Team USA manager Mark DeRosa estimated that Ken Griffey Jr. was “half of the team’s childhood hero.”
Not long after that comment, those same players got a chance to feel like a kid again by watching The Kid. Griffey — DeRosa’s hitting coach — took part in an impromptu batting practice session alongside Brian McCann, another former player on DeRosa’s coaching staff.
With seemingly every player on Team USA huddled around the batting cage — some of whom were recording the moment on their phones — the two coaches took turns trying to send balls into the bleachers at loanDepot park, with Griffey sporting his signature backwards cap.
Despite being 13 years removed from his playing days, Griffey’s swing looked as smooth as ever, and he ended his session with a home run — punctuated with a bat flip as he was showered with cheers from the Team USA players. After the ball landed in the stands, Nolan Arenado pointed at Griffey and said, “I told you, I told you!”
