Fleeting Fame

Some baseball stars are born great-that is they hit the baseball world running and earn the rank of superstar early in their careers (e.g. Sierra & Griffey Jr.). Others achieve greatness-that is they have to work and struggle several years before everything clicks and they have their moment in the sun (e.g. Boone & Cameron). All of them have experienced the fleeting nature of their stardom.

Ruben Sierra knows it all too well. When he signed with Texas he was touted as one who could become the next Roberto Clemente. After five good years there, he bulked up too much on the weights and lost his natural swing. He bounced around to several different teams, not finding a welcome mat for long in any of them. By 1999 he played in the independent Atlantic league and the Mexican League.

Sierra was not finished though. In 2000, Texas sent him to their minor league AAA affiliate until he earned his way up to the big leagues for 20 games late in the season. Last year he earned the major league Comeback Player of the Year title in Texas. In Seattle, this season, he looks like a star again.

The Ken Griffey Jr. story is not quite as dramatic. He spent ten years in Seattle where he was a superstar. Now in his third season in Cincinnati, fans and the media are questioning his value on the team since the Reds are leading the NL Central even though Griffey played in only six games. He missed part of last season with an injury. Now he has another one. He still has the ability to play well, though. He could be on top again.

Bret Boone did not achieve glory until age 32. After nine years of putting up respectable, but not superstar numbers, he rocked the American league last year with his 141 RBI's and broke the AL record for home runs by a second baseman.

So far this season Boone is not wowing anyone but he is starting to improve. Last year he was batting .308 at this time. Right now he is at .261, up from his May 1 average of only .222. On May 14, 2001 he had 44 hits, 34 RBI and 6 HR to his credit. Going into May 14, 2002 he had 37 hits, 25 RBI and 6 HR-not really that far behind his marks last year. Bret will be back.

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