The American League West has been dubbed the “AL Worst” this year, but Sox manager Gene Lamont isn’t convinced the teams in the East are any better.
“I don’t know if you look up and down they’re any better, team for team,” says Lamont. “I don’t think they’re any stronger.”
Lamont will get the chance to re-evaluate real soon. The Sox play 17 games in a row against AL West opponents beginning Friday night at the Kingdome against Ken Griffey Jr. and the Mariners.
Air Ken: Speaking of Griffey, his Seattle teammates are all caught up in his home-run binge. And nobody has gotten more carried away than catcher Dave Valle. Here’s what he has to say about Griffey: “As far as I’m concerned, he’s the best thing that’s happened to the game in a long time,” said Valle. “If he were in any other city, he would be the Michael Jordan of baseball.”
Whoah. The Michael Jordan of baseball? “He will be,” said Valle. “I’m sure that’s just around the corner.”
A flaw: One weakness in Griffey’s game is his baserunning. He has stolen just nine bases this year and has been caught seven times.
And chances are he won’t be challenging the Sox catchers in this weekend series. Ron Karkovice and Mike LaValliere have combined to throw out 37 of 73 runners who’ve tried to steal this year. That’s 51 percent. Most teams consider 40 percent excellent.