Ken Griffey, Jr: It Could Be a Sad Day in Cincinnati

I turned on the local news today and they were showing Ken Griffey, Jr.'s home run from last night. The three-run homer put the Reds up 5-0 and they went on to a 9-5 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak.

But this isn't why they were showing it on the news. They were showing it because today, sadly, Ken Griffey, Jr. may be traded to the Chicago White Sox.

And I felt my eyes water...

Ken Griffey, Jr. has now hit the 608th home run in his career. That puts him one away from tying Sammy Sosa with 609. And Reds fans have been waiting awhile now to see Griffey hit 609, but now that privilege could belong to White Sox fans.

No. 608 could be the last home run Griffey hits as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. The leader and face of the team for the past five years will be going elsewhere to finish his career.

I'm happy for Griffey, he deserves to be apart of a team good enough to win the World Series, and the Reds aren't even good enough to finish above .500. But I'm selfish and I want to see him finish his career in Cincinnati.

No longer will Reds fans be able to see the great duo of Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr. No longer will Moeller students and grads be able to watch a fellow Crusader play the sport he loves in the town he grew up in.

No longer will Ken Griffey, Jr. be seen in the outfield with that great smile of his. No longer will Ken Griffey, Jr. be a Cincinnati Red.

The top-selling Reds jersey is that of No. 3, Ken Griffey, Jr. And the 30,000 plus fans who come to Great American Ball Park each and every day of the season come to see No. 3, Ken Griffey Jr. And I speak on behalf of every Reds fan when I say that Griffey will always have a home in Cincinnati, and that we will miss him and wish him the best of luck for the rest of his career.

In the modern era of baseball, full of controversy and steroids, Ken Griffey, Jr. has shown how to play the game right, and one day No. 3 will be retired in Cincinnati and Griffey will be a proud member of the Hall of Fame.