Griffey poised on brink of history

Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron. Babe Ruth. Willie Mays. Sammy Sosa.

The next name on that list?  Ken Griffey Jr., who is poised to join the 600 home run club sometime this week.

Griffey, baseball’s best player of the 1990s, has slogged through this decade while battling injuries. The last nine seasons in Cincinnati have taken the luster off of Griffey’s star, but the player who once seemed destined to break Aaron’s home run record still ranks among the top 20 players ever to lace up spikes.

Griffey could end up on the trading block this summer, and his days as a feared hitter are long gone. But for those of us lucky enough to remember his uncommon grace and infectious smile, Griffey’s 600^th homer will provide a nostalgic look back at one of baseball’s most entertaining players.