SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners have asked major league baseball to investigate reports of threats made against Ken Griffey Jr. and his family.

	Griffey

"Once we learned from Ken that he had received threats, we contacted major league baseball's security office," team president and chief operating officer Charles Armstrong said Saturday in a news release.

"We are confident that major league baseball, working with appropriate local and national law enforcement agencies, will quickly get to the bottom of these threats," he said.

Mariners' statement

From team president and chief operating officer Chuck Armstrong: "Both the Mariners and Major League Baseball take very seriously any threats made toward any of our players. Once we learned from Ken that he had received threats, we contacted Major League Baseball's security office and put them in contact Brian Goldberg, Ken's agent. "We are confident that Major League Baseball, working with appropriate local and national law enforcement agencies, will quickly get to the bottom of these threats. We expect a thorough investigation and will provide any help or cooperation that is requested. "Ken is a tremendous player, and a tremendous person, who has always been an asset to this community. We are hopeful that Major League Baseball can quickly bring to an end this sort of despicable activity."

The All-Star center fielder told The Seattle Times on Thursday that he had received a death threat at his home in Florida in a letter mailed from Seattle.

The letter said: "You might be able to control where you play, but you can't control what happens to your family. I can."

Griffey called the threat "the last straw" in his determination to leave Seattle. He said the letter came sometime after Nov. 2, the day the Mariners called a news conference and announced that he had requested a trade.

With one year left on his contract, Griffey is committed to play for the Mariners for the 2000 season. He has narrowed the number of teams he would join to one: Cincinnati.

He can become a free agent after next season. He has said he won't sign a contract extension with the Mariners.

Mariners pitchers and catchers are to report for spring training Feb. 17 in Peoria, Ariz. The Mariners begin playing spring training games March 2.

The Reds' spring training is in Florida. Griffey has said he wants to be traded so he can be closer to his family.