MLB '10

[Alex]

Maybe that was part of it, but there was no statistical evidence of it. He hit about half his home runs in 1999 in Safeco Field.

But it wasn't like he left for the Yankees or something, he specifically wanted to go to Cincinnati where he'd grown up and deep roots with the team (it was where he grew up and his father played there through most of the '70s).

Griffey's version is that a) he wanted to be closer to his family, but also that b) the management of the team came to him and said "we can keep you or A-Rod, who should it be?" His view was that if it they weren't sure they wanted him they should just trade him and please make it Cincinnati.