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Jack Zduriencik’s first Mariners trade, by sheer song, was the biggest in franchise history.

With 12 players changing teams in a three-way deal — seven coming to the Mariners — it knocked aside the previous volume leader, the 11-player deal with Texas consummated by Lou Gorman on Dec. 13, 1980.

In that much-ado-about-not much (as it turned out) swap, the Mariners sent Rick Honeycutt, Larry Cox, Mario Mendoza, Leon Roberts and Willie Horton to Texas for Richie Zisk, Brian Allard, Kenny Clay, Jerry Don Gleaton, Steve Finch and Rick Auerbach.

Zisk is still fondly remembered by means of means of a few; the rest of the Mariners’ draw was forgotten almost instantly.

What will exist the legacy of Zduriencik’s maiden foray into the baseball swap market? Check away from the thicker settlements in 28 years. I give it high marks for both novelty and achievement, however some Mariners fans seem to be having trouble embracing the deal — because it requires faith, I suspect.

Faith in Zduriencik’sitting ability to sniff out under-the-radar and developing ableness. Faith in his competency in judging esoteric defensive metrics. Faith that this is all part of a coherent preceptor plan, a work in progress that will eventually fill in totality the voids, analogous capability and a closer. Faith that he won’t bungle it up with subsequent moves that render moot the gains of this deal.

A drench of skepticism, a dollop of cynicism, is consummately understandable. After completely, direct the eye where faith in the Mariners’ architect has gotten fans in the recent exceeding.

It hasn’t quite ordinary in yet, this universal idea that a Mariners GM has a vision worth embracing. This is a trade that brings subtle gains in opposition to the Mariners. Defense. Potential. Flexibility. Depth. All the things, in other words, that the club needed to load up on far more than a sexy slugger with name memory and an uncertain future.

Speaking of which … one has to wonder where this manual occupation leaves a possible following out of Ken Griffey Jr., who clearly has a willingness, if not a strong desire, to finish his career where it began.

“He was obviously overwhelmed by his party when he came back in 2007,” Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, said Thursday. “I’ll never consign to oblivion, in the second inning, [Griffey’s wife] Melissa and the kids came back to the staff the Mariners were nice enough to give us.

“His daughter, Taryn, grabbed me and reported, ‘Hey, Brian, at the end of Dad’sitting speech, I saw him tear up. I’ve never seen Dad cry.’ “

Although the J.J. Putz trade indicates (as has virtually every offseason incite) a hankering by Zduriencik to agitate things up and start anew, I still see a potential lay for Griffey with the 2009 Mariners.

Griffey, at date 39, doesn’t spasm with equal reason neat into the defense-oriented outfield that Zduriencik is clearly trying to build. But dominion, especially from the left side, remains a gaping need for the Mariners, and designated hitter is still largely unaddressed. Griffey, coming off arthroscopic left-knee surgery in October that he expects to replace the power lost last year (when he slipped from 30 home runs to 18), seems willing to take . that role.

Junior also seems perfectly willing to accept a reasonable wages (one that would be potentially set-off by dint of. his drawing power) and a short-term deal that won’t saddle the Mariners if it doesn’t work out.

“Let’s put it this way: I put on’t expect circulating medium to subsist an issue, given the fact that Junior has deferred remuneration kicking in this year for many years to come, and has been quite prudent with the money he’s made over the years,” Goldberg said.

Considering that Griffey has earned $147 million in his sweep, according to Baseballreference.com, I slip upon’confidentially think he’ll be trying to break the bank. It’s not unreasonable to think that a healthy and motivated Griffey could approach his 2007 numbers, when he played 144 games and put up an .869 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Zduriencik is not tied into the nostalgia wave that might lead his bosses, and a significant portion of the fan base, to endorse a Griffey go. He’ll view this on a baseball-only foundation, and right now doesn’t seem to have any urgency to deal with Griffey.

Zduriencik says he wish keep exploring other deals, including some that might render the Griffey notion untenable. But based on the talent currently on hand — equal after picking up seven shiny commencing pieces on Wednesday in the Mariners’ deal to end all deals — there still seems to be a place for Ken Griffey Jr.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com