Let me just say at the outset that, for reasons I discussed in this P-I article last May, I will always be in favor of signing Ken Griffey Jr. to a Mariners contract. And when I say always, I mean it. If I somehow was made Mariner GM in 2025, my first player personnel move would be to immediately sign 54-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. to the active roster.

So take all this with a grain of salt.

That said, I don’t think signing Griffey for 2009 would be all that nuts. He’d be a very serviceable DH against right-handed pitchers, against whom he hit .272/.462 last year.

Perhaps more importantly, Griffey had 57 walks in his 388 plate appearances against righties. That’s more than any other player on the Mariners had in a full season of plate appearances, other than Raul Ibanez, who had just 64. The on-base-challenged Mariners could desperately use Griffey’s batting eye. Not only that, but Griffey saw 3.99 pitches per plate appearance. His patience in the lineup would help the M’s tire out starting pitchers faster.

Here’s the competition the M’s would face for Griffey’s services.

First off, the White Sox must decline to pick up Griffey’s $16 million club option for next season. I think it’s safe to assume they’ll pay the $4 million buyout.

Second, I’m assuming that only American League teams would be interesting in signing him, and, of those, only teams that don’t already have a DH. Presumably, if Griffey decides to play, it’ll be as a DH.

Teams that definitely won’t sign Griffey:
Boston–David Ortiz signed through 2010
Baltimore–Aubrey Huff signed through 2009
Chicago White Sox–Jim Thome signed through 2009
Minnesota–Lefty DH Jason Kubel is young, good, and cheap.
Cleveland–Travis Hafner signed through 2012
Kansas City–Regular DH Billy Butler is just 22 years old.
Detroit–Gary Sheffield signed through 2009
Los Angeles Angels–Sciocsia wisely uses the spot to rest his elderly outfielders.

Possibly
Tampa Bay–Cliff Floyd, their lefty DH, is a free agent after the year.
New York Yankees–Last year’s DH, Hideki Matsui, presumably moves back to the outfield. Jason Giambi will likely leave as a free agent. But Griffey’s said he’d never play for the Yankees.
Toronto–15 different players started at DH last year.
Texas–Milton Bradley, the primary DH last year, could become a free agent.
Oakland–Jack Cust is a free agent, but I suspect the A’s will resign him. He had 33 homers last year.

I’d guess Tampa Bay would be the most likely non-Mariners suitor. It’s close to Griffey’s home in Orlando, and the Rays don’t have a DH.