Scuffling Jason Bay, who went 0 for 4 and whose average is down to .259, shuffles off after an eighth-inning strikeout.
(Barry Chin/Globe Staff)
Red Sox Notebook
Time of the ancient Mariner
Griffey remains popular as ever
Scuffling Jason Bay, who went 0 for 4 and whose average is down to .259, shuffles off after an eighth-inning strikeout.
(Barry Chin/Globe Staff)
For as long as Jon Lester could remember, Ken Griffey Jr. was a part of his childhood. Growing up in Tacoma, Wash., just outside Seattle, Lester felt spoiled. Any summer day from the time he was 5, when Griffey made his big league debut, Lester could turn on his television and watch Griffey, the greatest player of his generation and a lefthander to boot.
“I think anybody my age, around the country and especially in Seattle or Washington, was a big Griffey fan,’’ Lester said. “I definitely was a big fan of his. Being lefthanded helped, too. It’s nice having the best player in baseball play in your home city.’’
Lester, 25, hopes he will face Griffey, 39, today when he makes his second start against his hometown team this year. Griffey, prone to sitting against lefties, likely will be out of the starting lineup, as he was when Lester started at Seattle May 15.
Lester faced Griffey for the only time last August, when Griffey played for the Chicago White Sox, and retired him in all three at-bats. Griffey did not remember the encounter. Lester cherishes it.
“Pitching to him was half-business and half-fun at the same time,’’ Lester said. “It was kind of cool at first. After his first at-bat, I kind of put it out of the way. It was kind of business as usual.’’
Lester and Griffey met in Cincinnati last year before he was traded to the White Sox. Sean Casey, Griffey’s teammate with the Reds, introduced them. Lester had prepared by ordering an old Griffey Mariners jersey, which Griffey autographed. They chatted for two minutes.
“That was really a cool thing for me,’’ Lester said. “It’s one of those deals, and I’m sure if you asked anybody in the clubhouse that’s gotten to hit off their favorite player, it’s just a cool feeling.’’
Griffey has become accustomed to those types of meetings. Almost every series, an opposing player wants to meet Junior, probably the most popular player of his generation. Griffey said the greetings can be “a little awkward sometimes,’’ but he came away with a strong impression of Lester.
“He was a good kid,’’ Griffey said. “No matter what team you play for, when somebody gets sick, it’s great to get them back. What he’s battled off the field, it helps him on the field.’’
Griffey returned to the Mariners during the offseason, and it felt right for at least one local kid who idolized him.
“I thought that was cool,’’ Lester said. “I thought that’s a good [fit] for him. It’s cool to see him back in a Mariners uniform. It just fits him. Cincinnati grew on you, and it finally fit. When he was with the White Sox, it just didn’t really look right. It was cool to see him go back.’’
A for effort
David Aardsma signed with the Mariners with little fanfare after spending last year with the Red Sox. Aardsma proved an effective setup man in Boston before a groin injury derailed his season, but nothing indicated he would have the spectacular year he is currently enjoying.By slamming the door yesterday in the ninth inning with a barrage of 97-mile-per-hour fastballs, Aardsma saved his 17th game in 18 chances to go with a 1.41 ERA. Aardsma is an All-Star candidate, and “I’d be pretty surprised’’ if he doesn’t make it, Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said.
“Last year, the first couple months, he was tremendous here,’’ Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “He’s gotten put into the [closer’s] role and he’s taken advantage of it. He obviously has taken it and run with it. He’s done a great job.’’
Fast company
Jacoby Ellsbury became the third Red Sox player - and first since World War I - to steal at least 35 bases in consecutive seasons. The last Red Sox player to swipe at least 35 in back-to-back years was Tris Speaker (1912-14). Ellsbury stole 50 bases last season and is on pace for 70 this year, which would obliterate Tommy Harper’s team record 54 . . . David Ortiz on Tim Wakefield’s All-Star chances: “I would love to watch him in the All-Star Game. He’s doing a great job this year. It would be his first one, so hopefully they take pretty good consideration on him.’’ . . . First baseman Jeff Bailey left after seven innings, rolling his ankle in a fifth-inning collision at first base. Bailey said he expected to be fine . . . Celebrities for Charity is raffling off the customized catching equipment Jason Varitek wore yesterday. Raffle tickets are available at www.netraffle.org, and the equipment - a Fourth of July-themed mask, chest protector, and shin pads - will be presented to the winner by Varitek before the Aug. 10 game at Fenway. The winner also gets four tickets to that game, against Detroit . . . Francona was asked the last time he was not at a baseball game on July 4. “Probably when I was 3,’’ Francona said. “Maybe never.’’ . . . The clubs wore “4 ALS’’ patches to promote awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis on the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s famous speech.Adam Kilgore can be reached at akilgore@globe.com 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
