There are certain games that are a “must-see” and today’s home opener against the Angels is one of them.

Safeco Field will be packed and thousands of television sets around the Northwest will be tuned to FSN for the home opener, which features the return of Ken Griffey, Jr.

When I asked him the other day in Oakland if he would discuss today’s game, he politely said he wouldn’t, and when I asked him if it was because he didn’t want this day to be all about him and not so much about his 24 teammates, he smiled.

That would be a “yes”.

In the 21 years that I have known him, Junior never has been all that excited about talking about himself. He would be more available to the media after tough losses than big wins, especially if a teammate played a big role in the win. He would take on the tougher questions following a loss.

The photo at the top of this blog shows Griffey approaching home plate and then-Reds teammate Adam Dunn after hitting a home run against Mariners right-hander Miguel Batista in the finale of a three-game Interleague Play series in June 2007.

That was his most recent home run at Safeco Field, but this much you can probably count on: there surely will be more, perhaps even one today, which would be the 400th of his career while wearing a Mariners uniform.

This should be quite and afternoon and early evening at Safeco Field.

Enjoy.

— Jim Street