I’ve been in the news biz for a long time and I still don’t know how things like the recent spate of Ken Griffey-to-Tampa rumors get started, but let’s be clear about something: It makes no sense.

Not that bringing Junior to the Rays some day wouldn’t be a fine idea - much better than the Barry Bonds fantasy that got ridiculous legs in the spring - but for now Junior is at the bottom of any Rays’ shopping list. The Rays would owe him the balance of the $12.5 million contract he has for this season, plus they’d either have to pick up his $16.5 million option for next season or risk losing him as a free agent. Why not just wait and see if he wants to sign over the winter for a more reasonable deal after the Reds decline his option?

But the biggest reason he won’t be coming just now is purely baseball. He hits left-handed.

The Rays need a right-handed corner outfield bat.

They already have lefties in Cliff Floyd, Gabe Gross, and Eric Hinske.

Hinske and Gross are the primary right-fielders, where Griffey would play if he came here now. They have combined for 17 home runs and 51 RBIs - pretty good production. Griffey has seven homers and 30 RBIs.

The Rays hold a $2.75 million option on Floyd for next year. Conceivably, they could make room for Junior in 2009 by declining that option, but that’s way ahead of things.

This all got started because of a report on SI.com that said Junior would waive his no-trade clause to join the Rays (he lives in Orlando). Tribune beat writer Marc Lancaster had an interesting comeback to that rumor in Monday’s paper.