Griffey working on swing

[CincyRedsFan30]

Griffey working on swing

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | On Thursday's off-day, Ken Griffey Jr. was in Florida and took his son, Trey, to a batting cage for some tutoring.

"It might have helped me more than him," Griffey said before Friday night's game against the Houston Astros.

"I was trying to teach him some things, correct some things, and the more I told him, the more I thought, 'That's what I'm doing wrong.' It was 'Do as I say, not what I'm doing.' "

Griffey began Friday's game 3-for-18, and when he talked to Trey, "I found I was telling him the same things my father (Ken Griffey Sr.) always tells me, and it is what I'm doing wrong."

Griffey began Friday's game with no home runs in his first 28 plate appearances after hitting zero in spring training. When he hits a ball hard, it has topspin and dips quickly when it reaches the outfield.

"That's good," he said. "If I'm getting topspin, I'm getting through the ball the way I should. I just need more lift, get it up in the air, so that when the topspin arrives, the ball is headed over the wall."

Griffey was at Great American Ball Park early Friday and took a long extra batting practice session, then said, "I worked on some things and got some things figured out."

Griffey went 0-for-4 with one strikeout Friday night.

Hancock shut down

It looks as if it could be a matter of weeks rather than days before Josh Hancock pitches for the Reds again.

Struggling with a groin injury, he tried throwing five days ago, "but had to shut it down," he said. "It's lingering, and I tried to throw twice when the team was on the road and had to stop both times.

"I've asked for a time-frame as to when I might be able to pitch, but they (medical staff) can't give me one," he said. "I'm starting to drive myself crazy. To distract myself, I think I'll go furniture shopping and take out some tension on a furniture salesman."

Ortiz questionable

It isn't official that Ramon Ortiz won't pitch Monday against the Cubs, but it is likely that Matt Belisle will pitch Monday and Brandon Claussen will pitch Tuesday.

"We'd like to have Ortiz in the rotation, but we have to wait and see," said manager Dave Miley. Ortiz missed his last turn with tightness in his right groin.

"It doesn't hurt, it is just tight," Ortiz said. "I don't like to see everybody playing and me sitting down. That's very hard for me. I love to play baseball."

Ortiz said he has no pain, but his muscles are tight. As Ortiz talked, Claussen walked by, running his hand over his head, and said, "Ortiz can really cut hair, man."

Said Ortiz, "Yeah, I can cut hair, but right now I can't pitch."

Fighting sickness

A mysterious illness that began the first day of spring training camp continues to linger and is making its way through the Reds roster.

"It's the Third World Flu," said Jacob Cruz, sniffling as he talked. "I think I got it from Adam Dunn, but I didn't kiss him."

Dunn, also sniffling, denies being a carrier and said, "With me, it's a sinus infection, and I get it twice a year. Everybody accusing me of giving them something is a liar."

Miley came down with it, took some medication and was all right, but came down with it again Thursday night.

"I was fine while I watched the Yankees-Red Sox game, then I went to bed and was up three times because it felt like somebody was beating me up. (Trainer) Mark Mann gave me some pills today that are so big they must be for horses."

The first error

The streak ended with a low throw to first base by pitcher Paul Wilson in the first inning Friday.

The Reds played their first eight games without an error and could have tied a major-league record with one more errorless game and set a record with two errorless games.

The 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates and 2004 Colorado Rockies started their seasons with nine straight.

Wilson was late getting to a tapper in front of the plate hit by Jeff Bagwell, then threw the ball into the dirt, and first baseman Sean Casey couldn't handle it.

[missionhockey21]

Griffey needs to relax, he appears to be pressing in a lot of his AB's. Just make contact like he did in his first few games.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Yeah, the HR will come Griff.

[missionhockey21]

Some good quotes in this article:

"I think I got it from Adam Dunn, but I didn't kiss him."

"Everybody accusing me of giving them something is a liar."