Thursday, February 10, 2000
NL Central is Home Run Central
The Associated Press
Ken Griffey Jr. swinging for the fences with the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field.
Sammy Sosa patting Mark McGwire as he rounds first base on yet another home run trot.
McGwire launching one of his home run bombs over Griffey's or Sosa's head.
Just a couple of years ago, those were mostly dreams. Now that could be a typical day in baseball's most exciting division: the Home Run Central.
With Griffey's trade Thursday from Seattle to Cincinnati, baseball's three most prolific and exciting sluggers all play in the same division, the National League Central.
The trio combined for 368 home runs the past two seasons — an average of just over 61 apiece, more than Roger Maris' record that stood until McGwire and Sosa took aim at it in 1998.
This is perhaps the most greatest slugging trio ever to play in one division. They rival Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx in the AL in the 1930s, and Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Frank Robinson — three of the top four career home run hitters — in the NL 40 years ago.
Pitchers from Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Houston — the three other teams in the NL Central — could be in for a long season of long ball.
But nothing will rival the head-to-head meetings of the Home Run Kings.
McGwire opens his season in St. Louis against Sosa's Cubs on April 3. Sosa then travels to Cincinnati to face Griffey just four days later.
Griffey, who went 0-for-2 with a walk in the 1990 All-Star game at Wrigley Field, makes his first regular-season visit there on May 19.
The most exciting series of the year could be the last one: Griffey at McGwire on Oct. 1-3 when the home run title — and the Home Run Central title — could be on the line.
Join the discussion on our Reds forum
Reds Stories
Reds page
