Is Griffey Jr. coming back to Seattle?

[Zito75]

I've heard lots of talk that Junior Griffey could be on his way back to SeaTown. Why? Reds phenom Jay Bruce is tearing up AAA pitching and will be recalled soon... Also Adam Dunn may be traded if the Reds can find a suitor. From a PR perspective, the Mariners would be doing the best possible thing to bring fans out in droves. Plus there is the chance he could actually produce!

[SABR Matt]

We're 15-25.

So, if the Mariners trade anything useful or demote someone who should be playing (Balentien or Clement) to make room for Griffey, then it's very stupid. However...if they DFA Sexson (or trade him to an NL team for a couple lesser prospects), move Ibanez to first base and Balentien to left field to make way for Griffey...I'm on board for sentimental reasons.

But we're 15-25. We're not buyers at this point.

[themedia]

For this to be done right, we would need to lose almost nothing (this would probably mean eating a ton of salary, but I guess that's what we do), put him in a corner OF spot or at DH and cross our fingers and hope he can produce before his proverbial DL stint.

With Bavasi's track record, I would be shocked if that's how it worked out. It's a lot more likely that we'll dish some promising young player(s) and get Griffey having already picked up his 2009 option ($16.5M). Oh well, I guess it will make the team more fun to watch. That's all the front office seems to care about these days.

[Rennie Stennett]

For this to be done right, we would need to lose almost nothing (this would probably mean eating a ton of salary, but I guess that's what we do), put him in a corner OF spot or at DH and cross our fingers and hope he can produce before his proverbial DL stint.

With Bavasi's track record, I would be shocked if that's how it worked out. It's a lot more likely that we'll dish some promising young player(s) and get Griffey having already picked up his 2009 option ($16.5M). Oh well, I guess it will make the team more fun to watch. That's all the front office seems to care about these days.

Griffey was not happy going to right field for the Reds. He sees himself as a CF all the way to the hall. With this in mind, if the M's tried to convert him to DH, he'd raise a fuss.

I agree with you that the front office only cares for attendance. An example would be the Beltre and Sexson signings. They made these moves only when the gate went down.

As far as Griffey goes, I don't want him back. I don't like the way he left Seattle with his attitude and all. I'd be in favor of a one day contract so he could retire a Mariner. This is what the front office wants - a sure fire Hall of Famer they can call their own.

[Wade8813]

I don't like the way he left Seattle with his attitude and all.

See, I have that problem with Randy and A-Rod, but not Griffey. Randy seemed to start playing poorly in order to force a trade. A-Rod said it wasn't about the money, then left despite being offered a huge contract. Griffey said it was to be with his family, and he actually went to be with his family.

[KCGHOST]

The M's need someone who can consistently produce runs in the middle of the line-up but I am not so sure Griffey is the guy. He will hit you some home runs but I don't know if he will really increase your overall run production.

Griffey would have to be crazy to agree to the trade unless someone guaranteed his 2009 option year.

[SABR Matt]

If the Mariners get Griffey, they will guarantee his option year and maybe offer one more year...but that's OK. And he would play right field and Wlad would shift to left, with Ibanez either DHing or playing first.

As for his attitude when he left, he had an attitude because the club treated him badly at the end. They approached him and asked "which one of you two (meaning he and A-Rod) should we trade" when they realized they couldn't afford both. Griffey got insulted and asked to leave. I don't blame him.

[Seattle1]

That would be great!

[Zito75]

Anyone have updates or heard anything new on this?

[Stumanji]

Anyone have updates or heard anything new on this?

The talk in the M's postgame shows suggest that we won't be giving up an arm and a leg to get Junior back. The Reds know, as do the M's, that this is a 38-year old outfielder hitting .245.

The only Mariner name I've heard proposed so far was Washburn.

[SABR Matt]

the Ms can't afford to give up more prospects right now...if they're getting Griffey, it's going to be a dual salary-dump. We get Griffey...they get Washburn and Johjima or something like that.

[Rennie Stennett]

Say it ain't so, Joe !

[SABR Matt]

Johjima is the worst defensive catcher in baseball...so I'm not going to cry if he gets dealt some day. :\

since his arrival, Mariner pitchers have posted an .810 OPS when he catches and a .704 OPS when any of his back-ups catch. He's doing something spectacularly wrongly that's messing up either the pitchers or the defense or both.

[Rennie Stennett]

Johjima is the worst defensive catcher in baseball...so I'm not going to cry if he gets dealt some day. :\

since his arrival, Mariner pitchers have posted an .810 OPS when he catches and a .704 OPS when any of his back-ups catch. He's doing something spectacularly wrongly that's messing up either the pitchers or the defense or both.

Defensively, I think he's okay, but he calls a game back-wards as they do in Japan. I didn't think much of it at first, but when you as a catcher are not on the same page as the pitchers, and they start voicing their complaints through the media, this can be a problem. He's been here what, now in his third year ? He should have this figured out. The veteran pitchers won't take his bull, but it could be putting stress on their noggins. The young pitchers might just throw whatever he puts down.

[mrakbaseball]

Larry Stone article link
: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...91_mari01.html

If Griffey can put up numbers similar to '07 in '09, why not? $4-$8 mil isn't out of the question. The Mariners aren't competing in '09 anyway. He says he's open to DHing.

[Doug Miller]

I think this will show how much Z is in charge or not. A big part of me wants Griffey back, but at the same time I know he's going to hit .250 with around 25HR at best. I want him back for the same reason anyone that wants him back does -- nostalgia. That said, there are better DH canidates out there for free agency; if big Z signs Griffey it will be because Lincoln and Armstrong tell him too, which puts back into question "Who's in charge?"

I've never been a jersey guy, but I've already told my wife that if he comes back I'm buying one. Seeing him last year for the three games at Safeco was truly special and the thought of having him back is exciting, but I don't think he'll be the contributor that we really want. I hope I'm wrong.

Here was an even better article about re-signing Griffey, and maybe a few others.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports...ry/526004.html

Doug

[mrakbaseball]

Why not have Griffey AND Randy Johnson both finish their careers as Mariners? It would be fitting that Johnson would win his 300th game in a Seattle uniform. 2009 is a lost cause anyway, so Griffey and Johnson would be 2 pretty good stop gap players. Griffey would DH with maybe 1-2 starts a week in the OF. Johnson would join a rotation with Hernandez, RRS, Morrow, and due to the $48 mi contract, Silva.

[Bobby_Ayala]

Why not have Griffey AND Randy Johnson both finish their careers as Mariners? It would be fitting that Johnson would win his 300th game in a Seattle uniform. 2009 is a lost cause anyway, so Griffey and Johnson would be 2 pretty good stop gap players. Griffey would DH with maybe 1-2 starts a week in the OF. Johnson would join a rotation with Hernandez, RRS, Morrow, and due to the $48 mi contract, Silva.

Party like it's 1995.

[Wade8813]

Party like it's 1995.

Party like it's 1995, except for the fact we probably won't actually make the playoffs...

[SABR Matt]

You folks forgot Bedard. Supposedly, he'll be ready to pitch by the end of ST and join the rotation at the start of the season.

[mrakbaseball]

You folks forgot Bedard. Supposedly, he'll be ready to pitch by the end of ST and join the rotation at the start of the season.

Supposedly, he was the long sought after ace. Supposedly, he would finally make 30 or more starts. Supposedly, he would finally pitch more than 200 innings. Supposedly, he would have zero stints on the DL. What does Bedard have to offer? Is Bedard ever going to be healthy enough to command any type of return? Is there a chance he still might be non-tendered?

To bobby_ayala. More like party like it's 1989, or 1990. 73-77 wins at best.

mlbtraderumors.com lists the top 50 free agents and #50 is Jim Edmonds going to Seattle. Who would rather have, Edmonds or Griffey? I'd rather have Griffey. If they're going to consider signing an aging left handed hitting DH/OF type, it might as well be Griffey instead of Edmonds.

[Seattle1]

At this point, I would say there is about a 73.2194623389071% chance that Griffey will be playing for the Mariners in 2009!

[SABR Matt]

No no no Seattle1: 73.2194623389071% is just a bad estimate...the correct estimate is 73.2194623389074%

[Seattle1]

I stand corrected!

[Honus Wagner Rules]

No no no Seattle1: 73.2194623389071% is just a bad estimate...the correct estimate is 73.2194623389074%

But what is your standard deviation, though, Matt?