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Posted By	Discussion Topic: Griffey out rest of Spring
BaLLooN NoT	posted on 03-27-2001 @ 4:39 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00	Pulled hamstring shelves Griffey Associated Press SARASOTA, Fla. – Ken Griffey Jr. will miss the rest of spring training because of a pulled hamstring and is unsure whether he will play on Opening Day. Griffey's left hamstring was swollen Tuesday, a day after he slipped while rounding third base in a game against Kansas City. Dr. Timothy Kremchek said it's too early to tell whether Griffey would miss any regular-season games. Cincinnati opens Monday against Atlanta. "We're not looking at putting him on the disabled list," Kremchek said. "Right now, I truly believe there's a possibility he'll play on opening day. We're going to do everything we can to get him in the best shape we possibly can. "On the other hand, we're not going to do something that's going to allow him to rehurt himself on opening day, just to play that one particular game." Griffey will spend several hours each day getting treatment on the hamstring, which repeatedly has been injured during the past two years. He won't play anymore during spring training. Griffey stumbled as he rounded third base while trying to score on a single Monday at Haines City. His immediate reaction was that he might not be ready for the season opener. "You look forward to starting the season and right now, I can't do it," Griffey said in a downcast voice. "That's right now. Things could change day by day, though." Griffey's hamstring problems concern the Reds. He had a sore hamstring much of last season, his first with his hometown team, and he partially tore the top part of the hamstring in September. Early in spring training, the same area of the hamstring started bothering Griffey again. It felt better recently, allowing him to dive and run down balls in the outfield. "In the last 10 days or so, it's been fine," Griffey said. "It was just today, that turn around third base." In the seventh inning of a 3-2 loss to Kansas City, Griffey was on second base following a double. He tried to score on Alex Ochoa's single to left, but his foot slipped in the dirt as he rounded third. Griffey took a few labored steps before pulling up and crumbling to the ground, holding his leg. Catcher Gregg Zaun caught the throw from left fielder Mark Quinn, walked over and gingerly tagged out Griffey while Reds players and coaches headed toward them. The Royals stood in place on the field, watching Griffey roll on his back with what initially appeared to be a severe injury. The crowd of 2,786 was hushed. "When a guy goes down like that, usually it's a tear," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "I hope it's not as bad as it looked." Griffey was helped up and put his arms around teammates Deion Sanders and Jason LaRue. He kept his left leg elevated, putting no weight on it, as he left the field. He was limping around the clubhouse without assistance after an examination found no tear. Griffey's injury occurred in Barry Larkin's second game back from a groin strain that had sidelined him for the last two weeks. Larkin expects to play on opening day, but could be limited for the first few weeks. "I think it's going to affect my approach early on," Larkin said. "I won't be as aggressive as if it was 100 percent." Griffey has been durable during his career. He hasn't been on the disabled list since he broke his wrist in 1996. The hamstring problems are starting to give the Reds concern. "Anytime anybody hurts a muscle in the leg area, even years later you get scar tissue," manager Bob Boone said. "That's something he's probably going to have to work on hard for the rest of his life, as long as he's in baseball." Visit this Website METS will go ALL THE WAY THIS YEAR !!!!!!!!!!! Yankees & the Braves SUCK !!!!!

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