HAINES CITY, FLA. — Ken Griffey Jr. had to be helped off the field Monday after sustaining another hamstring injury only a week before opening day.
The Cincinnati Reds center fielder slipped as he rounded third while trying to score on a single during the seventh inning of Kansas City's 3-2 victory, straining his left hamstring.
"You look forward to starting the season and right now, I can't do it," Griffey said in a downcast voice in the dressing room. "That's right now. Things could change day by day, though."
The Reds didn't rule him out for next Monday's opener against Atlanta, initially taking a wait-and-see approach.
Hamstring injuries can take weeks to heal, and the Reds will be cautious in light of Griffey's problems with his left hamstring over the past two years. It bothered him for much of last season, his first with his hometown team, and he partially tore it on Sept. 11.
Griffey strengthened his hamstring in the offseason, but it bothered him once again early in spring training. He had been running at full speed without a problem for about the last 10 days, diving for balls running without pain.
He reinjured it Monday when his foot slipped in the dirt by third base as he tried to score from second. Griffey made it less than halfway home before pulling up lame and falling on his back, grabbing his leg in pain.
Catcher Gregg Zaun caught the throw from left fielder Mark Quinn, walked over and gingerly tagged out Griffey as Reds players, manager Bob Boone and coach Ken Griffey Sr. headed toward them, fearing the worst.
"When a guy goes down like that, usually it's a tear," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "I hope it's not as bad as it looked."
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