Updated Nov 23, 2011 - 8:09 am

Ken Griffey Jr. saw himself in Greg Halman

I realize that not everyone who reads this blog participates in Twitter so I am going to pass along something that I tweeted earlier.

I mentioned in my post about Greg Halman that he was thrilled to meet Ken Griffey Jr. in spring training two years ago. What I didn't write is that the two developed a relationship.

I spoke with Junior earlier tonight. He is struggling to make sense of Greg's death like so many others are. He has been talking with players on the phone and was concerned about how people here were taking the horrible news.

I told him what I had seen and heard and then we talked about Greg. When I mentioned that I had seen a little bit of him in Greg he agreed emphatically.

"I told them that he was the closest thing to me they had seen since me," he said. "I just can't make sense of this."

Junior mentioned not only seeing the similarity in raw skills but also his smile and the joy he displayed playing the game. He also saw the bat coming around.

"He was going to break out next year," he said.

In Griffey, Halman had not only a mentor and friend, but a fan.

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Sir Wesley wrote...

Griffey on Halman

November 23, 2011 12:47 pm

I was amazed to read your post. The first time we saw Greg at he park last summer, my wife turned to me and said something to the effect that he has a smile that reminds me of Junior. I had no idea that the two had met let alone developed a friendship. What a sad day for the Mariners and for the Halman family.

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dori monson fan wrote...

that headline is gross!

November 25, 2011 12:09 pm

seriously though, rip to the young man.

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Seattlesmitty24 wrote...

Seriously Dori....

November 29, 2011 8:01 am

The young man is dead and all you can do is twist the headline? you're freakin incredible. a class act. you know saying the words "rip to the young man" doesn't make up for you sick mind.

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wcremedy24 wrote...

Can see it

November 25, 2011 1:17 pm

I can definitely see simlarities between the two, the power, fielding ability, and love for the game. I don't think Greg was going to have a career anything like Griffey's but he certainly shared the same love for it.

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clevesside wrote...

It is very sad.....

November 25, 2011 4:33 pm

....to see greatness not only never realized, but now gone. Maybe Junior was prescient, but we'll never know, which makes it worse. Prayers out to Greg's family in the Netherlands and the Mariners.

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sweetpea123 wrote...

Are you kidding me?

November 25, 2011 9:51 pm

Jr...how is it a young, rising baseball star's death can suddenly become overshadowed w/ one interview w/ the most arrogant, narcissistic player of all time... Jr...you ain't all that and a bag of chips! Pity he couldn't take the high road and express condolences and sadness, just had to turn it into something about himself. Sad... Greg Halman deserved much better than that KIRO 710...why did you bother w/ this drivel?

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shannon drayer wrote...

sweetpea123

November 26, 2011 8:34 am

You clearly have bad feelings about Griffey but this is not about your feelings.Griffey was a baseball hero to a generation of fans that reached far beyond Seattle. I have heard from people in the Netherlands who were touched by this comment. Griffey was Halman's baseball hero and he took the time to help him both on and off the field spending time with him in the batting cages and clubhouse, taking him to dinner and being there to answer whatever questions he may have had.He was a friend of Greg's and quite frankly I find your comment in this situation to be in poor taste. This was the highest praise from a future Hall of Famer who expressed plenty of sadness that I did not write about. I get that there are people that despite the fact they have never spent any significant time with the man and despite the fact that it is well documented he was beloved by his teammates, still choose to have a vision of him that those who actually know him do not. This is not about that. This is about a young man who did like him and was thrilled to spend time with him and call a friend. You can have your opinion but in this instance, please save it.

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stumanu wrote...

Thank You Shannon

November 26, 2011 9:32 am

Well put as usual. We are lucky to have you in the Mariner family to get a glimps inside.

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soo purletiv wrote...

@ Shannon Drayer

November 26, 2011 8:50 pm

"... You can have your opinion but in this instance, please save it."
Feisty, Feisty, Feisty!!
It took an ignorant comment from a poster by the name sweetpea123 to bring out the tiger in you?
Rawwwwwwwwr!!!!
I am liking you a little more all the time.
Go get'm tiger!
Passion aint all that bad after all, now is it.......

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Updated Nov 23, 2011 - 8:09 am

Ken Griffey Jr. saw himself in Greg Halman

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