Baseball Notebook | Ken Griffey Jr. apologizes to fans for gesture

CINCINNATI — Ken Griffey Jr. thanked Cincinnati Reds fans on Saturday for their support during his nine seasons in his hometown, and apologized for his throat-slash gesture last weekend.

Griffey, who was traded to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, issued a statement through the Reds' public-relations department.

After he hit what turned out to be his final home run in Cincinnati last Saturday, he reached the dugout and made a throat-slash gesture toward the broadcast booth. Griffey was upset over a Reds broadcaster's criticism of him on the air.

"I really do understand that the overwhelming majority of fans wanted so badly for me to succeed," Griffey said.

"Additionally, I would like to sincerely apologize to those fans offended by my wrongful actions last Saturday night. It was an overreaction on my part to what I felt was a series of public, inaccurate and unfair remarks about me."

Griffey's years in Cincinnati after being traded by the Mariners in 2000 were bittersweet. Injuries reduced him to part-time duty, and Reds fans directed their frustration over seven straight losing seasons at the team's most prominent player.

Honus Wagner card sold for $1.62 million

CHICAGO — An Arkansas man has bought a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card for $1.62 million at a memorabilia auction.

The record price for a baseball card is $2.8 million — paid in 2007 for a near-mint condition Wagner card released in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company.

Bidders at the Friday night auction also spent $42,000 on Griffey's 600th home-run ball and $240,000 for a 1938 Lou Gehrig Yankees road jersey.

The new owner of the T206 Wagner card was identified as John Rogers of Little Rock, Ark. The next-highest bid for the card was $1.3 million.

There are fewer than 100 Wagner baseball cards in existence.

Notes

• St. Louis released former All-Star pitcher Matt Clement, 33, and announced that outfielder Chris Duncan will have surgery Monday to repair a ruptured disk in his neck, likely ending his season. Clement was trying to come back from shoulder surgery in 2006.

• Kansas City designated right-hander Yasuhiko Yabuta for assignment and placed second baseman Mark Grudzielanek on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained ankle.

• Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire served a one-game suspension for his outburst that led fans to throw hats and baseballs on the field during Thursday's game.