I'm hoping this blog article doesn't hold the blogosphere's equivalent of the "Sports Illustrated" cover jinx.

As a diehard Seattle Mariners fan, I watched Ken Griffey Junior back when he was fun to watch. Back when he was one of the most exciting players of the game. I watched him help build the M's to respectability and several playoff appearances, then get a big head and take off for Cincinnatti, where he has put up subpar numbers in every year since the move, and has yet to complete a season.

The shocker of the year? It's past the AllStar break, and Junior's still performing. He's on track for a 30 HR, 100 RBI season, and he's put up his highest offensive numbers since the 2000 move in every category except batting average, where he's only 3 points off the mark. His omission from the AllStar Game was probably due to his presence on the perennially cellar dwelling Reds, who just may be suffering "The Curse of Charlie Hustle" (if that phrase ever makes the mainstream media, remember you heard it here first).

Last year when he went down yet again to injuries shortly after notching career homerun number 500, I blogged an article suggesting it was time he retired. Griffey's doing a more than adequate job showing me, and everyone else, that he's still got some game left in him.