Return of ‘The Kid’

PEORIA, Ariz. — There was a time a few years ago when the mention of the Seattle Mariners’ most successful teams — from the first division champion in 1995 to the 116-victory 2001 club — drew scowls in the clubhouse.

The general sentiment was that it’s time to fo

rget about the past, good as it was in those years, and focus on what it takes to win. It was no accident that former Mariners such as Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner and Dan Wilson were seldom seen around the clubhouse.

Those players have been more visible the past couple of seasons, helping at spring training and making appearances during the year, and Tuesday the Mariners announced their biggest star of all has come back to them.

Ken Griffey Jr., who retired abruptly last June 2 amid a season gone bad for both himself and the team, has been hired as a special consultant to the franchise. The Mariners said he will be involved in a variety of levels in major league operations, player development, the minor league system, marketing, broadcasting and community relations.

Griffey’s first duty will be a stint at spring training, probably in mid-March.

New manager Eric Wedge welcomes him, along with other former players, because he believes the current Mariners need a connection with the past. Wedge said he has asked Martinez, Buhner, Wilson and John Olerud to join the team this year at spring training.

“It’s important to have that connection to the past and understand the history of what has gone on before you,” Wedge said. “This is the uniform you wear and where you are right now, and the more guys understand that, the more passionate they’ll be about it.”

Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said the new job is something he discussed with Griffey two years ago before the team re-signed him.

“Ken made it clear then that he wanted to come back as a Mariner and finish his playing career as a Mariner,” Armstrong said. “When he finished playing, he wanted to establish what we’re hoping is a lifelong relationship as a Mariner.”

Armstrong said the two have talked about him being at the home opener April 8 at Safeco Field, but that’s not certain.

“The situation is evolving,” Armstrong said. “Specific dates and times and exactly what he’s going to be doing, we’ll figure out as we go along.”

Among the things Griffey wants to do this year, Armstrong said, is visit every minor league team and talk with players about what it means to be a professional and, particularly, a Mariner. Griffey suggested he tour the minor leagues with his old minor-league roommate, Mariners catching coordinator Roger Hansen.

Griffey’s sudden retirement June 2, after he’d struggled to hit and lost playing time under then-manager Don Wakamatsu, spawned questions about when, if ever, he might return to the organization.

Brian Goldberg, Griffey’s agent, said there never was a time when it seemed Griffey wouldn’t come back.

“Even then, we had talked about, ‘Let’s see how everybody is feeling in the offseason and we’ll go from there,’” Goldberg said. “It wasn’t a matter of not thinking he would do this.”

Griffey, in a statement from the Mariners, said he hopes to work with players at various levels, become involved in the community and assist in a variety of areas within the organization.

“This is not a count-your-hours thing,” Goldberg said. “It’s based on a general guideline of what he will do for each department. Is he going to be there every day? No. the intent was to ease him in to working with the Mariners and to do it in a few different areas so he’s not just dealing with on-the-field major leaguers or on-the-field minor leaguers.

“The overall goal is to help out the organization in any way he can. Part of being multi-dimensional at the beginning is that he doesn’t necessarily know what he is going to like or is good at, or what he is not going to like or he’s not good at.”

Love (or hate) the new jersey

Emails and discussion at online sites have either praised or criticized the Mariners’ new practice jersey. It’s a navy-and-silver combo that includes the player’s name across the back and a wide silver panel that stretches shoulder-to-shoulder.

Some people like the look; others like it … well …much less. The guys wearing those jerseys love them.

“Very stylish,” infielder/outfielder Matt Tuiasosopo said.

“They feel great,” outfielder Ryan Langerhans said. “The old ones felt too tight in the shoulders.”

Relief pitcher Shawn Kelley had the biggest endorsement.

“They’re comfortable, light, and I like it that the names are on the back,” Kelley said. “There are enough new people here that you know everybody’s names.”

Kelley also has another reason to love the names on the back.

“I’m tired of people thinking I’m Adam Moore always wanting an autograph,” he said, laughing.

Kelley and Moore are close in size and their blonde hair is similar enough that fans often have confused them.

“I’d be walking by and people would yell, ‘Adam! Can you sign?’” Kelley said. “I’d have to tell them, ‘Sorry, I’m not Adam.’”

Of note

Felix Hernandez stepped onto the spring training mound for the first time as a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, throwing a nice, easy, no-frills bullpen Tuesday. He threw for 10 minutes and got a lot of “attaboys” from catcher Adam Moore. “Felix is a special pitcher with special ability, and he looked good,” Wedge said. … Wedge said every player has remained healthy through two days. … Non-roster pitcher Yusmeiro Pettit, delayed from leaving Venezuela because of visa problems, may arrive today or Thursday. … Kelley said he felt good the day after a flat-ground throwing session. He had elbow surgery late last season and is expected to be out until June. … Matt Tuiasosopo, who hopes to win a utility job, joined the handful of early arriving position players on Tuesday. Friday is the required reporting date for position players.

Read Kirby Arnold’s blog on the Mariners at www.heraldnet.com/marinersblog and follow his Twitter updates on the team at @kirbyarnold.