The story from the Seattle Mariner's team trainer being reported today by ESPN is that Ken Griffey Jr has recovered well from off-season knee surgery and actually has trimmed down and put on some muscle - looking more like his old self than he has anytime in recent years. As what appears to be the only offensive superstar to have emerged from the steroids era without a asterisk next to his name, Grif has gone from a fan favorite to the only fan favorite of his generation.

Before last season, as Griffey was traded back to the team he grew up with, most folks thought that 2009 would be a nice farewell tour where he could get showered with some more Seattle love  before riding off into the sunset. However, the news that he's on his way to getting "ripped" and back into shape, sure makes it sound like a 2010 as a consistent DH for the M's. Given that the Angel's appear to be in a semi-rebuilding mode and the A's are struggling to get back to their identity, and with the Mariner's solid comeback season last year, its not totally crazy for us to envision a perfect send off where Grif gets to make the playoffs and play the role of hero that was robbed from him by a couple of fluke injuries and a few hundred other guys who didnt mind shooting up on the juice.

We just pray that his rehab is 'au natural' - or we might just give up on baseball forever.