ken to continue to help the franchise succeed on, and off, the field by consulting with a variety of departments here at the Mariners."
"I'm looking forward to staying very involved with the Mariners, working with the players throughout the organization, staying involved with the community and assisting in other areas of the organization," Griffey said. "It's an exciting time and I'm appreciative of the opportunity." Griffey will be involved in numerous areas of the Mariners franchise including, but not limited to, Major League Baseball Operations, player development, our minor league system, marketing, broadcasting and community relations. Griffey is expected to join the club in Peoria, Arizona, for a portion of Spring Training working in both Major League and minor league camp. He will make trips to Seattle during the 2011 season, as well as visiting most or all of Seattle's minor league affiliates during the year.

I really don't know what he has to offer to the young kids? The last time times got tough here last year, he packed up and quit on his team.

He is arrogant, and thinks he is better than everyone else. I guess he can do community relations because people still gush over him. Ken decided that 12 years ago he didn't like Seattle anymore. He strong-armed a trade to Cincinnati. Then before the 2009 season no one wanted him, but the Mariners needed something to get people to come back to Safeco Field. Enter the White Knight. We will see how this goes, but I for one could care less.

Highlight finds

I stopped by a local card store on Friday to pick up some supplies. When I got there they had a sign outside that said Vintage Card Blowout Sale. That got me excited. I go in and find that the vintage stuff is boxes and sets from 1988-1991. WOW, is that considered vintage now?? Anyways, all the "vintage " boxes and sets were $9.95, buy 5 get 1 free. How could I pass up that kind of deal? One of the boxes I bought was an 1989 Bowman box. I was able to pull cards for some of my player collections: Tony Gwynn, Dale Murphy, and Alvin Davis. The genius behind the counter says, "the 89 Bowman is the way to go. If you can pull a few of the Griffey rookies, you'll make your money back. They book at $8 a piece." First off, I'm not looking to make a fortune here, and who goes by book value? I was hoping for my players I like and maybe some Mariners to add to the pile. I did end up pulling one of these:

Is this the beginning of the road to millions?? If any one has some needs from 89 Bowman, I might be able to help, they are available for any Mariners that could help on the super set.

He's outta here!!

Just announced at 4:45 PDT by the Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. has announced his retirement. I never have been a big Griffey fan in the first or second go-around with the team, but it's sad to see him go out this way. This year has been just dismal for him. It would have been nice to see him go out last year to the love and not all the scrutiny. He is sure to be a first ballot hall of famer. He will be the first player to go in wearing a Mariners hat. Good luck in your endeavors, Ken.