Ken Griffey showed up in Japan over the weekend to show kids how to hit.

[Palmetto Steel]

Ken Griffey showed up in Japan over the weekend to show kids how to hit. Shortly after this swing, he pulled his left hammy and will miss the next four-to-six weeks.

Ken Griffey Jr. is a big hit in Japan
1/16/2012

It's creeping closer. The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics will kick off the regular season with a two-game series in Tokyo from March 28-29 and, to drum up interest, both teams have sent some ambassadors — managers Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge as well as Ken Griffey Jr. — to Japan this week.

The youngsters in the photo above look pretty interested as The Kid conducts a clinic, but it's hard not to think that the eventual games won't shake out as a bit of a disappointment. The series was originally scheduled as a way to possibly pit Hideki Matsui against Ichiro on Japanese soil. But that, of course, is no longer going to happen with Matsui now a free agent and Melvin reiterating to the Japanese press that the DH probably doesn't fit into the plans for the cost-cutting A's.

Then again, the two games could be re-energized on both sides of the Pacific Ocean if the M's somehow emerge as the winners in the Prince Fielder derby. The big slugger debuting in a new uniform in a country where he used to live with his ballplaying father?

Yeah, that would make for an interesting spotlight.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/photo-ken-griffey-jr-big-hit-japan-150853973.html;_ylt=AmX9sf0VlptHX3gcNJLwaHTYupV4;_ ylu=X3oDMTFkcjhsYWZxBG1pdANTdXBlciBCbG9nIEluZGV4BH BvcwMxBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJsb2dJbmRleA--;_ylg=X3oDMTFrM25vcXFyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

[Palmetto Steel]

Ken Griffey showed up in Japan over the weekend to show kids how to hit. Shortly after this swing, he pulled his left hammy and will miss the next four-to-six weeks.

It's "humor" boys and girls... Pulled a hammy?!... C'mon, this is funny, based on his history!...