Reds Ken Griffey Jr.'s Effectiveness Questionable

Fate may have dealt a potentially serious blow to the Cincinnati Reds playoff prospects Monday when superstar outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. dislocated his right middle toe while chasing a fly ball off the bat of fellow future Hall-of-Famer Barry Bonds of the Giants. Griffey limped off the field as Cincinnati went on to lose the game 5-4 in 10 innings. Griffey could be back soon if doctors are able to brace the toe to prevent pain and further injury. But his prospects of effectively playing a position as difficult as center field are a little dicey, considering that he may be forced to run rather gingerly for the remainder of the regular season. In the worst case, Griffey could even find himself virtually benched until the playoffs, doing little more than pinch hitting if anything. Worse, if he tends to favor one leg over the other, new strains or injuries could result.