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New York Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Ken Griffey Jr. recounts Ichiro's ASG inside-the-park homer: ‘It ain't my fault, coach'
Ken Griffey Jr. didn't want to talk about the only inside-the-park home run in All-Star history. 'It ain't my fault, coach,' Griffey said recently by phone before chuckling. 'Go back and watch it,' he demanded. Gladly. The highlight of the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco is infinitely rewatchable, a confluence of unique talent, fateful coincidence and blind luck. At the plate was Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most electric and beloved players in baseball history. He hit the ball into right field, where Griffey — Ichiro's longtime friend, eventual teammate, and fellow Seattle Mariners icon — happened to be playing in his last Midsummer Classic. The ball ricocheted at an unexpected angle, got away from Griffey, and left Ichiro free to run. Advertisement Inside-the-park home runs are almost always quirky. The first and only in All-Star history could have been hit by Vince Coleman or Brett Butler or Scott Podsednik or any other speedster who made an All-Star Game or two before descending into relative obscurity. But no, it was Ichiro, who might have hit his historic fly ball toward Shawn Green or Preston Wilson or Jason Bay or any other National League right fielder of the era with whom he would have shared little connection or history. Instead, it was Griffey who was left scrambling after the ball took an unusual carom off a bit of one-night-only signage at then-AT&T Park. 'There were signs there!' Griffey said. 'There are no signs there normally.' Major League Baseball is about to play its 95th All-Star Game, and if we're lucky, it will have one of those moments. The ones we talk about with friends and rewatch on YouTube. Cal Ripken moving to shortstop and then going deep. Torii Hunter robbing Barry Bonds, then getting hauled off like a sack of potatoes. Pedro Martinez mowing through Hall of Famers like they were Little Leaguers. And, of course, Ichiro lifting a fly ball to right center field, then circling the bases as Griffey — then in his 13th and final All-Star appearance — chased it hopelessly into the outfield grass. 'I played in that stadium since the year it opened,' Griffey said. 'The first thing you do as a new guy coming into a stadium is check the wall. Especially if it has something funky in it. Your outfield coach would hit balls up against that wall and just see, because you can't really just throw a ball. And 98 percent, 99 percent of the balls hit there either die or go towards center.' Of course, Ichiro had a tendency to do the impossible. By 2007, he was already an All-Star regular, having been invited to the Midsummer Classic in each of his first seven major-league seasons. (He went on to become an All-Star in the next three seasons as well.) He'd never been particularly great in the All-Star Game to that point, and he'd never hit an inside-the-park home run in the majors, but all of that changed on July 10, 2007. Advertisement Facing Padres starter Chris Young — pitching in his only All-Star Game — Ichiro came to the plate in the fifth inning with one out, Brian Roberts on first base and Derek Jeter on deck. The first pitch of the at-bat was lifted to the angled wall in right-center — a wall that seemed sure to send the ball ricocheting into center field. That's the way Griffey played it, but the ball hit off the signage and rebounded into right, meaning Griffey had to retreat. All the while, Ichiro was sprinting. 'Coming around third, I was getting the wave,' Roberts said on a call Monday. 'And I think that's when I finally took a peek and saw the ball was not where I thought it would be. And at that point, you're just hoping Ichi doesn't catch you coming home. That was probably the first thought I had: Don't get passed!' Roberts was not the only one surprised by the outcome of that at-bat. 'So, a screwy carom, and Junior is caught off guard,' Tim McCarver said on the broadcast. 'And that allowed Ichiro to round the bases. A rare, rare inside-the-park home run in an All-Star Game.' 'We're checking how rare that is,' Joe Buck added. It was indeed the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history. 'I thought it was going over the fence,' Ichiro said postgame. 'When it didn't, I was bummed out.' Finishing 3-for-3 as All-Star Game MVP surely eased Ichiro's disappointment. The rest of us got a highlight-reel reminder of the right fielder's remarkable ability to hit and run, as well as a lesson in the unpredictability of baseball. 'A lot of angles on that wall,' said then-Phillies outfielder Aaron Rowand, who made the lone All-Star appearance of his career in 2007 before later playing four years for the Giants. 'If you haven't played there a lot, you can play it wrong. You have to be ready for the ball to bound in any direction.' Advertisement With Ichiro's speed, Griffey — who had thrown out Alex Rodriguez at the plate an inning before — had no chance to get him at home. Ichiro scored without a play, sprinting into a dugout celebration of superstars and eventual Hall of Famers. At one point, Manny Ramírez began to fan Ichiro with a towel while Ichiro sat on the bench and laughed. 'As soon as the ball bounced the other way, he could have walked home,' David Wright told the New York Times after the game. Other players expressed similar in-the-moment awe. Even among the greatest players of the era, Ichiro was a singular talent, with a style all his own. 'The things he did, we had never really seen people do,' Roberts said. 'He was a quirky guy, but he was so fun to be around, and honestly, one of the greatest teammates I ever had. But when it comes to something like that, it does seem very fitting. … To have that kind of moment fits him. Nobody was cooler than Ichiro.' That 2007 All-Star Game was stacked with now-legends and could have been an ideal curtain call for Bonds, who was playing in his home ballpark, but Ichiro stole the show. 'It's one that I'll never forget,' Ichiro said at the time. 'The past six years, I never had an All-Star that I really thought I gave it my all or was able to give it my all. So, I'm really happy. It was a fun All-Star Game.' Later this month, Ichiro will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where his bronze likeness will join Griffey's in the plaque gallery. Griffey and Ichiro first met in 1995 during Ichiro's first tour of America, and they first played together in 1999 when Ichiro attended spring training (a year before his big-league debut). They were officially teammates in 2009 and 2010, Griffey's last two seasons with the Mariners. Despite their friendship, Griffey said Suzuki has never brought up that homer. 'He's not that way,' Griffey said. (Photo of Ichiro hitting an inside-the-park home run in the 2007 All-Star Game: Jeff Gross / Getty Images)
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
HBCU Swingman Classic 2025: 'Our kids need to be seen,' says Ken Griffey Jr.
To Ken Griffey Jr., the picture – and the goal – is simple. 'If you look at what's going on in baseball, (there are) a lot of kids of color who are not playing baseball even though they may love the game of baseball,' Griffey told USA TODAY Sports by phone. 'They're not getting the recognition that they would like to advance to the next level.' That was the initial motivation to start the HBCU Swingman Classic, which brings together 50 Division I baseball players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Now in its third year, the 'Swingman' – named after Griffey – is a chance for the athletes to perform on a bigger stage as Major League Baseball begins its All-Star Week celebrations at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, on Friday, July 11 (7 p.m. ET, MLB Network). 'For me, it's just an opportunity to give some of these kids an opportunity to be seen,' said Griffey, who hit 630 career home runs and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. Sixteen HBCUs will be represented in the game. There will be a flavor of Black baseball and Atlanta throughout the festivities. Brian Jordan will manage the 'National League' squad, while fellow David Justice will lead the 'American League' team. Martin Luther King III will throw out the first pitch, while Emily Haydel, the granddaughter of Hank Aaron, will be a sideline reporter on the broadcast. But the Swingman goes beyond racial lines. Any player who attends a HBCU is eligible to play in the game. 'Because there are plenty of kids who are White and don't have money and they go to HBCUs and they want to continue to play,' Griffey said. 'Yes, you're going to see a few more Black people playing, but it's not about the color of your skin. It's the school that you go to.' With a more streamlined and tapped-in selection process thanks to expanding relationships with HBCU coaches, the talent pool at Swingman has only improved since its inception. Both MLB employees and MLB Players' Association officials are part of the selection panel for players who 'may have been overlooked.' Three players from the event were selected in the draft after the inaugural 2023 edition and two players were taken last year. Griffey thinks baseball has to take a page out of the pre-NIL college football recruiting manual that set up the championship programs such Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide or Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers. 'I think the sad part is that the scouting department has gone away from trying to find these diamonds in the rough,' Griffey said. Instead, scouts rely too much on data and other advanced metrics, in Griffey's opinion. It comes down to manpower and placing the scouts with the proper mindset in the applicable areas. As a senior adviser to commissioner Rob Manfred, it's a conversation Griffey is having in baseball's most powerful rooms. 'It has been discussed and it's getting to a point where it's coming around,' he said. 'It's just going to take some time. Back when my dad played, people went everywhere. Now, if it's not on a computer … they can't understand talent unless they see it. I sat there and watched. That eye test. That hearing test. 'What does it look like when it comes off the bat? What does it look like when he throws the ball?'' But the Swingman isn't about the eye test or advanced analytics. It's about opportunity, and it's why the game should be a staple as long as he has a voice in the league office. 'Our kids need to be seen,' Griffey said. 'Because they don't have the facilities where they can go in there and measure exit velo, spin rate. All these things cost money and they just don't have that type of money. 'You give a kid an opportunity to be successful, and that's all you ask for.'
Fox Sports
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Which 10 Players Have the Most Home Runs in MLB History?
Home runs are one of the most enjoyable things to witness in baseball. They are certainly the most effective and positive outcome, a sign that a hitter perfectly timed a pitch and hit the sweet spot. Players who can consistently hit a high volume of home runs are some of the most adored and coveted assets in MLB. That said, who has had the most success at hitting the ball out of the park? FOX Sports Research compiled the list! 10 players with the most HRs in MLB history 10. Frank Robinson: 586 Robinson had immense power from the moment he stepped into the majors, hitting 38 home runs and winning Rookie of the Year in his first season. He continued to display that consistent power, riding it to his first MVP award in 1961. He then peaked in 1966, hitting a career-high 49 home runs and leading the league with a .637 slugging percentage. After playing 10 seasons in Cincinnati, Robinson helped Baltimore win the World Series in 1966 and 1970. 9. Sammy Sosa: 609 The only thing Sosa didn't accomplish during his career was winning a World Series. Arguably the greatest slugger in Chicago Cubs history, Sosa made five straight All-Star teams from 1998-2002 and was named NL MVP during the 1998 season. That year, he hit a career-high 66 dingers and followed that up with 63 home runs the next season. 8. Jim Thome: 612 Thome and Sosa fought for the home run crown year after year in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Thome's 22-year career helped him to climb the ranks of this leaderboard, but he was able to sustain his power nearly the whole time. His best seasons came from 2001 to 2003 when he 45 or more home runs in each season. He remains Cleveland's all-time home run leader with 337 over 12 seasons. However, José Ramírez, who's currently at 269, could catch him. 7. Ken Griffey Jr.: 630 Griffey Jr. is one of two Seattle Mariners to be named AL MVP, with the other being Ichiro Suzuki. Griffey did so in 1997 when he set a career-high mark of 56 home runs and batted in a league-leading 147 runs. He hit 56 home runs in the following season as well. Griffey complemented his dynamic power with unlimited range in the outfield as one of the greatest center fielders of all time. 6. Willie Mays: 660 If Griffey was a great center fielder, Mays might have been the absolute best. He set the standard for a five-tool player with basket-catches and diving snags, while hitting moonshots from the batter's box. Mays led MLB in home runs in three separate seasons — when he hit 51 in 1955, 49 in 1962 and 52 in 1965. He won MVP during that 1965 season, as well as another in 1954 when he helped the then-New York Giants to a World Series victory. 5. Alex Rodriguez: 696 Best known for his tenure with the New York Yankees, Rodriguez showcased the most power during his three seasons with the Texas Rangers. He led the AL in home runs every season he was with the team, hitting 52 in 2001, 57 in 2002 and 47 in 2003. He was named AL MVP during his final season with the Rangers and won it twice more with the Yankees. While his power began to take a slight dip after 2007, he finally won a World Series in 2009 with New York. 4. Albert Pujols: 703 Pujols was the epitome of consistency, never exceeding the 50-home run mark in a single season but sustaining power across his entire career. He was easily the St. Louis Cardinals' best player of all time, making the All-Star team during nine of the 11 seasons he played with them. He won back-to-back NL MVP awards in 2008 and 2009, while leading the league in home runs that latter season with 47. He helped the Cardinals win their two most recent World Series in 2006 and 2011, before leaving for the Los Angeles Angels in 2012. 3. Babe Ruth: 714 Ruth is widely considered the greatest baseball player of all time. He was the whole package — a slugger on the field and an impactful player off the field. He was the centerpiece of one of the most significant trades in MLB history as the Boston Red Sox moved him to their rival, the Yankees, after five seasons. He ultimately led the majors in home runs 10 times after joining the Yankees and helped the franchise win four World Series. 2. Henry Aaron: 755 Aaron was MLB's all-time home run leader for 33 seasons after surpassing Ruth in 1974. He played for the Braves in all but his final two seasons and helped them win their first World Series in 1957, when Aaron was named NL MVP. 1. Barry Bonds: 762 Not only does Bonds hold MLB's all-time home run record, but he set the single-season record when he hit 73 in 2001 with the Giants. Bonds was a superstar prior to coming to San Francisco, as he won two NL MVP awards with the Pittsburgh Pirates before his arrival, but his power reached a new level once he changed franchises. He won four consecutive NL MVP awards from 2001 to 2004, giving him the most of all time with seven total. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
New York Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Cal Raleigh ties Ken Griffey Jr.'s Mariners record for home runs before All-Star break with 35
SEATTLE — On the spot, Cal Raleigh compiled a laundry list of players he would consider for a Mount Rushmore of Seattle Mariners following their 6-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday. Ichiro was one of the first names off the board, followed by the likes of stud starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Randy Johnson. When identifying who is the face of the Mariners, though, Raleigh immediately landed on Ken Griffey Jr., who he tied for the franchise record for home runs before the All-Star break with 35 with a pair of blasts. Advertisement 'To be mentioned with that name, somebody that's just iconic, a legend, first ballot Hall of Famer, I'm just blessed,' Raleigh said. 'Trying to do the right thing and trying to keep it rolling. If I can try to be like that guy, it's a good guy to look up to.' From Raleigh's perspective, Griffey would have 'smashed' the major league home run record rather than come up 132 short of Barry Bonds if not for injuries. Thankfully for Raleigh's sake, that admiration hasn't been reserved for the public eye. Whenever Griffey finds himself back in Seattle, which was the case when FIFA Club World Cup games were taking place at Lumen Field, Raleigh has enjoyed his chats with 'The Kid.' Advertisement 'It's always fun to have him around the clubhouse to just talk to him a little bit and figure out how he went about his business,' Raleigh said. 'So, I've talked to him on the phone once or twice as well. So, he's a good one. He's one of the best of all-time. It's hard to beat talking to somebody like that.' It's also hard to find many comparable runs to what Raleigh — who will participate in the Home Run Derby — is in the midst of, and what Griffey accomplished ahead of the 1998 All-Star break. Manager Dan Wilson, who was a teammate of Griffey's in 1998, is among the few folks who can truly put Raleigh's fast start to 2025 in perspective. 'It's remarkable. It feels like he hits a home run every game, that's what it feels like,' Wilson said. 'And I can remember feeling it as a player, that (Griffey) just felt like he hit a home run every day. Again, that's the consistency that (Raleigh) has shown. It hasn't been a streak where he has hit a bunch of home runs in a short amount of time. It's been kind of 10 per month.' Advertisement 3 Cal Raleigh, belting a two-run homer in the first inning, hit his 34th and 35th homers in the Mariners' 6-0 win over the Pirates on July 4, 2025. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images To Wilson's point, Raleigh has been remarkably consistent. He walloped nine home runs in April, 12 in May and 11 more in June. Griffey's figures were a tad more mercurial, but just barely (10 in April, eight in May, 14 in June). Advertisement All told, the 28-year-old Raleigh has more than lived up to the early stages of his six-year, $105 million contract extension, which he signed just ahead of the 2025 season. 3 Cal Raleigh celebrates with teammates after belting a solo homer in the sixth inning of the Mariners' victory over the Pirates. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Not only has Raleigh set a career high for home runs, but he's on track to post new marks for batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Raleigh chalked those developments up to his maturing a little over halfway into his fourth full major league season. 'I have the ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark,' Raleigh said. 'I mean, it's part of my game and I'm a strong guy. It's learning how to hone it in and take your hits when maybe you're not getting those pitches in the heart of the plate.' 3 Cal Raleigh holds up the trident and celebrates with the fans after the Mariners' win over the Pirates. Getty Images Such an approach is all well and good, but the results have been starkly different. Raleigh has racked up just 36 singles, or one more than his home run total. Advertisement Suffice to say, Raleigh's offensive output has justified every dollar the Mariners have sent his way so far, and then some. 'Want to make sure I'm doing everything I can every single day to earn that paycheck and earn what they gave me,' Raleigh said. 'But it's a lot more than just that. It's being a leader, doing things in the clubhouse and making sure you're ready to go every single day.'
Chicago Tribune
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh hits 34th and 35th homers before All-Star break — tying a Ken Griffey Jr. record
SEATTLE — On the spot, Cal Raleigh compiled a list of players he would consider for a Mount Rushmore of Seattle Mariners after their 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Ichiro Suzuki was one of the first names, followed by starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Randy Johnson. When identifying who is the face of the Mariners, though, Raleigh immediately landed on Ken Griffey Jr., whose franchise record of 35 home runs before the All-Star break Raleigh tied with a pair of blasts. 'To be mentioned with that name, somebody that's just iconic, a legend, first-ballot Hall of Famer, I'm just blessed,' Raleigh said. 'Trying to do the right thing and trying to keep it rolling. If I can try to be like that guy, it's a good guy to look up to.' From Raleigh's perspective, Griffey would have 'smashed' the major-league home run record — rather than come up 132 short of Barry Bonds — if not for injuries. Thankfully for Raleigh's sake, that admiration hasn't been reserved for the public eye. Whenever Griffey finds himself back in Seattle, which was the case when FIFA Club World Cup games were taking place at Lumen Field, Raleigh has enjoyed his chats with 'The Kid.' 'It's always fun to have him around the clubhouse to just talk to him a little bit and figure out how he went about his business,' Raleigh said. 'I've talked to him on the phone once or twice as well. So he's a good one. He's one of the best of all time. It's hard to beat talking to somebody like that.' It's also hard to find many comparable runs to what Raleigh — who will participate in the Home Run Derby — is in the midst of and what Griffey accomplished ahead of the 1998 All-Star break. Manager Dan Wilson, who was a teammate of Griffey's in 1998, is among the few folks who can truly put Raleigh's fast start to 2025 in perspective. 'It's remarkable. It feels like he hits a home run every game,' Wilson said. 'And I can remember feeling it as a player, that (Griffey) just felt like he hit a home run every day. 'Again, that's the consistency that (Raleigh) has shown. It hasn't been a streak where he has hit a bunch of home runs in a short amount of time. It's been kind of 10 per month.' To Wilson's point, Raleigh has been remarkably consistent. He walloped nine home runs in April, 12 in May and 11 more in June. Griffey's figures were a tad more mercurial but just barely (10 in April, eight in May, 14 in June). All told, the 28-year-old Raleigh has more than lived up in the early stages to the six-year, $105 million contract extension he signed just before the 2025 season. Not only has Raleigh set a career high for home runs, but he's on track to post new marks for batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Raleigh chalked up those developments to his maturing a little more than halfway into his fourth full major-league season. 'I have the ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark,' Raleigh said. 'I mean, it's part of my game and I'm a strong guy. It's learning how to hone it in and take your hits when maybe you're not getting those pitches in the heart of the plate.' Such an approach is all well and good, but the results have been starkly different. Raleigh has racked up only 36 singles — one more than his home run total. Suffice to say, his offensive output has justified every dollar the Mariners have sent his way so far, and then some. 'Want to make sure I'm doing everything I can every single day to earn that paycheck and earn what they gave me,' Raleigh said. 'But it's a lot more than just that. It's being a leader, doing things in the clubhouse and making sure you're ready to go every single day.' ___ AP MLB:
