Griffey jumps at chance to win
Ken Griffey Jr. spent a good part of his childhood in Cincinnati, played there for nine more years. It’s the place he raised his children, where he’s made numerous friends, still has family.
Cincinnati is home.
Yet when he was asked to leave, Griffey needed just a few hours to decide. The chance to potentially win his first World Series ring was enough temptation to agree to be traded from Cincinnati to Chicago.
“They’ve obviously done well, being in first place without me to this point,” Griffey said Friday, before his debut with the White Sox against Kansas City.
“In search of winning a World Series title, that was important. My kids are getting older and it wasn’t the situation in Seattle where I wanted to get closer to home. It was a chance for me winning a title, I think that was the biggest draw.”
Griffey drove in two runs and nearly hit a homer in his debut with Chicago, going 2 for 3 as the White Sox defeated the Royals 4-2 at Kansas City, Mo.
“He did just what he always does,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “It didn’t surprise me at all what he did.”
Liriano rejoins Twins
Francisco Liriano is back in the Twins rotation, as Minnesota promoted him from Rochester and cut ties with right-hander Livan Hernandez and outfielder Craig Monroe.
“It’s what I was waiting for,” said Liriano, who will start Sunday’s series finale against Cleveland. “I’m so happy to be here.”
The left-hander missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery and was battered in his first stint up this season in April, going 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA.
Clearing the bases
New York Mets right-hander John Maine, who has a mild strain in his right rotator cuff, will skip his next scheduled start to give more rest to his sore throwing shoulder. Oliver Perez will start for Maine on Sunday. … An MRI exam showed Detroit reliever Todd Jones has tendinitis in his right shoulder, not a major injury. Jones, who has 18 saves and a 5.05 ERA, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday. … San Diego shortstop Khalil Greene went on the 15-day disabled list with a broken left hand two days after he punched a wall near his team’s dugout. He is expected to be out at least six to eight weeks.