Cincinnati ? As an entire city went giddy, Ken Griffey Jr. slipped on a Cincinnati Reds’ cap and explained why he had come home.

“It’s where you’ll be happy, and Cincinnati is the place I thought I’d be happy,” Griffey said, a few hours after the Reds got him from Seattle in a 4-for-1 trade in February 2000.

On that evening full of promise, the all-century outfielder was convinced things would work out in his hometown. After all, he had grown up with the Big Red Machine, darting through famous players in the clubhouse.

His father was a player on those title teams. His family was still in town. Fans were in love with the idea that he passed up millions of dollars to make the move. It seemed a perfect place to finish a Hall of Fame career.

Instead of happiness, he’s found horror.

Griffey is out for the season after tearing a tendon in his right ankle, his sixth major injury during his four years in Cincinnati. Fans wish the Reds could trade a 33-year-old player who has been little more than a strain on the payroll for four years.

They’ve hardly known the Junior who wore his cap backward and seemed ready to topple the record books on the West Coast.

“They’ve seen him on TV when he was in Seattle,” said shortstop Barry Larkin, his closest friend on the team. “Ever since he was here, it’s been one thing after another.

“I know the people here are disappointed in the fact that he’s injured and he’s unable to do some of the things he’s capable of doing. The fans are frustrated, and I know the organization is frustrated. He’s doing what he can.”

Fans had a brief glimpse of it his first season, when he hit 40 homers and drove in 118 runs. They also had a glimpse of what was to come — he tore a hamstring near the end of the season.

It was the start of a mind-numbing series of injuries for a player who was a mainstay in the lineup during 11 seasons at Seattle. The next spring training, he tore the hamstring again while rounding a base.

It was the same in 2002, when he tore a tendon in his knee during the first week of the season and later tore his other hamstring. This year, he dislocated his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch in the first week. After a 51/2-week layoff, he returned and tore a tendon in his right ankle, sending him back to surgery Friday.

It always seems to be something.

“He’s older than he was when he was at his superstar height,” said Dr. Timothy Kremchek, who operated on Griffey. “I think with every athlete that’s played on turf and has a pounding day to day, we see the muscles break down.

“But I think a lot of it is bad luck. I think there’s a lot of bad luck involved.”

At first, the club thought Griffey merely needed to intensify his offseason workouts, paying closer attention to keeping his legs strong. He did that, and has still gotten hurt in strange ways.