To be honest, I'm glad the Reds finally traded Griffey. His injury problems were just too much of a liability. I just wish they would've gotten better players for him...but that probably speaks to his value right now.

Tom, can you imagine the numbers Junior would have put up had he not been injured all those years in Cinncy (and some in Seattle)? I don't think 700 HR would've been out of the question.

I tell ya something else too. I worked for the agency that did the M's ads here in Seattle after Griff was traded, and there were countless people who told me that, when it came to working out, well...let's just say his pregame ritual involved an armchair and a remote. Hence, the theory went, a lot of those hammy pulls/strains/tears, etc. Nice guy, even a great guy from all accounts! But not so much for stretching in any serious way.

(BTW: Nice job over at Blue today. I swear to God you'd have an easier time holding a discussion with a wall.)

OMG, you're right, 700 HR was easily within reach. As far as working hard, that apple fell a long way from the tree, and that's really not too surprising given the lifestyle he must've had. I'm presuming a lot here, but I'm imagining he didn't have to work too hard in his private life. Not only that, but he had so much talent, he didn't have to work too hard at baseball either.

I agree with you that he's a great guy as well. He was brought up right in that regard; his dad is a great guy, too.

Regarding Lee. (Insert big sigh here...) You know, I would bet you that face-to-face, he's an alright guy. (Maybe I'm wrong, but I do try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.) It's just so sad that he can't put aside the politics while he's online and drop the facade and just admit when he's wrong. He doesn't even try to reach any common ground with anybody. It's not like I was trying to convince him the economy is all roses and moonbeams, for crying out loud. He is the epitome of the liberal who twists everything into his own reality so that his psyche doesn't fall apart. He won't get any respect from anyone around here unless he learns humility--to admit when he's wrong, and make an attempt to reach a common ground with someone and have an honest discussion. I'm not even sure a liberal economist could've convinced him the actual definition of a recession today. I honestly am starting to feel sorry for the guy. If he is like that face-to-face, he deserves the sympathy, because his life has to be awfully crappy socially. Even if he does bring it upon himself.

FYI, I was at my golf league tonight. How is it I can shoot par one night, and on another night make 2 tiny mistakes that costs me 5 strokes? I got GOLFED!!!! :-)

OK, Lee finally responded to your last comment. I'm going to paste my final comment here for posterity's sake. You know, just in case it gets deleted and/or I get banned:

Wow. Having a discussion with Lee is like talking to Yogi Berra. If only the Aflac Duck were here to express my reaction to Lee's comments and arguments today.

Oh wait!!! Thanks to the magic of YouTube, he is here!!!! Yay!!!!!

If I do get banned, I'll wear it as a badge of honor. I can't believe Mantis got banned, but we haven't yet. Makes no sense.

Wow. I'm really sorry I went so far off topic. So who got the most out of this deal? The Reds or the White Sox? The Reds got to unload a contract and an injury-prone, aging outfielder, but got two nobody's. The White Sox received a contract and yet another outfielder.

Which begs another question. Which of the outfielders in that list from the White Sox is most likely to be unloaded?

And I forgot to add to my last sentence, "...in the off-season?"

You know, I would bet you that face-to-face, he's an alright guy. (Maybe I'm wrong, but I do try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.)

Totally admirable on your part. And I once thought that, too. I even tried conversing with him as we share a common heart ailment (we both have stents). He never responded, and that's cool, I suppose. But my impression was that it likely pained him beyond reproach to have something, even a medical condition, in common with a Republican. (lol).

I honestly am starting to feel sorry for the guy. If he is like that face-to-face, he deserves the sympathy, because his life has to be awfully crappy socially. Even if he does bring it upon himself.

Sadly, when I was a liberal growing up in the Bay Area, a lot of my liberal friends were just like this. These people are amazingly insular, and typically only talk to people who share similar POVs. Anything or anyone who questions or challenges their views, is ostracized and dismissed almost without haste. (I still have this happen to me by friends in the Bay Area!)

You're right, it is kind of sad. I just have trouble feeling sympathetic for people who can't see or at least admit their faults and shortcomings. God knows I have 'em in spades.

Now onto more fun topics...

FYI, I was at my golf league tonight.

"Your golf league?"

How is it I can shoot par one night, and on another night make 2 tiny mistakes that costs me 5 strokes? I got GOLFED!!!! :-)

In golf, I believe that's formerly called "throwing up on yourself". LOL!

I shot 78 in one round then, in the very round, shot 95. Why? 8 f-ing trips into lateral hazards--3 times on the same hole in one instance.

I can't believe Mantis got banned, but we haven't yet. Makes no sense.

A remarkable act of "editing" by Lee. Just proof that they eat their own, maybe?

Mantis s/b Blue editor.

Wow. I'm really sorry I went so far off topic. So who got the most out of this deal? The Reds or the White Sox? The Reds got to unload a contract and an injury-prone, aging outfielder, but got two nobody's. The White Sox received a contract and yet another outfielder.

Which begs another question. Which of the outfielders in that list from the White Sox is most likely to be unloaded?

I think it's a wash, honestly--for the very reasons you give.

As for your question, that's a tough one. Here's what I think:

First, keep Quentin. He's young, cheap from a budget perspective and is finally realizing his talent.

Here's where things get tricky. Dye is getting old, but is still darn productive and a good guy in the clubhouse. Swisher has oodles of talent but may have reached his peak two years ago and now you can only hope for than .250/24/85...and that's a big maybe. And how valuable is that? So i Swisher going and maybe coverting Josh Fields (currently floundering in the minors as a 3B behind Joe Crede) to OF. Shouldn't be that hard of a transition.

A MUCH bigger question: What to do about the Reds??? So much incredible, exciting and young talent on that team (Bruce, Votto, Phillips, Volquez, Cueto) and it's not coming together! And, my God, what happened to Harang this year? Sheesh.

I'll tell you this: Dunn is the next to go.

I live in Cincinnati and worked with a gentleman whose father coached him and Ken Griffey Jr. in Little League way back when. He said it was amazing how great a PITCHER he was -but that he never needed to stretch or run or .... you get the idea. Unfortunately it looks as if it finally caught up with him - but not before he was the greatest player in baseball for the better part of a decade. (Right before he returned home to Cincinnati ....sigh)