chrism
11-11-2009, 08:06 PM
SEATTLE — Ken Griffey Jr. and the Mariners agreed Wednesday to another one-year contract that will keep the popular slugger in Seattle next year.
Baseball's active home run leader, who turns 40 on Nov. 21, received a contract similar to the incentive-laden deal with $2 million in base salary he signed to return to Seattle for the 2009 season.
He is likely to again be a part-time designated hitter in his 22nd season in the major leagues since he broke in as a grinning Mariners teenager. He also will again be the undisputed leader of a rising team that last season became the 13th since 1901 to finish with a winning record the year after losing 100 games.
"He's open to anything," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a telephone interview from baseball's GM meetings in Chicago. "What he said was, 'I'd like to be a part of this. Hey, I'm the part of a 25-man club. Let the pieces fall where they may ... let the manager make the decisions.' It's a real bonus to have him back."
A 10-time All-Star and the 1997 AL MVP for the Mariners, Griffey hit .214 last season with 19 homers as a part-time DH. He was limited by a swollen left knee that required a second operation in as many offseasons last month.
Griffey is No. 5 on the career home run list with 630. He said in October he would like to return if the Mariners wanted him, then never filed for free agency. He again considered staying home in Orlando, Fla., to be with his wife and three, school-aged children.
After spending his first 11 seasons with Seattle, he played nine more with Cincinnati and the Chicago White Sox. Griffey returned to the Mariners this year under rookie manager Don Wakamatsu and almost single-handedly transformed what had been a fractured, bickering clubhouse with his leadership, energy and constant pranks.
"He went beyond anything that I would have expected," Zduriencik said.
Griffey turned formerly reclusive star Ichiro Suzuki into a smiling, joking teammate. He had neck ties made for road trips bearing Wakamatsu's likeness. He also had the Mariners wearing ties bearing his own likeness and the words "World's Greatest Teammate" for one midseason flight out of Seattle.
"His influence, the presence he has _ there are players on this ball club who are very excited to know they are going to be teammates again with Ken Griffey Jr.," Zduriencik said.
The Mariners even carried Griffey off the field on their shoulders immediately following October's season finale.
"I'd like to thank the Mariners organization for inviting me back to play in 2010," Griffey said in a statement. "While 2009 was an awesome experience for me, my ultimate goal is for the Mariners to get to and win the World Series. To that end, I look forward to contributing in any role that Don sees fit on the field, and any manner I possibly can off the field."
Seattle is convinced he is healthy enough to contribute again next year _ though he won't undergo a physical to formally close his new deal for a couple of more weeks, to give time for the knee to recover from surgery.
"We feel real good about information we've gotten from Dr. (Timothy) Kremcheck," Zdurencik of the Cincinnati-based surgeon who removed a bone spur in Griffey's knee on Oct. 26.
"We believe that Ken's presence with the Seattle Mariners organization was such a positive asset last season with his leadership on and off the field," Zduriencik said. "His passion for baseball, life and the Seattle Mariners goes unsaid."
Griffey earned another $1.15 million out of a possible $3 million in incentives last season for having 456 plate appearances and the Mariners having a paid home attendance of just under 2.2 million.
His contract for 2010 is expected to have a higher base salary and perhaps fewer incentives
Baseball's active home run leader, who turns 40 on Nov. 21, received a contract similar to the incentive-laden deal with $2 million in base salary he signed to return to Seattle for the 2009 season.
He is likely to again be a part-time designated hitter in his 22nd season in the major leagues since he broke in as a grinning Mariners teenager. He also will again be the undisputed leader of a rising team that last season became the 13th since 1901 to finish with a winning record the year after losing 100 games.
"He's open to anything," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a telephone interview from baseball's GM meetings in Chicago. "What he said was, 'I'd like to be a part of this. Hey, I'm the part of a 25-man club. Let the pieces fall where they may ... let the manager make the decisions.' It's a real bonus to have him back."
A 10-time All-Star and the 1997 AL MVP for the Mariners, Griffey hit .214 last season with 19 homers as a part-time DH. He was limited by a swollen left knee that required a second operation in as many offseasons last month.
Griffey is No. 5 on the career home run list with 630. He said in October he would like to return if the Mariners wanted him, then never filed for free agency. He again considered staying home in Orlando, Fla., to be with his wife and three, school-aged children.
After spending his first 11 seasons with Seattle, he played nine more with Cincinnati and the Chicago White Sox. Griffey returned to the Mariners this year under rookie manager Don Wakamatsu and almost single-handedly transformed what had been a fractured, bickering clubhouse with his leadership, energy and constant pranks.
"He went beyond anything that I would have expected," Zduriencik said.
Griffey turned formerly reclusive star Ichiro Suzuki into a smiling, joking teammate. He had neck ties made for road trips bearing Wakamatsu's likeness. He also had the Mariners wearing ties bearing his own likeness and the words "World's Greatest Teammate" for one midseason flight out of Seattle.
"His influence, the presence he has _ there are players on this ball club who are very excited to know they are going to be teammates again with Ken Griffey Jr.," Zduriencik said.
The Mariners even carried Griffey off the field on their shoulders immediately following October's season finale.
"I'd like to thank the Mariners organization for inviting me back to play in 2010," Griffey said in a statement. "While 2009 was an awesome experience for me, my ultimate goal is for the Mariners to get to and win the World Series. To that end, I look forward to contributing in any role that Don sees fit on the field, and any manner I possibly can off the field."
Seattle is convinced he is healthy enough to contribute again next year _ though he won't undergo a physical to formally close his new deal for a couple of more weeks, to give time for the knee to recover from surgery.
"We feel real good about information we've gotten from Dr. (Timothy) Kremcheck," Zdurencik of the Cincinnati-based surgeon who removed a bone spur in Griffey's knee on Oct. 26.
"We believe that Ken's presence with the Seattle Mariners organization was such a positive asset last season with his leadership on and off the field," Zduriencik said. "His passion for baseball, life and the Seattle Mariners goes unsaid."
Griffey earned another $1.15 million out of a possible $3 million in incentives last season for having 456 plate appearances and the Mariners having a paid home attendance of just under 2.2 million.
His contract for 2010 is expected to have a higher base salary and perhaps fewer incentives