Baseball: Everyone's falling asleep during games these days

According to this story in the Tacoma News Tribune, 40-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. missed a chance to pinch-hit in a recent Seattle Mariners game because he was in the team's clubhouse ... sleeping.

“He was asleep in the clubhouse,” one player said. “He'd gone back about the fifth inning to get a jacket and didn't come back. I went back in about the seventh inning – and he was in his chair, sound asleep.”

The other player, who knows Griffey a little better, tried to rationalize.

“He doesn't sleep well at night, he's away from his family, he's comfortable in the clubhouse,” he said. “They could have awakened him …”

This isn't quite as bad, but it's not good:

New York Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez, a pretty good player in his day, couldn't keep his eyes open recently for a Mets game.

For video proof, click here.

This doesn't happen in football, or basketball, or hockey. Although it certainly happens in many other workplaces.

Let's face it. With 162 games, many of which go on and on and on, how is anyone supposed to stay awake for every inning?

Griffey wouldn't have dozed off had he been on the Boston Celtics' bench Sunday when Rajon Rondo made this behind-the-back pass.