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 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 Seattle 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.

Reliever Tom Gordon became the first member of the World Series-champion Phillies to file for free agency after Philadelphia declined a $4.5 million option and chose to pay a $1 million buyout.

The right-hander, who turns 41 Nov. 18, had bone spurs removed and his ulnar collateral ligament repaired in his arm Oct. 16.

He went 5-4 with a 5.16 ERA in 34 games, then was put on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation on July 6 and missed the rest of the season.

• Jimmy Rollins made the most of another opportunity to take a dig at the New York Mets.

Speaking at Friday's celebration for the Phillies' World Series victory, the shortstop mentioned Mets left-hander Johan Santana and the crowd booed. But Rollins was loudly cheered after saying New York forgot one thing. As he put it: "It takes more than one player to bring home a championship."

The Mets acquired Santana last offseason after squandering a seven-game cushion with 17 to play, letting Philadelphia charge past them for the NL East title in one of the worst collapses in baseball history.

The Phillies rallied to win the division title again this year after trailing New York by 3 1/2 games in September.

The trash talk between the two teams started before the 2007 season when Rollins pronounced Philadelphia the team to beat in the NL East even though New York ran away with the division crown the year before. Rollins backed up his brash words by winning the NL MVP award.

Boston will keep its spring training home in the Fort Myers area for 30 more years after signing an agreement with Lee County, Fla.

The Red Sox have played in the 7,290-seat City of Palms Park since moving from Winter Haven in 1993, selling out 73 consecutive spring training games there. The team had a buyout that would have allowed it to leave in 2010, and it talked with Sarasota about moving to the Cincinnati Reds' former home.