FanHouse JeffBrantley

While I'm still getting used to seeing Ken Griffey Jr. in a Chicago White Sox jersey (the jersey looks good, though the number 17 just seems awkward), Junior is probably still adjusting to life inside the circus atmosphere of the White Sox clubhouse. Still, that doesn't mean he's completely forgotten about where he's come from.

That's why Griffey issued a statement through the Reds PR department to thank fans for supporting him over the last nine seasons in Cincinnati. Ken also issued an apology to the fans for the throat slash gesture he made at broadcaster Jeff Brantley after hitting a home run. Brantley had been critical of Junior on the air for a while, and Ken just wanted him to know what he though of his opinion.

Of course, now Griffey realizes there were probably better ways he could have handled it.

"I really do understand that the overwhelming majority of fans wanted so badly for me to succeed," Griffey said. "Additionally, I would like to sincerely apologize to those fans offended by my wrongful actions last Saturday night. It was an overreaction on my part to what I felt was a series of public, inaccurate and unfair remarks about me."

You'll notice that while Griffey apologized to the fans for making the gesture, he didn't apologize to Brantley. Luckily for Ken, he now plays for Ozzie Guillen whom I'm sure will do something even more ludicrous to make everybody forget about Griff's transgression entirely.

I don't know that there was ever an initial feud between Ken Griffey, Jr., and Jeff Brantley, but it just seems like a sequel kind of Monday here, so I'm rolling with it.

And apparently, Brantley doesn't think there was an initial feud either, as he is denying the comments that led to Griffey making the dreaded throat slashing gesture towards the announcing booth.

And for those who can (or those who can't) read lips, yes, that was an epithet Griffey uttered as he make a cut gesture across his throat at home plate.

It was aimed at radio broadcaster Jeff Brantley.

"Oh, you saw that?" said Griffey. Yes, and so did the television world.

Griffey said he was upset that Brantley said Griffey was pouting because the Reds haven't picked up his $16 million option for next year.

Now personally, I think Brantley is bit . And I thought that before he told the world Edwin Encarnacion wasn't clutch right before he hit a walk off home run.

Of course, I also think that the old finger/thumb across throat is a bit overrated in terms of the danger it actually connotes from one individual to another on an athletic playing field. However, I would imagine that Griffey is gonna see some sort of fine for this -- turning and making what is construed off the field of play as a death threat to an announcer doesn't bode well for his wallet or reputation.

And just to put it in perspective, if this was Milton Bradley that made the move, we would be having a full fledged media freak out right now.

Monday marked the first time that the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds met since Reds radio announcer Marty Brennaman called Cubs fans "the most obnoxious in baseball" after they threw a bunch of baseballs on the field. Marty then followed that comment up by calling Cubs fans "brain dead" a few days later.

Needless to say, those comments didn't make Brennaman very popular amongst Cubs fans (though White Sox fans no doubt loved it). Well, Brennaman's partner in the radio booth, former Red Jeff Brantley, decided to one up his colleague on Sunday. After the Reds lost their fifth straight game, Brantley said "I'm not including everybody but there are some guys on this team ... if they win, great. If they lose, they could care less."

Current Reds reliever David Weathers was listening on the radio at the time, and he was not amused.

"Maybe he knows more about the game than we do," Weathers told TV reporters before the Reds played the Cubs on Monday. "If he does, congratulations, maybe he should come out with a uniform on."

Though after the Reds ended their losing streak by beating the Cubs on Monday night, Weathers had calmed down, and was pretty shocked by the attention his comments were receiving.

It's amazing how much material/news a ridiculously stubborn manager (played by Dusty Baker) forcing a player who has never laid down a sac bunt in his entire career (starring Edwin Encarnacion), only to have said player smash a two strike pitch over left field for a walk off homer will generate. But ... there's more! Jeff Brantley was on the call for this game and was basically agreeing with Dusty, as you will see in the video when he calls Encarnacion "not clutch" a few times and begs Dusty to get him out of there. (1:07 mark should do you about right if you're in a hurry)
Yup, can't be any more wrong than that. Egg, I believe you've met Jeff Brantley's face. At least Brantley didn't do something silly like actually try and stubbornly justify how apparently inaccurate his statement about a fake statistic was.

HT: With Leather

Despite rampant rumors that Adam Dunn might be traded, the clock struck 4pm EST yesterday, signaling the deadline for baseball's non-waiver trade deadline and he was still a member of the Cincinnati Reds. But from the sound of things, he still thinks there's a chance he might he might be dealt, which at the very least would make his mom happy. From the Dayton Daily News:

Reds left fielder Adam Dunn, the subject of trade rumors, said he wasn't concerned at all about the trading deadline.

"Yeah, I'm happy I'm here," Dunn said. "But ask me on Sept. 1." ...

"It bothers my mom more than me," Dunn said. "My family hates the Brennamans (broadcasters Marty and Thom) and Jeff Brantley. If George Grande and Chris Welsh aren't doing the television games, they won't watch. That's sad."

Even though he wasn't traded Tuesday, Dunn threw out a word of caution.

"I've heard a lot of things happen in August," he said.

Zing! It's not quite "Kent Mercker vs. Steve Stone," but "Dunn's mom vs. Marty and Thom" does have a ring to it. As the guys at Baseball Think Factory point out, Dunn doesn't exactly come across as someone who wants to stay in Cincinnati. I don't see how the Reds could get Dunn past waivers to make a deal happen this year, but at worst bank on the team taking offers this winter.

Previously on FanHouse:
Nationals Going After Adam Dunn?
The Angels Are Done Talking About Dunn
Report: Adam Dunn Is Already on the Trade Market
Padres Are Interested in Adam Dunn

Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley mentioned during tonight's Phillies/Reds game that your chance of witnessing a triple play on a grounder to third base is about .0006%. This must mean that if you were at the Great American Ballpark on Saturday night, you should probably go ahead and play powerball.

David Ross, who is having a tough season at the dish, came up in the bottom of the fifth inning with runners on first and second with nobody out. When his turn at bat was done, it was already the top of the sixth as he grounded into the aforementioned rare 5-4-3 triple play during the Phillies 4-1 victory (Abraham Nunez, to Chase Utley, to Wes Helms).

Charlie Manuel shook up the lineup, batting Shane Victorino in the leadoff spot, and dropping Jimmy Rollins down to the third hole. It worked as the Phillies opened up the game with a two spot, then got some insurance with solo home runs from cleanup hitter Chase Utley (in the continued absence of Ryan Howard), and Aaron Rowand.

But let's face it: Manuel could draw the lineup out of a hat as long as Cole Hamels pitches like he did tonight, striking out 15 batters in his first ever complete game victory, striking out every lineup spot at least once. Hamels fell one strikeout shy of the Phillies' club record for a lefthander, a record held by none other than Steve Carlton. Of Hamels' 115 pitches, 82 were strikes. The young man is filthy.