The official thread of the Seattle Mariners

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:25 PM

Junior's return excites new teammates
Veteran expected to bring big bat and leadership to club

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:27 PM

quoted from the Mariners website:

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ken Griffey Jr. is coming home.

The future Hall of Fame outfielder, who began his Major League career with the Mariners 20 years ago this year, has decided to return to Seattle.

"I can't begin to tell you how ecstatic all of us are," said general manager Jack Zduriencik after announcing the deal in the press room at the Peoria Sports Complex at about 6:30 p.m. MT. "He is as well. I spoke to Brian [Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg] a few minutes ago, and he said that Ken is relieved and he is excited about coming back to Seattle."

Griffey accepted the Mariners' one-year contract offer, which includes a $2 million base salary and up to $2.5 million in incentives -- based on at-bats and attendance. His return to Safeco Field is expected to lure at least 200,000 additional fans this season.

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:29 PM

quote:

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Most of the Mariners players were out and about early Wednesday evening when news broke that Ken Griffey Jr. had decided to come back.

Griffey received a verbal standing ovation inside the clubhouse at the Mariners Spring Training complex which, for the first time since the camp in 1999, had a locker with the name "Griffey" overhead and a jersey with No. 24 on the back dangling from a hanger.

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:35 PM

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

Glad to see some kind of sorely needed motivation.

Seattle needed something like this, it would have helped if they also would have signed Randy Johnson for a year this year.

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

That would have been nice. Safeco, what a piss poor representation of an insurance company.

It's too bad they haven't changed the name, it's great Stadium..the company I work has season tickets where the seats are directly behind the 3rd base dugout...you can set your beer right on the dugout roof....except you have to watch the Moose that he doesn't kick your beer when he's dancing up there.

**_sprkeng_** · 02-19-2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

Awesome place to sit. Great your company has those seats and hope you get to use them more often then not.

There's only 81 games played at home and most of those are on weekdays. But the company gives the employees that are out of town or in a different state to dips on the weekend games. They're meant for customers, so I'll grab a customer and I get choice dates.