Where will Ken Griffey, Jr end up?

Ken Griffey, Jr. is one homerun away from 600, and yet much of the talk surrounding him is where will he finish the season. Many have speculated that he would ask for a trade back to the Mariners this way he could finish his career where it started, especially after his emotional return to Seattle last year. Others, though, have said he deserves the chance to play in a World Series which would therefore eliminate the Mariners from contention. So the question remains, where will he end up?

The Mariners idea is intriguing, although I see no reason why he couldn't be a rent-a-player for the stretch run, and then sign with Seattle in the off-season. That would allow Griffey the chance to get back to the playoffs where he once flourished, and give Seattle a chance to recover and make a run next year.

So with that said which team is the best fit? Some have mentioned the Mets as they're a team that is built to win now, but have been struggling to find the consistency of an elite team. They have a hole in the outfield with the constant injuries to Moises Alou and Ryan Church's concussions, so maybe he would fit there. It is a possibility but I don't think it would work out. They're an older team that would just be getting older by adding Griffey. On top of that, the clubhouse is still in disarray, so why would Junior want to go there (remember, he has the right to veto any trade since he's a 10-5)?

Maybe the Atlanta Braves? They are set in center field and right field, but left field could use some improvement. They've used Matt Diaz, Gregor Blanco, Greg Norton and Omar Infante out there, so Griffey would be an upgrade over them. With the loss of John Smoltz, Griffey could also be the jolt that Atlanta needs to make a run in the NL East.

There were rumors a couple of years ago about Junior being dealt to Atlanta which would've pleased him considering they train in Orlando (where he lives), and I think it would still please him as he wouldn't be too far from his family.

The only other team in the NL that may make sense is the St. Louis Cardinals. With Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick playing two of the three outfield spots, the Cards could use someone else out there. Furthermore, being in the same lineup as Albert Pujols could benefit Griffey in a major way. If he were to hit in front of Pujols he would see better pitches as pitchers don't want to face Pujols, and if he were to hit behind him, then Griffey would have the chance to hit with runners on base. Either way, it's a win-win for him. The question though is would Cincinnati trade within its own division?

Now that the NL is taken care of, the better thought for Griffey is the American League. It's no secret that while we still love to think of Junior as "The Kid," he's not getting any younger. He has battled injuries for several years now, and they have certainly taken there toll on him. So while he can still be a very productive player and good outfielder when he's healthy, getting the chance to DH a couple of days a week could benefit him greatly. With that said, there aren't really too many teams in the AL that make sense for him, but there is one that could be perfect.

I know this sounds crazy, but the best fit for Junior could very well be the Tampa Bay Rays. They're a young, up and coming team that could use his leadership and skill set. While the season is still young, this Rays team is for real. They already have one veteran leading the way in the Troy Percival, and adding Griffey to the mix would only help. Junior has the playful personality that young players look up to, and the Rays team is stacked with young talent eager to learn. In the outfield alone you have Carl Crawford and BJ Upton who I would venture to say grew up watching Griffey. Now imagine how they would feel playing in the same outfield with him 3-4 times a week.

On top of his impact on the field, Griffey would have a huge effect off it. Fans are just now beginning to show up at the Trop. Add Junior to the mix, and I think it's safe to say their attendance would rise. For a team that is looking to build a new ballpark, this addition could be huge. Griffey once saved baseball in Seattle, and he could potentially do the same in Tampa Bay. Oh yeah, did I mention it's less than 2 hours driving from Orlando to St. Petersburg where the Rays play?

John Smoltz to undergo season-ending surgery

Growing up my favorite players were Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson and Ken Griffey, Jr, but over the past several years I have formed a tremendous amount of admiration towards John Smoltz. Ever since he lost Game 4 of the 1999 World Series to the Yankees, and gave a postgame interview by the clubhouse, I was overwhelmed by how classy and intelligent he was. I remember calling my father afterwards, and both of us had the same reaction, "What a nice guy. So articulate. A true professional."

Nearly 10 years later, those words ring true again. Watching Smoltz's press conference today, I couldn't help but think how lucky we have been to watch a player like him. If this is in fact the end of his career, and I really hope it's not, John Smoltz will go down as one of the greatest big-game pitchers of all-time. While he pitched on the same staff as two other future Hall of Famers in Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, and got much less recognition than those guys, Smoltz is the one I would've wanted on my team.

I was in the Bahamas this past December on vacation, and was playing roulette when one of the guys next to me kept putting chips on 31. I asked him why 31, and he said, "I'm a huge Greg Maddux fan."

We immediately struck up a conversation, and I asked him, "In a big game, who would you want pitching, Maddux or Smoltz?"

His response, "Smoltz. I said I'm a Maddux fan, I didn't say I was stupid."

John Smoltz will one day join his good friends in Cooperstown, and for anyone to say he doesn't belong there, well...I guess they're the opposite of the guy playing roulette.

Joba Joins the Rotation

Well it's official, Joba Chamberlain is a starter. We all know how I feel about this issue so there is no point in debating if it's right or wrong, and no I am not going to jump to conclusions after one start. What I do want to comment on though is what Joel Sherman wrote about in today's New York Post. He said that it feels as if the Yankees are giving up on the season in order to transform Joba into a starter, and frankly he's not wrong.

What I would like to add to that though is that giving up on this season may actually be a good thing. However, if you're going to do that, go all out. Trade Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, and maybe even Johnny Damon. Start planning for next year, and more importantly for 2010. Get the players you need in order to sustain a run, and if you end up making a run this year with those new players, then that's gravy. There's no problem taking a step back, as long as you know you're setting yourself up to take two steps forward.