Ken Griffey, Jr. Rejoins Baseball's Elite

Ken Griffey, Jr. ruled the baseball world in the nineties. He was everywhere. He was selected to play in every All Star Game, won a Gold Glove award every year, and even won the MVP award in 1997. He was also the most marketable player in the game, appearing in commercials for Nike, Pepsi, and Pizza Hut. When the year 2000 rolled around, Griffey was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Cincinnati Reds and it seemed as if he left his good fortunes in Seattle. Griffey was marred by various injuries and just about fell off the baseball map. After a few years of unproductive seasons, Griffey's fortunes improved and he is now reclaiming his spot as one of the game's elite players.

Griffey's return to the limelight was one of the highlights from the 2007 All Star Game. He played well, driving in two runs and throwing out a base runner at home and walked around San Francisco's AT&T Park with the smile that made him so beloved in the nineties. Perhaps the biggest sign that Griffey is back in full swing is the fact that he was the top vote getter for the National League. Nearly 3 million fans voted for Griffey to be an All Star.

Griffey has always put on a great show for the fans at the All Star Game. He has won multiple Home Run Derby competitions on the eve of the All Star Game. In 1992, he hit a home run off Greg Maddux and took home MVP honors for the game. He was also a top vote getter on multiple occasions.

It's easy to understand why the fans were in love with Griffey. He dazzled fans every night with his remarkable play in the field and his explosive bat. He won ten Gold Gloves and hit 382 home runs. Griffey dominated the nineties and appeared to be a legitimate contender to break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.

Once the nineties ended, Griffey's career hit a few roadblocks. A devastating hamstring injury forced him to miss significant playing time in 2000, 2001, and 2004. It even forced him to get an experimental surgery performed on it before the 2005 season. Griffey also encountered ankle, knee and shoulder injuries. His fast track toward the all-time home run record had come undone.

In 2005, things began to come back for Griffey. He hit 35 home runs, which was more than his previous two seasons combined, and joined the 500 home run club. The injury bug bit Griffey, once again, in 2006 as he played in only 109 games. Before the 2007 season, the decision was made to move Griffey to right field with the hope of keeping him healthy. The decision has proven to be a wise one. Thus far, Griffey has appeared in 83 of Cincinnati's 89 games and is leading the team in many offensive categories.

In 2007, Ken Griffey has returned to where he belongs. The All Star Game and the hearts of fans. Baseball fans are rejoicing because Griffey is a superstar that they can get behind. There is no steroid scandal that follows him around and no juicy tabloid photographs that are splashed across the front page of the newspaper.

Welcome back Junior, you've been missed!