Ken Griffey Jr.: Baseball's Unsung Hero

On Nov. 21, 1969, George Kenneth Griffey Jr. was born in Donora, Pennsylvania.  His father, George Kenneth Griffey Sr., was already a star in Major League Baseball. I'm sure he, as any dad would, thought that his pedigree as a player would lend itself to raising a son who could one day play in the big show, too. 

I bet he didn't think he would raise one of the most prolific home run sluggers in Major League Baseball history.

What bothers me is, I just don't think Junior gets the recognition he deserves. I mean, does he have to cheat like Bonds? Does he have to pump steroids in his veins or swallow them by the mouthful so his muscles swell up like balloons? Maybe he is too good of a husband and father. 

Does he have to beat the crap out of his wife and kids for the fans and media to take notice, like a few other players whose names I won't mention? I mean, what is it? OK, I'm sick of questions, as I'm sure you are to by now.

Let's look at some facts. 

Griffey has missed a lot of games through no fault of his own.  He doesn't take muscle enhancers to protect his body from taking a beating. He would rather play fair and take the beating, but that has cost him a lot of games—719 over 20 years to be exact.

Over 20 years, he has averaged 30.55 home runs a year, so the injuries have cost him 168 home runs! Now, you add that to the 611 he already has and you've got 779 homers.

Now that's impressive.

Alright, that brings us to RBI. If you multiply his average of 88.6 per season by that same 20-year period, the grand total equals 1,772. Adding in the 908 he presumably missed out on while suffering through injuries for five and a half seasons, Griffy lays claim to 2,680 runs batted in, a number that surely catches the eye.

But alas, Griffey boasts 799 home runs no more than the 2,680 RBI, which brings me to my point: Had he chosen to cheat like Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and all the others, can you imagine what Griffey could have done?

I mean, Larry Walker winning home run titles? And c'mon, people, in a 20-year career Griffey has only actually played 14 and a half seasons. And what he does have? 611 home runs and 1,772 RBI. That's very impressive in its own rite.

But the one aspect of his career that is not up for dispute happens to be the one thing that matters most to George Kenneth Griffey Jr.: the undaunted respect of his peers.

Junior can wake up in the morning and look into the eyes of his wife and children without shame.

Most importantly, he can look into the mirror and smile at the husband, father, player, and man peering back at him.

I know he will be elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He should be voted in unanimously.