In the visiting clubhouse of Baltimore’s Camden Yards, 31/2 hours before a game, players are watching television, playing cards, listening to iPods.
Ichiro Suzuki spreads a towel on the carpeted floor in front of his locker, lies on his back and begins doing stretching exercises. From Ichiro’s blind side, Ken Griffey Jr. pounces, gets his hands deep under Ichiro’s armpits and digs in with his fingers.
Ichiro’s laughter is almost childlike – genuine and uncontrolled – and after about five seconds he screams the magic word to make Griffey stop.
Junior stands up, walks back to his locker and sits down. Ichiro lies quietly for a moment, letting his body relax, then goes back to stretching as if nothing had happened.
But he’s smiling.
“This,” trainer Rick Griffin said, “is the happiest I’ve seen Ichiro since 2001.”
http://www.thenewstribune.com/1042/story/780073.html
I'm glad Junior is back!
