Ken Griffey Jr. played 22 Big League seasons, yet he’ll always be known as “The Kid.”

Now, Arizona Nation will get to further know the Kid’s kids.

Taryn Griffey, the hot-shot basketball phenom of Griffey Jr., committed to the University of Arizona this week, eschewing much more dynamic programs in the process.

Junior’s junior was the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 8A player of the year and a two-time state champ at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips High School, (that’s a real school) before tearing her ACL. Despite the injury, she still drew interest from some of the sport’s biggest programs.

That’s a major coup for an Arizona program that went 12-18 (4-13 Pac-12) last season. Things are looking up in Tucson, however. This spring the Wildcats saw their first player (Davellyn Whyte) drafted into the WNBA.

Part of the lure of the Old Pueblo for Taryn certainly was a chance to attend school with her older brother Trey, a wide receiver on Rich Rodriguez’ football team.

FAMILY TIES

It can be argued that Griffey Junior — who jumped to The Show right out of Cincinnati’s Moeller High School — can now be considered an honorary Wildcat alum.

Where do the Griffey’s rank among Arizona’s family lineages?

Damon and Salim Stoudamire: Cousins dominated the hardwood in Tucson, before taking their games to the NBA.

Lute Olson, Julie and Matt Brase: Julie and Matt, played their college ball on a court named after their grandparents.

Rob and Chris Gronkowski: The brothers Gronked Tucson before becoming cult icons in the NFL.

Nic and Dondre Wise: PG Nic continues his hoops career overseas, while walk-on brother is seeking coaching gigs.

Ron and Brad Hassey: Ron was a slugging,  MLB, journey-man catcher in the 80s and 90s with the Yankees, White Sox and Indians. Brad manned shortstop for the Wildcats.

TARYN GRIFFEY

The Big Dance. March Madness. Ole…bracket-face.

Whatever you call it, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament has returned in all its bracket-busting glory. And that’s almost always good news for University of Arizona basketball fans — and for the Wildcats, as well.

The Arizona Wildcats have been a No. 10 seed three times, and lost in the first round each time. For the first time, Sean Miller and the ‘Cats are a No. 6 seed. They’ll face Belmont in the first round of the 2013 NCAA tourney. Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Sean Miller’s squad (25-7, 12-6) will face No. 11 Belmont (26-6, 14-2) on March 21 in Salt Lake City (time TBD).

It might be the 31st trip to the Big Dance for Wildcats, but it’s the first time they’ve ever been a six seed.

Since seeding began in 1985, Arizona has been a No. 1 seed and a No. 2 seed five times each. They’ve been a No. 3 seed four times and a No. 10 seed three times. The Wildcats have also twice danced as a No. 4, 5, 8 and 9 seeds. And, once in 2009, they were a No. 12.

Arizona has never been a No. 7, 11, 13, 14, 15 nor 16 seed. The year they were No. 12 (2009), they rolled to the Sweet Sixteen before being upended by this year’s No. 1 seed, Louisville.

During the seeded-tournament era they’ve amassed a 44-25 record.

The Wildcats have been bounced from the tourney in the first round 11 times, the latest coming in 2008 to West Virginia. The next most frequented round, however, is the Sweet Sixteen, with six appearances.

Arizona has never squared off against Belmont, the Ohio Valley Conference champs, but Sean Miller is 1-0 versus the Bruins.

The Wildcats are 4-1 all-time against the Ohio Valley Conference, with wins against Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Murray State (the only OVC team to dole the UA a loss).

From Oscar Robertson’s No. 1 to Wayne Gretzky’s iconic No. 99, uniform numbers are as much a defining trait for a player as is his cross-over dribble, slap shot or blazing fastball.

Major League Baseball is rife with numbers tradition. Think Babe Ruth’s No. 3, Mickey Mantle’s No. 7 or Willie Mays’ No. 24. But one number is more synonymous with power than all of them:

The No. 44.

No. 44’s have been all-time home run kings (Hank Aaron). They’ve been World Series legends (Reggie Jackson). They’ve even had entire bodies of water named after them (McCovey Cove).

It’s a number that used to make pitchers tremble in their stirrups. It’s an integer once owned by burly, mustachioed, lumberjacks of men such Ken Phelps^, Gorman Thomas and Jeff Burroughs (631 career home runs combined) — not pitchers with names such as Ron Darling or John Lamb (combined 239 career home runs allowed).

Above the double four’s on the back of a jersey should be panic-inspiring names such as Butch Huskey, Brian Hunter and Bombo Rivera, even if they only hit a combined 121 career home runs wearing the integer. It’s the fear that counts.

The atomic number 44 is Ruthenium, for George Herman’s sake!

But it seems as if No. 44 as a slugger’s number is that of a woebegone power era — one that eschewed steroids for beer guts.

There are 25 men wearing No. 44 in the Major Leagues this spring. Of them, 18 are pitchers, four are non-roster invitees and three are coaches. Five teams (Braves, Brewers, Giants, Orioles and Yankees) have retired the number.

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