White Sox swoop for Ken Griffey Jr

Cincinnati Reds Ken Griffey Jr. laughs in the dugout prior to the start of their MLB National League baseball game against the Florida Marlins in Miami, Florida June 9, 2008.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago White Sox signed up 13-time All-Star outfielder Ken Griffey Jr from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in the biggest deal ahead of Major League Baseball's trading deadline.

Right-handed reliever Nick Masset and Minor League second baseman Danny Richar will head to Cincinnati as part of the deal for the elegant hitter, the league's website (www.mlb.com) reported.

One of the biggest names in the sport, Griffey is sixth in the list of all-time home-run hitters with 608 and has been with the Reds since he joined them in 2000 after 10 years with the Seattle Mariners.

"He's a legend in baseball and this is an opportunity for him to be in a World Series," Reds owner/CEO Bob Castellini told MLB.com. "I think it's a good opportunity for him. You have mixed emotions when you lose a guy like that, no question.

"He's a Hall of Famer, a Cooperstown man and a Cincinnatian. You don't do something like this without having a lot of different feelings."

Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660) and Sammy Sosa (609) are the only other players to reach 600 homers.

Griffey's father, Ken Sr, had two spells in Cincinnati.

(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; editing by Rex Gowar)