Ken Griffey Jr. in Spring Training with the Reds in 2006.
photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo)
The Chicago White Sox have declined the club option for 2009 on the contract of outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. who will be eligible for free agency.
Griffey, 38, combined to hit .249 (122-for-490) with 18 home runs and 71 RBI in 143 games last season between Cincinnati and the White Sox. He batted .260 (34-for-131) with three homers and 18 RBI in 41 games with the Sox after being acquired from the Reds on July 31 in return for pitcher Nick Masset and infielder Danny Richar.
Griffey ranks fifth in Major League history with 611 home runs, 10th with 1,152 extra-base hits, 15th with 5,092 total bases, 18th with 1,772 RBI and 30th with 1,613 runs scored.
He and Jim Thome were the first teammates in Major League history to be members of the 600 and 500-home run clubs.
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From MLB.com