Griffey out for a 'significant amount of time'

[Hittman2001]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230405117

Griffey out for a 'significant amount of time'

CINCINNATI (AP) -- No matter how hard he tried, Ken Griffey Jr. couldn't stay healthy for more than a few games.

 
Ken Griffey Jr. injured his shoulder chasing Paul Bako's line drive.
Griffey dislocated his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch Saturday, making a bad opening week a whole lot worse for the Cincinnati Reds. The All-Century center fielder isn't expected back anytime soon.

"He's definitely out for a significant amount of time,'' manager Bob Boone said. "It's not good.''

His latest major injury occurred in the eighth inning of a 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs. As Griffey rolled on the ground in pain Saturday, outfielder Adam Dunn heard a couple of fans at the new ballpark taunt him.

"The guy's lying there hurting as bad as you could hurt, and you get stupid people up there yelling,'' Dunn said angrily. "It's a joke.''

After the shoulder was popped back into place, Griffey was taken to a hospital for tests to determine the extent of the damage.

X-rays found no break. More tests were being done to get an idea how badly the shoulder was hurt when he landed on it with the arm fully extended.

Griffey, 33, has been repeatedly sidelined by injuries since he returned to his hometown team in a February 2000 trade.

He pulled a hamstring during that first season -- a sign of things to come.

He tore the same hamstring while rounding third base in a spring training game in 2001, then tore a tendon in his right knee while running the bases only six games into last season.

Griffey did a lot of work to build up his legs over the winter and came out of spring training healthy. He was gone again after landing hard as he vainly tried to catch Paul Bako's bases-loaded triple.

"You could see it was a different Junior this year in spring training,'' outfielder Austin Kearns said. "He was going about his business and having a good time out there.''

It was another gut-wrenching moment for the Reds in their new ballpark, where they've won only one of their first seven games, including two exhibitions.

"We just have absolutely no luck,'' starter Danny Graves said. "It seems like the baseball gods are against us right now. I don't know what we did to them. Maybe they're too impressed with the new stadium to help us out.''

The visitors keep winning at Great American Ball Park, where the home team has had only one big moment -- Griffey's Opening-Day double for the first official hit.

A day after hitting his 500th home run, Chicago's Sammy Sosa was 1-for-3 with three walks. Bako had a career-high six RBI for the Cubs, three on the triple as Griffey got hurt.

With the Cubs ahead 6-5, Griffey turned his back to the infield and tried to run down Bako's drive with two outs. Griffey stretched his right arm and dived, but the ball eluded his outstretched glove.

Griffey landed hard on his right side, rolled over, grabbed the shoulder and kicked his legs in pain. He remained on the ground for several minutes, making no attempt to get up, while teammates ran to him.

After trainers reached him, Griffey got up and walked out the center field gate next to the Reds' bullpen, holding his right arm carefully. Dr. Timothy Kremchek put the shoulder back in place.

"It took Dr. Kremchek a while to get the shoulder back in place,'' general manager Jim Bowden said, shaking his head. "It's not good.''

Griffey was miffed that the Reds tried to trade him over the winter -- San Diego's Phil Nevin invoked his no-trade clause to scuttle a deal that was in place.

Griffey seemed determined to prove his critics wrong by staying healthy this season, but has quickly ended up in the same predicament.

He has played in only 186 games the last three seasons and hit 31 homers. His only homer this season left him at 469.

Griffey was the second star to sustain a major shoulder injury this week. The Yankees' Derek Jeter dislocated his right shoulder on opening day in a violent collision at third base.

The injury overshadowed a ragged game, with Bako's triple making the difference.

"I thought when I hit it, it was a double for sure, and then it just kind of hung up there,'' Bako said. "The more I saw Junior running, the more I thought he was going to catch it. I was running hard, and I didn't know he was hurt until I stopped.''
 

[Sub-Z]

damn man,he just needs to retire,or go back to the AL and be a DH........then again hed probably get injured in the on deck cirlce......

[pappy]

WOW What a shame an what sucks about this injury is that it was outta his control crashed into the wall.  thank god tho that back a few years ago he nixed the deal seattle mets deal they had worked out

[hector]

Jesus god almighty. This guy is the most fragile person on the face of the planet.