By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reds general manager Jim Bowden was stating the obvious when he said the Ken Griffey Jr. trade was a flop. But when you're dealing with a temperamental player like Griffey, stating the obvious can be an obvious mistake.

When asked about Bowden's statement, Griffey said: "I'd rather not talk about it."

His father, Ken Sr., wouldn't speak for Junior but said: "I know when you hear that stuff as a player, it doesn't feel good. I'm not talking as a father. I'm talking as a player and coach. You never like it when that stuff is written."

Bowden didn't back down from labeling as a flop the 2000 trade that dealt away center fielder Mike Cameron to Seattle, but Bowden reiterated that he qualified the statement.

"Junior's been hurt," Bowden said. "It's not his fault. So far, the trade hasn't worked. Everyone in America knows that. But it's not Junior's fault he's been hurt. It's not the Reds' fault he's been hurt."

HOW TRADE PANNED OUT

What the Reds got: • Ken Griffey Jr., CF: He has hit .275 with 70 home runs and 206 RBI since the trade.   What the Mariners got: • Mike Cameron, CF: He has hit .257 with 69 home runs, 268 RBI and 89 stolen bases since the trade. • Brett Tomko, RHP: He was traded to San Diego in a five-player deal. San Diego later traded him to St. Louis. • Antonio Perez, SS: The prospect was traded to Tampa Bay in the offseason for All-Star outfielder Randy Winn. • Jake Meyer, RHP: Was released by Seattle and signed by the Chicago White Sox last year.

Bowden based his statement on Cameron's numbers vs. Griffey's numbers.

Since the trade, Cameron has 69 home runs and 268 RBI. Griffey has hit 70 home runs and driven in 206 runs. Those numbers alone aren't overwhelming, because Cameron has played 463 games in the three years since the trade, and Griffey has played 326. In 2000, when Griffey was healthy, he hit .271 with 40 home runs and 118 RBI; Cameron hit .267 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI.

But the Mariners also got pitchers Brett Tomko and Jake Meyer and shortstop Antonio Perez in the deal. Tomko was traded to San Diego in a five-player deal that brought catcher Ben Davis to Seattle. Perez was traded to Tampa Bay in the deal that allowed the Devil Rays to sign manager Lou Piniella. The Mariners got All-Star outfielder Randy Winn in that deal. Meyer left Seattle as a minor-league free agent.

Bowden still thinks the trade will be a success.

"I believe over the next three years, Junior's going to be healthy and put up great numbers," Bowden said. "Everyone will say it's a great trade again. I'd make the deal 10 times over again."

Griffey hasn't been willing to talk about much of anything since arriving Tuesday.

Is he still happy in Cincinnati?

"What does it matter?" he said. "This game is not about being happy. It's about wins and losses."

The Reds are 229-257 since the Griffey trade, and Griffey has taken much of the blame.

"When anyone else is hurt, nobody says anything negative," Griffey Sr. said. "(Sean) Casey's been hurt. Nobody says anything about that."

Bowden's comment came about two months after word leaked that the Reds had worked out a Griffey trade with San Diego. Phil Nevin eventually nixed the deal with his no-trade clause, but how it was handled didn't sit well with the Griffey camp.

Yet Senior said Junior remains happy in Cincinnati.

"All Junior ever wanted to do was play in Cincinnati," Ken Sr. said. "He's going to be happy as long as he's there. The only thing he's disappointed in is all the bad press he's gotten."

Senior said Junior's biggest mistake was to try to play through a hamstring injury in 2001.

"I tried to get him to shut it down," Senior said. "But certain people wanted him to pinch hit. Why jeopardize everything for that?"

Senior didn't say who "certain people" were.

Junior injured his left hamstring March 26, 2001. He made 16 pinch-hit appearances to start the year, going 0-for-12. He then spent six weeks on the disabled list. He returned and hit 22 home runs with 65 RBI in 92 starts.

The 2002 season started just as badly, when Griffey tore his right patella tendon April 8 and missed 41 games. A torn right hamstring cost him 25 more games.

Bowden and Griffey Sr. say everything will be all right when Reds fans see a couple years of a healthy Junior.

"If he's healthy, the fans of Cincinnati have never seen a player like him," Senior said. "I'm talking about Willie Mays and all the rest."

Said Bowden: "He's very capable of doing what Barry Bonds has done. He's very capable of putting up the same type of numbers late in his career."

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com