Is Griffey going anywhere?

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

MILWAUKEE | It's a rumor with a dusty shelf life, a trade of Ken Griffey Jr. to the Chicago White Sox.

All Griffey wants is a parade, with confetti, signifying that a team on which he played won a World Series.

And for sure the White Sox are fathoms closer than Griffey's Cincinnati Reds.

But there is zero credence to reports that Griffey is Chicago-bound.

The rumor surfaced again Friday in Chicago newspapers, based solely on a report that New York General Manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees wouldn't claim Griffey if the Reds placed him on waivers.

It is believed that Griffey already has cleared waivers, without being claimed, so the Reds could trade him if they wish, although O'Brien has said he is not interested in trading any of his outfielders.

Because the Yankees are one of the few teams that can afford Griffey, when Cashman said the Yankees wouldn't claim him, that clears the way for the White Sox. The Chisox are the team to which it was reported — and denied — had a deal done with the Reds two days before the non-waiver trade deadline, only to have CEO Carl Lindner say no.

So now the Chicago media says it could happen again, and the denials are flying.

"I don't pay any attention to any of it," said Griffey. "I just keep playing. If I worried about that stuff, I'd be miserable."

Griffey's Cincinnati-based agent, Brian Goldberg, said the Reds didn't talk to him or Griffey about a trade before the deadline and haven't talked to them this week.

"John Allen (Reds COO) told me on the Wednesday before the trade deadline (Sunday, July 31) that nothing was going on, Junior wasn't going anywhere," said Goldberg.

Two days later, it was reported that Allen and General manager Dan O'Brien agreed on a trade of Griffey to the White Sox with GM Ken Williams for three minor-leaguers.

The report said Williams was told the trade needed approval from Lindner but it was late and they would check with him Saturday morning. That's when Lindner allegedly nixed the deal, although Allen and O'Brien deny it happened.

If the Reds do trade Griffey, they must get his approval because he is a 10-and-5 player and also has four teams to whom he would accept a trade listed in his contract — Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, St. Louis.

"I haven't heard from the Reds so I assume nothing is going on," said Goldberg. "If they tell us something is going on, we'd have to keep an open mind and decide yes or no."

Griffey talked candidly and pointedly about his situation before Friday's game in Miller Park against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Asked about his desire to win a World Series ring, Griffey said, "As a kid, you didn't talk about how much money you would make. You talked about hitting a home run in the All-Star game or that 3-and-2 walkoff home run in Game 7 of the World Series.

"You want to be in that (championship) parade when the city gets to rip up a few documents," he said. "That nice convertible ride down the street waving at everybody."

Will he need to OK another city to make that happen?

"I'll cross that when it happens," he said. "I'm going out to do what I'm supposed to do for this ball club. If the organization feels they need to make a change with me, then we'll look at it and I'll make up my mind. If not, I'll continue doing what I'm doing here.

"I have control over where I would go, but I have no control over who (the Reds) talk to and what they talk about."

Griffey wouldn't say he prefers to stay in Cincinnati and when asked that he said, "I prefer to win. I have to do what I have to do, as far the 24 guys in this room and not letting them down, no matter my situation. I depend on these guys and they depend on me."

The perplexing question is that if Griffey wants so badly to wear the jewelry does he believe it can happen in his playing life in Cincinnati.

"A parade is a parade," he said. "Yeah, I can see it happening here. We just have to play consistent. The first half we didn't play offense or defense, but the second half we've played a lot better. That's a test for everybody in here to send somebody else home with you."

Griffey was asked if knocking a team out of the playoffs was enough and he said, "No, but considering how we played the first half, it makes the off-season a little better that you can send somebody home with you.

"Yes, they have a whole lot of work to do here, but if we have a strong next six weeks we'll have a lot to look forward to next year."

With or without Griffey?