Before announcing his retirement Saturday, Ken Griffey received an offer from Reds manager Lou Piniella to go on the 15-day disabled list and rejoin the team in September.
Griffey declined, his agent said, for one simple reason: He wasn`t injured.
”Kenny didn`t want to be part of any non-injury situation that would be portrayed as an injury,” said Brian Goldberg. ”If he had any problems with his ankle or back, it was nothing worse than two or three months ago-and nothing more than any player would play through. He couldn`t be dishonest and fake an injury.”
Goldberg`s version conflicts slightly with Piniella`s. The Reds manager said Griffey has been bothered by a recurring back problem and was receiving treatment for a sore ankle.
”I told him, `If you want to go on the DL, we can DL you for two weeks and bring you back in September,` ” Piniella said. ”He chose the other approach.”
Griffey`s retirement allowed the Reds to activate pitcher Chris Hammond.
