IT'S NO SURPRISE, GRIFFEY IS MVP; MARINER WINS IN IN UNANIMOUS VOTE.Byline: Larry Whiteside Larry 'Sides' Whiteside (September 19 1937 - June 15 2007)[1][2] was a pioneering African American journalist known for his coverage of baseball for a number of American newspapers, most notably The Boston Globe. The Boston Globe At last, he can claim something his father didn't get first. Ken Griffey Ken Griffey may refer to:
One of the two associations of professional baseball teams in the U.S. and Canada designated as major leagues; the other is the National League (NL). . After a season in which he established career highs with 56 home runs and 147 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in , the Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Mariners have played in Safeco Field. outfielder was a unanimous choice of the Baseball Writers Association of America The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers and magazines. The BBWAA was founded in 1908 to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century. on Wednesday, being named first on all 28 ballots and collecting 392 points. Tino Martinez Martinez was the 1st round draft pick for the Seattle Mariners in 1988 out of the University of Tampa where Tino starred during his time on of the New York Yankees  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. , Griffey's former
Mariners teammate, was next with 24 second-place votes and four thirds,
totaling 248 points. Frank Thomas Frank Thomas may refer to:
In winning the MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. , Griffey accomplished something his father - who earned three World Series rings in his 19-year career - never approached, though Ken Sr. did finish ninth in the National League balloting of 1976. Junior led the AL in runs (125), total bases (393) and slugging percentage (.646). He overcame a damaged wrist and made a strong run at Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs until the final weekend. Most would suggest that such feats would be enough to make Griffey and his family happy. Junior knows better. ``He's still on my case,'' he said of his father. ``Last week he asked me if I wanted to borrow his World Series rings. I said no. Hopefully, I'll get mine in 1998.'' Personal achievements are not what he's about, added Griffey, though he has an armful. He finished second in the MVP balloting in 1994, fourth last year, and fifth in 1993. On April 25, he became the fourth-youngest player to reach 250 homers, trailing only Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Mathews and Mel Ott. He also became the sixth major leaguer to total 100 homers in back-to-back seasons, having hit 49 in 1996, and his 1997 total is the eighth highest of all time. But his father, who finished with 159 homers as a .300-hitting outfielder with the Reds and Yankees, among other clubs, still has the most precious prizes. ``There won't be any bragging rights,'' said Junior. ``He still has the trophies and the flags hanging off the mantle. That's what we play baseball for - those flags. That's what I want.'' For the second time in three years, the Mariners won the AL West. They were favored in the playoffs but lost in the first round to Baltimore. That still stings Griffey, whose output was even more remarkable, considering that he was hampered by a wrist injury for the second straight year. ``I always set team goals,'' he said. ``Not personal goals. You talk about the Reds teams in 1975-76 (for whom his father played), and the main thing is that they won. That's what I want to be a part of - a winning tradition. We're going in the right direction as an organization.'' As long as he doesn't have a championship ring, added Griffey, he knows there will be pressure applied by people who won't fully accept his stardom until then. ``I spoke up about it during the summer,'' said Griffey. ``But they weren't complaints. They were feelings that I had. I've heard all my life that I could be better. People would say, `I like you, but . . .' There's always a `but.' It's not fair.'' GRIFFEY. . . BY THE NUMBERS 56: Home runs(x) 125: Runs(x) 147: RBI(x) .304: Average 393: Total bases(x) .646: Slugging percentage(x) (x) Led the American League CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: no caption (Ken Griffey Jr.) Associated Press Box: GRIFFEY . . . BY THE NUMBERS (see text) |
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