Sunday, April 02, 2000
Five Questions with Ken Griffey Jr.
It's not always easy being Ken Griffey Jr. The Reds center fielder wishes he could just play baseball, but being the game's best player , as he is widely regarded, draws undue attention. Returning to the team and city he grew up with also has intensified the spotlight upon Griffey. Enquirer reporter Chris Haft recently gleaned some of Griffey's thoughts on these and other matters:
Would you prefer to play baseball and be as normal as you can be?
That's it. Play baseball and go home. I don't try to be anything different.
< Are you accustomed to dealing with the sense that people constantly want a piece of you, or do you still struggle with that a little bit?
I struggle. They say play baseball. They don't say you have to be a good interview. You guys (reporters) may get frustrated with that, but that's how I was raised, just to go out and play. They don't have media training in the minor leagues. They don't have classes — "OK, we'll play from 9 to 11 and then we'll have media training from 11:15 to 12 o'clock and we'll play a game.' They just say, you're a baseball player, go out and play baseball. You guys have to remember that not everybody's comfortable in front of a guy asking questions. Because if the roles were reversed, if the players could ask you guys questions, how would you feel sometimes?
You get these questions more than other players, don't you?
Some days are better than others. Just like anybody else.
How comfortable are you with this team?
They have some pretty good guys here. They love to play baseball, and I'm glad I'm here. ... If I didn't know anybody, it would be tough. But knowing a few guys helped. And then they stuck me next to one of the nicest guys in the world (Sean Casey). He's the kind of person that would talk to you, even though he may not want to.
What's your favorite thing to do with your children, Trey and Taryn?
We do whatever they want. Pillow fights, tag-team wrestling, boxing matches — no head shots — football, go out and play basketball, swim. ... Then my dad comes over, and there's no control. I have yet to see my dad get in the pool, though.
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