ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For months before he signed a contract to return to the Seattle Mariners, the questions about what Ken Griffey Jr. might do if things went bad rattled across the airwaves, in news columns and – yes – among team executives.

What if he didn’t get enough playing time? If he began to miss his family in Florida? If, God forbid, he had nothing left?

The Mariners had endured enough clubhouse melodrama in 2008.

Richie Sexson. Two fired managers. Jose Vidro. Clubhouse spats.

Those 101 losses.

The last thing the Mariners wanted was an unhappy player. An unhappy Griffey?

Rick Griffin, the team trainer who was about to begin his 27th year with the Mariners, knew better. He knew Griffey.

“He’s nearing the end of his career, and his legacy as a player is set,” Griffin said. “This was his opportunity to leave a legacy as a teammate, and he wanted that. His mind was clear. Coming back here was about the joy of playing, the joy of the clubhouse.”

Griffey, 39, looks back at those concerns and shakes his head.

“I could have been (manager) Don Wakamatsu’s worst nightmare,” he said, and laughed. “But my track record spoke for itself. I’ve never been a problem. After a few weeks, Wak realized I was just like everyone else.”

Only louder.

“I never felt coming back would be a distraction. I thought I could help,” he said.

Team president Chuck Armstrong agreed, and he became Junior’s warranty to those in the organization who didn’t know him. What has happened in 2009 has surprised even him.

“I’ve seen him happy – in ’95, when he was healthy, in ’97 when he was the MVP of the league,” Armstrong said. “I’ve seen how happy he is with his family, from his kids to his parents. But for a whole season, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him any happier than this year.”

Lee Tinsley was once Griffey’s teammate, and now he’s one of his coaches.

“Kenny had nothing left to prove,” Tinsley said. “He’d won all those Gold Gloves, hit 600 home runs – he’s accomplished as much in this game as anyone. He came back to share what he knew with guys trying to make their way.

“Our young guys have watched everything he’s done, and I can’t think of anyone you’d rather have them learn from.”

All those potential problems cropped up and created … nothing. Griffey wanted to play the outfield, but early in the season rarely did.

“When the season started I wanted to play more, sure, but Endy (Chavez) was hitting so well,” Griffey said. “He was going to be coming in for defensive purposes, anyway – why not have that bat in the lineup. It was always about winning, not playing time.”

How about his three kids, all living near Orlando, Fla.?

“I got to see the kids more than I thought I would,” Griffey said. “Trey was old enough to make a trip with me in the summer, the others joined me a few times on the road.”

And … well … that batting average, which has hovered around .215?

“I don’t look at 16 home runs and 50 RBI as bad numbers for playing part-time, and the average? For me, if outs are productive I don’t think about them,” Griffey said. “I’ve walked ahead of home runs. I’ve moved runners over, gotten guys in.

“On any given day, if I have four at-bats to get something done, I feel I can still help.”

No one can quite explain the impact Junior has had on the Seattle clubhouse, on team camaraderie.

“You watch guys spend seven months together, they become like family,” Griffin said. “Sometimes it’s a dysfunctional family. This year, it’s been a happy family from the beginning – before the season even began.

“Junior makes you want to get to the ballpark early. Guys enjoy the clubhouse this season, they love the opportunity to win, but they’re in it together. It’s been amazing to watch what Junior has done.”

Griffin said that transition was natural.

“Ken is having as much fun this year as he’s ever had,” Griffin said. “His joy for the game, for his teammates is contagious. He’s taken on Jay Buhner’s role – he’ll take a player aside if he’s made a mistake, deal with it without anyone else knowing it. And he keeps the clubhouse loose.”

Armstrong, too, has seen the difference.

“I think a player like Ichiro feels like Ken has his back,” Armstrong said. “He’s shown respect to Don and the coaching staff. He’s embraced his role as a veteran leader, and that’s rare in the game today.

“I had high expectations with Kenny this year. He’s exceeded them all.”

And what of Griffey, what’s his take on the return to Seattle that could have gone so wrong?

“I’ve had 24 great teammates, probably 30, altogether, of the best teammates I’ve had in years,” Junior said. “Coming back to Seattle has been everything I could have hoped for.

“From the fans to the vendors to people on the street, everyone has made it a positive experience. Everywhere I go, people say ‘Hey Ken, welcome back. We missed you.’

“There hasn’t been a negative moment, not one bad day. It’s been overwhelming. It’s been humbling. I wanted to help make this clubhouse a better place, and I’ve had a lot of fun.”

Griffin, who has seen every Mariners clubhouse for the past 27 years, said Griffey has helped turned the calendar back.

“This is like our clubhouses in the mid-’90s, early 2000, 2001,” he said. “We went through two, three, four years where it wasn’t like that, and it showed on the field, too. This season, guys can’t wait to get to the clubhouse, they can’t wait to take the field.

“It’s what Ken thought he could help build, and he’s done it.”

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners

THE RIGHT PICK

The Mariners’ drafting of Ken Griffey Jr. out of Cincinnati’s Moeller High with the No. 1 overall pick in 1987 wasn’t a sure thing. Owner George Argyros reportedly preferred Mike Harkey, a right-handed pitcher from Cal State Fullerton. Harkey, who went No. 4 to the Cubs, was 36-36 with a 4.49 ERA over eight seasons.

Also picked in the first round in 1987 were Lee Tinsley (No. 11 pick to Oakland), who had two stints with Seattle as an outfielder and is now the team’s first base coach; and Bill Haselman (No. 23, Rangers), who caught for the M’s from 1992-94. KEN GRIFFEY JR. BY THE NUMBERS Career home runs Ranking on career home run list Career RBI Ranking on career RBI list Career single-season best for home runs (1997, 1998) Gold Gloves All-Star Game selections American League MVP awards (1997)