Beloved Former Seattle Mariners Outfielder Discusses Pressure of Being Traded For Ken Griffey Jr.
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Monday, Feb. 10, was the 25-year anniversary of the Seattle Mariners trading Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds. It's a complex day in M's history, as it's always tough to think about trading the best player in the game and a guy who became a first-ballot Hall of Famer. However, trading Griffey also opened up the door to a new era of M's history and gave fans a chance to watch Mike Cameron play for four years.
Speaking on MLB Network on Monday, Cameron relived the trade, and the pressure that came along with it, saying that it was difficult to be the guy who replaced Junior. He said he relied on veteran teammates and was able to play well in that 2000 season as the M's got to the ALCS. He also discussed his mindset, saying that he knew he wouldn't hit as many homers as Griffey, but that he could still play defense and run well.
You can see his full comments below:
25 years ago today, @_mcameron44 was traded from Cincinnati to Seattle in exchange for Ken Griffey Jr.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 10, 2025
The 17-year MLB vet joined us to explain his experience being part of the deal, his time with the Mariners and more.
Full podcast 👉 https://t.co/cVl4TMWfz4 pic.twitter.com/zbNxxapsbW
Over his four years with the M's, Cameron helped the team get to the playoffs twice, and made the All-Star Game in 2001. He won two Gold Gloves with the M's over those four years and hit 25 homers in both 2001 and 2002.
In addition to the Mariners, he also played with the Chicago White Sox, Reds, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins over his 17-year career.
He won three Gold Gloves in total, stole 297 bases and was a .249 career hitter.
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