When Alex Rodriguez joined the team that former teammate Ken Griffey Jr. despised
Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. shared a powerful bond when the two of them were playing for the Seattle Mariners. They were considered the team's core for the next decade, but that was not the case.
The two led the Mariners to two postseason berths, one in 1995 and the other in 1997. Unfortunately, they were taken down by the New York Yankees in '95 and the Baltimore Orioles in '97.
Rodriguez spent three more seasons in Seattle before joining the Texas Rangers. But when A-Rod signed with the Yankees in 2004, it really got under Griffey Jr.'s skin.
It has long been reported that Griffey loathes the Yankees. His father played for the Bronx Bombers from 1982 to 1985, and he felt the organization discriminated against him when he was a kid.
Griffey went to the dugout to visit his dad during a series when a security guard approached him. The security guard expressed that George Steinbrenner did not want anybody in the dugout who was not a player.
Griffey Sr. was not thrilled with the request but eventually complied. When he told his son to go to the locker room, he mentioned to look at third base. At third base was Graig Nettles' son taking ground balls at third base.
In the documentary "Junior," there is a scene where a fan calls out and asks Griffey Jr. to play for the Yankees.
"No," Junior responded. "If the Yankees were the last team ... if they were the only team that gave me a contract, I'd retire."
Ken Griffey Jr. could not believe his friend would sign with a team that he holds so much resentment for, however, the two remain friends to this day.
Not many opposing pitchers would want to face Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. in the same lineup
Having players like Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in the same lineup would have been a nightmare for opposing pitchers. There was no pitching around either of them during their careers.
Griffey Jr. was a four-time MLB home run leader in 1994 and 1997-1999. A-Rod was a five-time home run leader in 2001-2003, 2005, and 2007.
Both players excelled on pitcher's mistakes. Opposing pitchers would have to be deadly accurate, which was still insufficient given the skills of both players. Neither had any problems putting the ball in play wherever it was thrown.
Unfortunately, the baseball world could only see these two together briefly. Who knows the success the Mariners could have had if the duo stayed together?