Congrats to The Kid

Congratulations to Ken Griffey Jr. for hitting home run #600 last night in Miami. Encomiums (encomia?) are

Sweet-swingin' Ken Griffey

appearing throughout the baseball world as the first untainted 600 in 37 years* comes courtesy of one of the prettiest swings in the history of major league baseball.

As is often the case, Joe Posnanski has one of the best columns about this milestone:

Joe Posnanski: 600 Words for Junior

"There's a pitcher I know who gave up three home runs to Ken Griffey — three of the 600 — and when I asked what it was like to give up a homer to Junior, he said: "You know, that swing is so damn pretty, it’s almost an honor."

Next up in the 600 Club is A-Rod, who should hit his around the end of the 2009 season. He will be an interesting case: untainted by steroid accusations but admired rather than beloved.

* -- I have no idea if Griffey is untainted by steroids. I hope he is. But no one knows, and it's been disappointing to see story after story talk about how Griffey "did it the right way." Will Leitch points out the disservice this rhetorical tactic does to Griffey:

"The implication, of course, is that Griffey hit all his home runs without steroids, unlike Barry Bonds and (presumably) Sammy Sosa. This seems more an insult to Griffey than to the alleged users. Praising Griffey by denigrating others' accomplishment doesn't allow Griffey to stand on his own, turns him into a martyr rather than the upper echelon Hall of Famer he is. Griffey should not be defined by others.

And since I'm giving love to Deadspin (not that they ever give any love to The Cub Reporter), here's my favorite Griffey story.