Agent: Ken Griffey Jr. would consider returning to Mariners

The agent for Ken Griffey Jr. said Friday that his client is "totally open-minded" to discussing a return to Seattle, where he spent 11 brilliant seasons.

Griffey, who will be 39 on Nov. 21, will file for free agency early next week after the White Sox on Thursday declined his $16.5 million option on a 2009 contract.

His agent, Brian Goldberg, told The Times that the Mariners are among the teams Griffey would consider playing for in 2009. He was drafted No. 1 overall by the Mariners in 1987 and played for them from 1989 until orchestrating a trade to Cincinnati after the 1999 season.

"It's no secret Junior has a special relationship with the people in Seattle from the ownership and front office all the way down to the fans and business people in town," Goldberg said in a phone interview.

"He's totally open-minded to talking to them, I'm sure. He'd be open to discuss anything with them. However, he owes it to himself to see what else is out there."

Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners' new general manager, said this week that he is not yet in a position to comment about any specific free agent.

The possibility remains that Griffey could return to the White Sox, for whom in 41 games he hit .260 with three homers and 18 runs batted in after coming over from the Reds in a July 31 trade. Griffey hit .245 with 15 homers and 53 RBI with the Reds before the trade.

Goldberg said White Sox GM Ken Williams indicated a willingness to talk to Griffey about coming back at a reduced salary.

"Junior still wants to talk to the White Sox," he said.

Griffey underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee earlier this month to repair partially torn meniscus and cartilage. Goldberg said Griffey is encouraged by the results and said the injury prevented him from driving off his back leg, robbing him of power.

"There should be no reason Junior can't get back to the form and numbers he had in '07, or slightly better," he said.

In 2007, Griffey hit .277 in 144 games for the Reds with 30 homers and 93 RBI. He received a hero's welcome that season when he returned to Seattle in June for the first time since the trade.

Griffey went 5 for 13 with two homers in the series and told FSN, "I think I owe it to the people of Seattle, and myself, to retire as a Mariner."

Goldberg said that while Griffey, who reached 600 homers last season, still believes he is capable of playing in the field, he is open to a designated hitter role.

"Junior has become very flexible as to what his role might be with a given team," he said. "It doesn't mean he doesn't have high expectations for himself; it just means he understands different teams might have different roles in mind. He's totally flexible."

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com