There's starting to be a lot of intrigue in two cities about where all-time great Ken Griffey Jr. will decide to play.
It's down to the Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners, and Griffey's longtime agent, Brian Goldberg, e-mailed Sunday morning, "It could go either way.''
While some greats or near-greats are going to be forced to retire in this dreadful free-agent market, it's good to see there's still a place for Griffey, who's great for the game. Actually, two places.
There will be playing time and monetary considerations, as there always are for the Hall of Fame-bound player who hit .249 with 18 home runs and 71 RBIs with the Reds and White Sox while being hampered by a knee injury. But one advantage the Braves have is related to Griffey's well-known love of family.
While Griffey enjoyed a glorious decade-plus in Seattle, the Braves play much closer to the Griffey family, which lives in Orlando, Fla. Plus, the team trains at Disney World, which is only a car ride from his home. And as newspapers in Atlanta and Seattle pointed out Sunday, Griffey's daughter Taryn plays AAU basketball in Georgia.
The Braves, in search of a left-handed hitter, are also considering veteran Garret Anderson. Anderson, the longtime Angel who lives in Southern California, might find the Mariners more convenient. He's also had notable success in the AL West, so he'd be a fit for the Mariners as well. The big advantage Griffey brings over Anderson, especially in Seattle, is as a draw. The Seattle Times said the Mariners could stretch their limited budget for Griffey because he'd bring in some extra revenue in Seattle.
It appears likely that Griffey and Anderson will wind up in Atlanta and Seattle. The big question at this point is which player will end up with which team.
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