What to think of Ken Griffey Jr?

Ken Griffey Jr. was the first true superstar of my baseball fandom. He hits 16 homeruns in the majors as a 19 year old in 1989. His 1989 Rookie cards were what every kid wanted to have. At one point I had the Fleer and Donruss versions but could never get my hands on the Upper Deck one. It was THE holy grail of baseball cards for a collector in the early 90s.  He was "The Kid" who was going to be the greatest ever. His retirement and the realization that I watched his entire 22 year career is just another sign that I am starting to get old.

Quick sidebar...Griffey was the first pick in the 1987 draft by Seattle. The Pirates actually had the worst record in MLB in 1986 but got the second pick because at the time the first overall pick alternated between the American and National Leagues (not that case anymore). So, if the current rules were in effect, the Pirates would have drafted Ken Griffey Jr (instead of a can't miss guy who never played in the majors) and had an outfield of Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and Andy Van Slyke in the late 80s/early 90s. I am pretty sure that would have beat the Braves and whoever from the American League. And Griffey would have been there past 1992 even if Bonds left...Just crazy to even think about.

That sidebar is actually the perfect segue way as Griffey's career is the ultimate case of "what if" mainly due to all his injuries. He finished with 630 home runs. Does he easily break the home run record if  plays 140+ games in a season more than twice in the 2000s?  He also missed about half the season in 1995. With the other counting stats that are bound to come with more playing time make him the best ever?  It is impossible to say.

What I can say is that it feels like Ken Griffey just never seemed to live up to his potential. I don't know if that is fair nor if he could have ever lived up to the expectations. However, the first thing I think about with Griffey is his slide to score the winning run and beat the Yankees in the playoffs. That play was 15 years ago!  Its not that he hasn't had a great career since as the numbers were great (led the AL in homers in 97, 98, and 99 with some gaudy stats). But was 1995 the pinnacle? He just always seemed to be overshadowed after that. Whether it was the Yankees winning a bunch of titles, the McGwire/Sosa home run chase, or the lost years in Cincy, I just can't recall a lot of "moments" for Junior. That seems weird to me considering he is an all-time great and I am as big a baseball fan as anyone.

Another thing about Griffey that makes me curious is why it is always assumed he didn't do any kind of performance enhancing drugs. He is constantly considered the best "clean" superstar of the steroids era but aren't there at least some signs that he could have been dirty too? Haven't we said before that symptoms of steroid/PED use include breaking down physically earlier than most? Griffey didn't have an injury free season after age 30 which lead to the thinking of unfulfilled expectations I mentioned before. I don't think he did any PEDs but also don't think the possibility should be dismissed. I think it is because of the fact that Griffey was the face of baseball for a lot of years after the strike, more so than any of the other suspected/admitted users. An admission by Griffey would hurt the game much worse (in the media's) eyes than any of the others.

So, what to think of Ken Griffey's career? Will he be remembered more for what could have been, including the fact that he never played in a World Series? Or for the years he kept baseball together as the media/kid friendly superstar and basically saved baseball in Seattle?