Let me start by saying I have been a Mariner fan since childhood. I grew up in Tacoma, attending 8 games a year with my Dad and brother on a shared season-ticket package from my Dad’s job. Back in the early years I loved Alvin Davis, Henry Cotto, Jim Presley, I was a huge Greg “Pee Wee” Briley fan. My memories of this time include Dave Neuhaus home run and highlight calls on the radio driving home from the game. After Junior came, baseball in Seattle was magical for a while. Watching Ken Griffey Jr play was such a joy. That man was Seattle baseball. After the ‘96 season and development of Alex Rodriguez, we all know what happened. Ichiro was a great player, but Mariner teams never had the same excitement until last year. But every year, we start with a chance. This year there was so much hope. But no magic.
Is it possible the Mariners are still suffering from trading “The Kid” the way the Red Sox did after trading “The Bambino?” In a hundred years, will they be talking about “The curse of the Kid?” And personally, why the hell did they do that, it broke my freakin heart. Thanks for reading.
11 comments
You know he asked to be traded right? We didn’t trade him because we were being cheap, which is what the Red Sox did, he wanted to go to Cincy.
Uhm Ken requested they trade him so not really much of a choice. Keep him and make him hate you or hold out or give your most legendary player what he wants.
I don’t think a curse exists when right after he left the Mariners won 116 games
Did you miss 2001? I loved Junior too and hated the day he was traded, but the return turned out pretty good, especially considering his body broke down.
He was not going to resign with the team. He made that clear. He wanted to be in Cincinnati and the Mariners did right by him and granted him his wish. The curse of the Mariners had always been ownership.
I mean not just 2001, 2000 we made the ALCS too.
Sometimes you just…need to go home.
The true sin was building a pitchers park when Griffey was potential chasing the all time home run record. Safeco pissed him off
For it to be a curse the Mariners would have had to have done something before or during Griffeys stint as a Mariner.
As of right now this is all just normal Mariners stuff.
The difference between the Red Sox trading babe Ruth and the Mariners trading Griffey was we had to trade Griffey. He asked for a trade he asked to go to Cincinnati and he was a 5/10 player and could veto any trade to any other team. He wanted to play baseball with his dad which is the most baseball thing anybody could want to do. If the baseball gods want to curse our franchise for allowing a kid to go play baseball with his dad then fuck the baseball gods.
I highly suggest you watch The History of the Seattle Mariners by Secret Base on YouTube