Griffey Jr. back to Seattle?

The Seattle Mariners have picked up on contract negotiations with former face of the franchise and thirteen time all-star Ken Griffey Jr.

Story from ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3901872

This would be a great move for the Mariners on SO many levels.

Griffey, who is now 39, is not the same guy he was when he played for the Mariners throughout the 1990's. Fans need to realize this before they set the expectation bar 15 notches too high.

He's no longer the guy who has tremendous range in the outfield. No longer the guy wearing a backwards cap with a big grin on his face 24/7. He can't run like he used to, his arm is much weaker than it used to be, and although his swing is still one of the sweetest ever: it's lost a bit of pop.

He hasn't driven in 100 runs since 2000, he has hit 40 homers once since he left Seattle; and only has averaged playing in 109 games per year since arriving in Cincinnati in 2000.

He is not The Kid anymore. But he is what the Mariners need.

Currently, Seattle has Endy Chavez penciled in as its starting left field. Chavez is a lifetime .270 hitter who has hit less home runs in his career than Griffey did last season. Not neccesarily a prime left fielder for a team that has seriously lacked power numbers the past few years.

Which is one of the reasons signing Griffey makes sense for this ball club. Not only can Griffey add a much needed power left-handed bat to the middle of the lineup, but he's going to get an opportunity for focus more on hitting in the American League than he did in Cincinnati where DH's don't exist. Which is primarily what a nearing 40-year old veteran should be doing. No one should expect him to win a gold glove in left field (which he will probably play) should he sign. But he can still be a very productive hitter in my mind.

Nay sayers will argue that the Mariners don't need another aging bat. But as a Mariner fan, even if Griffey does wind up hitting .230 next season. I would much rather watch Griffey hit .230 playing DH than Jose Vidro or Kenji Johjima or Richie Sexson, or whichever other underachieving, overpaid tool Seattle has used the past few years.

And that's just from a statistical point of view.

From a franchise standpoint, Griffey WILL put fans in the seat. He will bring veteran leadership to a team that has none, and he will spark a little bit of life into a team that desperately needs it.

It may be a long shot, but Seattle is on the verge of bringing in two former great players in Griffey and Mike Sweeney who now have the chance to rest their bodies more often than usual by swapping time at designated hitter and playing the field when needed.

There is no reason in my mind why Griffey can't increase his offensive output in Seattle based solely on the fact that he gets the chance to dedicate more time to hitting than anything else.

I, and every other Mariner fan out there prays the guy can stay healthy and can finish up his career on, at the very least, a respectable manner with the team he made a name for himself with. And what if it works out? What if Junior hits .280 with 25+ homers and drives in 75-85 RBI's? It's not like the guy is totally incapable of producing offensive numbers.

This is a good move by Seattle to add a guy that has proven in years past that he can be one of the best hitters out there. And at the age of 39, he might not be the same guy we're accustomed to seeing, but at least its better than Richie Sexson, right?

Mariners pitchers, catchers and players who were injured last season report to spring training Saturday in Arizona. Hopefully Griffey joins them soon. And then finishes up his career in the cathedral of a ballpark the Mariners franchise built for him in the first place.