If Ken Griffey Jr. ever joins the Reds, which remains a distinct possibility, he'd have Tony Perez's blessing if he tried to obtain the legend's No.24.
Officially, Perez has no say in the matter, since the Reds haven't retired his number. But out of respect, the club hasn't issued it to any other player.
“It's something that's up to the ballclub,” Perez said last week at baseball's winter meetings in Anaheim, Calif. “It really doesn't matter. I saw him (Griffey) grow up. I know the kid. I don't mind him wearing it. It's not any problem with me.”
Unless the Reds complete a trade with the Seattle Mariners for Griffey this offseason, it's possible Perez's number could be retired first. If Perez is named to the Hall of Fame in January, the Reds might be prompted to put away No. 24 as early as next year. Currently, Griffey seems destined to remain with Seattle for the 2000 season before signing with the Reds as a free agent.
When Perez's number is retired, he'll enter the franchise's select group featuring Fred Hutchinson (1), Johnny Bench (5), Joe Morgan (8), Ted Kluszewski (18) and Frank Robinson (20).
(Footnote: Brian Goldberg, Griffey's Cincinnati-based agent, explained that his client's affinity for No. 24 dated back to Ken Griffey Sr.'s 1982-86 tenure with the New York Yankees. Goldberg explained that the younger Griffey took a liking to Rickey Henderson, then a Yankee. “Rickey and "Senior' lived in the same apartment complex,” Goldberg said. “Rickey took a real interest in Junior and used to play basketball with him.”)
Perez knows the Hall of Fame buzz will grow into a roar leading up to Jan. 11, when election results are announced.
“If you don't think about it, somebody will ask you about it,” said Perez, a special assistant to Florida Marlins General Manager Dave Dombrowski. “I'm just waiting to see what happens. A lot of people are saying this will be my year. I hope so.”
Perez received votes from 64.4 percent of the writers who cast Hall of Fame ballots last year. A plurality of 75 percent is necessary for induction. Experts believe Perez has a decent chance at being elected this time, in his ninth appearance on the ballot. Earlier this year the Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee enshrined Orlando Cepeda, another former first baseman whose statistics were comparable to Perez's.
“I hope it helps,” Perez said.
Another assist could come from the Dec.13 letter that John Allen, the Reds' Chief Operating Officer, sent to Hall of Fame voters. It included endorsements of Perez from the likes of Sparky Anderson, Mike Schmidt, Willie Stargell and Bench and highlighted the 23-year veteran's feats.
Allen's letter is noteworthy, since the Reds never supported Perez so openly in the past. Though it paled beside the extensive public relations campaign the Giants mounted on Cepeda's behalf several years ago, any comparison is invalid. The Giants had to help Cepeda overcome a negative image lingering from his 1975 conviction for smuggling marijuana. By contrast, Perez's quiet dignity is enduring.
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