Royals notebook: White Sox’s Griffey remains popular
By DAVID BOYCE
The Kansas City Star
With his White Sox cap on backwards, Ken Griffey Jr. answered questions in the interview room at Kauffman Stadium before Friday’s game in a relaxed, easy-going manner.
Griffey’s cap style remains the same from his youthful days with the Seattle Mariners during the 1990s, but this is a different player from the one who last set foot in Kauffman in 1999 as a Mariner.
He no longer possesses the same power, covers as much ground in the outfield or plays with reckless abandon.
But the popularity is still there. Griffey received a warm ovation from the Royals fans when he took his first at-bat in a White Sox uniform. Griffey then hit a two-out single for the first run of the game in the top of the second.
Griffey, 38, is returning to the position he’s most familiar with. Griffey was playing right field for Cincinnati. In his White Sox debut, manager Ozzie Guillen put Griffey in center and batted him seventh.
In 102 games with Cincinnati this season, Griffey hit .245 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs. Those numbers don’t quite measure up to the Hall of Fame statistics he’s put up for two decades.
But Chicago isn’t asking Griffey to come in to be the savior. And they don’t need him to be that. The White Sox have been in first place in the Central most of the season.
“Make sure you guys know, he (Griffey) came here to help this ballclub get better,” Guillen said. “He came here to help his teammates, have the opportunity to be in the playoffs, and that is his job.”
The one thing missing from Griffey’s illustrious baseball career is the World Series. The trade didn’t bother him because he’s with a team that’s in first place and has a fairly recent history of winning the World Series. The White Sox were the best in baseball in 2005.
“I have a chance to achieve that goal,” Griffey said. “They have obviously done well without me. I’m in search of a World Series title. That is important.”
Griffey’s love for baseball remains strong.
“I think about baseball 20 hours a day and I sleep the other four,” he said.
DeJesus, Grud limping
Outfielder David DeJesus rolled his left ankle in the fourth when he went back to first on a pickoff move. DeJesus stayed in the game despite showing some discomfort and limping.
DeJesus, though, eventually left the game in the top of the seventh. It’s the same ankle that DeJesus hurt in spring training.
“He’ll be day-to-day,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said.
In the top of the ninth, second baseman Mark Grudzielanek caught a pop-up near the right-field foul line. The second he caught it, first baseman Ross Gload slid into him, taking out Grudzielanek. Grudzielanek had to leave the game.
There was swelling in Grudzielanek’s right ankle, but no fractures.
Players of the month
Rookie shortstop Mike Aviles earned Royals’ player of the month honors, hitting .330 with three home runs and 13 RBIs and a 12-game hitting streak in July.
Relief pitcher Ron Mahay earned the honor for pitchers, appearing in 12 games and allowing just one run in 14 1/3 innings in July. He had six holds and won a game.
Guillen scratched
Outfielder José Guillen was in a fairly good mood Friday during batting practice. He even briefly joked with a couple of sports writers. But physically, Guillen wasn’t doing as well.
Guillen was taken out of the lineup before Friday’s game because of a sore left groin. Esteban German replaced Guillen and played left field.
Gathright throws
Outfielder Joey Gathright, who has been on the disabled list since June 24 because of a right shoulder bruise, threw a few balls Friday before the game to test his shoulder.
“I’m going to throw for a couple of days and then start swinging,” Gathright said.
Minor details
First baseman Kila Kaaihue went three for four with four RBIs in Omaha’s 13-3 victory Thursday over Salt Lake. He had a two-run single and a two-run homer. He is four for nine with two homers since his promotion from Northwest Arkansas. Yasuhiko Yabuta pitched three scoreless innings.
To reach David Boyce, send e-mail to dboyce@kcstar.com
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