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WHITE SOX DEAL PROSPECTS FOR GRIFFEY

Los Angeles, CA - The Chicago White Sox have added a future Hall of Famer for their stretch run on Thursday, as Ken Griffey Jr. has reportedly agreed to leave his hometown Cincinnati for a chance at a championship.

FoxSports.com reported Thursday that the Reds and White Sox have agreed on a trade that sends Griffey to Chicago, pending his approval of the deal. The report did not state who the Reds would receive in return for Griffey, who is expected to make a decision Thursday morning whether or not to accept the trade.

MLB.com reported later Thursday morning that Griffey had approved the deal, and that the Reds will receive right-handed pitcher Nick Masset and second baseman Danny Richar.

The 1997 AL MVP and a 13-time All-Star, Griffey has never appeared in a World Series in his 20 seasons in the majors. Now he may get a chance with the White Sox, who enter play on Thursday with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Twins for first place in the AL Central.

Griffey, 38, is hitting .245 with 15 home runs and 53 runs batted in for the Reds, who, at 51-58, are tied for fourth place in the AL Central, 13 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs. He hit his 600th career home run earlier this season, becoming the sixth player in league history to do so. With 608 homers, Griffey is one home run shy of tying Sammy Sosa for fifth on the all-time list.

Despite all his achievements, Griffey's productivity has been limited in recent years due to injuries. It is unclear where the White Sox plan on playing him, since they have Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye playing the corner outfield positions. Griffey has played primarily in right field over the last two seasons for the Reds.

Griffey is no longer the fielder who won 10 straight Gold Gloves patrolling center field for the Mariners, so, unless the White Sox think he can return to center, perhaps he is headed for some time at first base. Chicago's current first baseman, Paul Konerko, is hitting .214 with nine homers and 35 runs batted in this season.

A career .288 hitter with 1,754 runs batted in, Griffey was traded from Seattle to Cincinnati in February 2000. His productivity declined shortly thereafter. The 1989 AL Rookie of the Year, Griffey was a unanimous MVP selection in 1997 after hitting .304 with 56 home runs and 147 runs batted in, but has only batted over .300 for a season once since, in 2005.

He hasn't won a Gold Glove since leaving Seattle, and has only been an All- Star three times in his nine seasons with the Reds after 10 selections in 11 years with the Mariners.