Sports - MLB - Mariners

POSTED: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009

Report: Griffey picks Mariners over Braves

TACOMA -- Ken Griffey Jr. is returning to the Seattle Mariners, his agent confirmed today. The Mariners have won the tug of war with the Atlanta Braves for the services of the 39-year-old Griffey, agent Brian Goldberg said.

Earlier today, an Atlanta television station reported that Griffey decided to return to the Mariners. Station WSB-TV said two sources confirmed that Griffey will come back to the Mariners rather than sign with the Atlanta Braves.

Griffey spent the first 11 seasons of his major league career in Seattle. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in February, 2000, and from the Reds to the Chicago White Sox midway through the 2008 season.

The Mariners have scheduled a press briefing this evening at their spring training headquarters in Peoria, Ariz.

The Mariners have been withholding comment about their negotiations with Griffey, although team president Chuck Armstrong said he has continued to talk with him, including a call this morning.

“He talked about his family, about spending seven months away from them,” Armstrong said. “I believe he’s honestly torn about what to do.”

Griffey, who for three months received not one offer for the 2009 season, this past week has been weighing two – from the Braves and Mariners. He was willing to play for what, by baseball standards, is a small contract – $3 million or less.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution first broke the story that Griffey was in serious contract negotiations with Atlanta and all but signed. Goldberg said his client hadn’t made a decision.

A 39-year-old outfielder coming off knee surgery, Griffey has 611 career home runs, a .288 lifetime batting average and 1,682 RBI. He may no longer be a franchise player, but he’s a left-handed hitter with power and has said he’s motivated to show he can still play.

After months of chats that never went far, the Mariners and Goldberg seemed close to an agreement last week. Then the Braves jumped in, with the chance for Junior to play closer to home, and to play the outfield as opposed to accepting a designated hitter role in Seattle.

In Seattle, Griffey remains a star of nearly mythical proportions, and the Mariners’ fan base seems excited by the thought of his return.

The Mariners' new general manager, Jack Zduriencik, was careful for months to say little about Griffey the free agent.

Once the market had settled – with players such as Junior, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez and Garret Anderson unsigned – Zduriencik was in a low-risk situation with Griffey.