During what seemed like lucid negotiations with Griffey and Seattle, he told the media the talks were only rumors, and even upped the ante by saying he was in serious talks with the Braves. Not just their GM or other higher ups, but Chipper Jones as well. He says he “always” wanted to play in Atlanta, which I have to assume really means “since I bought my off-season house in Orlando.”

What’s his rationale for going to the Braves?

More playing time?
Won’t happen. Platooning left field with Matt Diaz (who has better numbers when he’s playing full time) will not give him the 450+ at bats he will get with Seattle playing OF and DHing, resting the right leg that has been bothering him for over 5 years.

A better possibility of making the playoffs?
Barely. Unless he is promised by the Braves that they’re going to make big moves to fix their pitching that is in complete disarray, the Braves only slightly have more of a chance stealing the wild card from the Mets or Phillies than the Mariners do from the A’s or Angels. 

The fans?
Obviously not, the Braves are a big market team and would turn on him if he hits .225, while in Seattle he’ll be lauded and single-handedly put a**es in the seats.

Money?
Griffey was never about the money, but either way the rumors seem to be that both teams are offering a contract in the area of $2 million.

To bolster his numbers?
Griffey still has the ability to hit 15 or 20 homers, but it’s less likely to happen in the big ballpark that is Turner Field. In 98 career AB’s he has hit .245 career in Turner Field.

So what are you doing Griffey? Are you going to disappoint the franchise you’re going in the Hall of Fame under? I have not read nearly as much support from Braves fans wanting you to come to their city as Mariners fans waiting with their fingers crossed hoping for your return when they wake up tomorrow. The Kingdome may not be there anymore, but I know your heart is still in that city.

Album Review: Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream

“What. The. F***.”

This is what I was thinking during my first listen of “Queen Of The Supermarket,” track 4 on Bruce Springsteen’s 16th studio album Working On A Dream. Here are some lines graciously picked out for you: “I’m in love with the Queen of the Supermarket/Though her company cap covers her hair/Nothing can hide the beauty waiting there.” “With my shopping cart I move through the heart/The way she moves behind the counter/Beneath her white apron her secret remains hers.” I’d write out more, but I may throw up.

This is the same guy that wrote poetic, romanticized views of the world on Born To Run. I don’t remember the last time I laughed out loud while listening to a song, just over a year ago he was able to go deep down and conjure up “Now there’s a fire down below/But it’s coming up here/So leave everything you know/Carry only what you fear/On the road the sun is sinkin’ low/Bodies hanging in the trees/This is what will be.” – “Magic,” from Magic.

So what happened? Remember Human Touch? That’s right, Bruce got happy again. A big softie. Sure, you can blame Obama, but there are plenty of things Bruce can still be mad about. It’s just a little unsettling that not only is the best song on the album, “The Wrestler,” a bonus track, but the song from the eponymous movie was written under guidelines. Nevertheless, the acoustic downtrodden song for the downtrodden has extremely weighty connotations in such simple verses, showing that The Boss hasn’t lost it, someone just needs to light a fire under his butt.

To be fair, there are tracks more like “The Wrestler” than there is “Queen Of The Supermarket.” Early on we’re treated to “My Lucky Day” and the title track, both evoke the more positive songs on The River without the cheese, with the former being one of the few Boss songs that has a driving, distinct bassline.

The album was written and recorded through all of 2008 while on his tour for Magic and the artificial disjointedness and change of production values actually works in his favor, tailoring each track, as the album bounces back from dirty blues (“Good Eye”) and toothless pop (“Surprise, Surprise”: “And when the sun comes out tomorrow, it’ll be the start of a brand new day/And all that you have wished for I know will come your way.”) WOAD doesn’t have its own style like other Springsteen records, but recalls parts of his discography through the running time. It makes it impossible to review the album as a whole however, as the style of songs vastly change from one to another, like the aforementioned The River, but here the quality of the songs also vastly change from one to another.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” works like Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline-lite, a fetching country number, yet minor especially when compared to the opener, “Outlaw Pete.” A sprawling 8 minute tale that musically and lyrically starts out as a country outlaw anthem (“He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail/At six months old he’d done three months in jail“) but makes a left turn as it explodes into lush orchestral arrangements.

The album winds down with stellar “The Last Carnival,” a tribute to his fallen band mate Danny Federici, who died of cancer in 2008. Astute and contemplative with a light arrangement, this further proves Bruce is at his best when grief is his artistic muse.

Working On A Dream is perfect for the download generation, as the best songs can be cherry picked by you on your favorite digital download retailer. And the rest, well, you can pretend doesn’t exist.