If the best baseball player on earth listens to his father, one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of Ken Griffey Jr. becoming a Yankee will be easily cleared.

Ever since Griffey Jr. burst on to the major league scene in 1989, he has talked about never wanting to be a Yankee because of the way he was treated as a child at Yankee Stadium when his father, Ken Griffey Sr. was a Yankee from 1982-86. In subsequent years, as Junior developed into one of the best players in baseball history, he put the onus on George Steinbrenner for the shabby treatment.

As late as this past summer, Junior repeated his desire never to play in The Bronx. Queens? Yes.

Now, with the Mariners attempting to deal Junior after he turned down an eight-year deal worth $135 million that would kick in next year, The Post has learned that Griffey Sr. has been telling his son that The Boss isn’t at fault.

“I can’t comment specifically on teams that are interested in Ken or teams that he is interested in,” Junior’s agent Brian Goldberg told The Post yesterday from his Cincinnati office. “But Ken Sr. has gone out of his way to tell Junior that what happened years ago shouldn’t be blamed on George Steinbrenner; that it was someone who is not there anymore.”

In other words, Junior being banned from the field and clubhouse was Billy Martin’s decision and wasn’t ordered by The Boss. Martin, of course, will be dead 10 years this Christmas Eve. Griffey Sr. played for the Yankees from 1982 to 1986. Martin managed Griffey Sr. in 1983 and 1985. Griffey Sr., a coach with the Reds, is managing the Santurce team in the Puerto Rico Winter League and wasn’t available for comment.

Even if Junior, who can veto any deal, listens to his father, there are many more hurdles to clear in order for Junior’s lethal bat which has cranked out 398 homers in 11 seasons, to land in The Bronx.

Start with what it would cost to sign Junior, a free agent after this coming season. Already having turned down an average of $16.9 million a year for eight years, figure Griffey to ask for close to $20 million a year. Even for Steinbrenner’s deep pockets, that’s an ocean of cake. And that’s before The Boss knows what Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Ramiro Mendoza will cost him through arbitration. Not to mention what it may take to keep free agent David Cone.

Then there is the matter of what the Mariners want in return for Junior. As soon as the news broke that Junior was on the block, people assumed the Yankees could give the Mariners All-Star center fielder Bernie Williams. Forgotten was that Williams has to provide the Yankees with a list of six teams he can’t be traded to. It’s not known if the Mariners are on that list. However, remember, Williams just finished building a house in Westchester.

Furthermore, the Mariners aren’t looking to take on the $12.5 million a year for the next six seasons that Williams is owed. Finally, the Mariners are looking to get talented arms such as Atlanta’s Bruce Chen and John Rocker in a package for Junior. The Yankees could include Andy Pettitte and Hideki Irabu but the Braves can put Andruw Jones in the deal. He is a better center fielder than Williams and only has three-plus years of service. The Yankees have young lefty Ed Yarnall, but they hold him in higher regard than other organizations.

Of course, the Yankees would be asked about minor league studs Alfonso Soriano and Nick Johnson, both of whom have been off-limits for a year. Neither Yank GM Brian Cashman nor Mark Newman, VP of baseball operations and scouting for the Bombers, have spoken to Mariner GM Pat Gillick. As a favor to the Mariners, Goldberg isn’t naming names in regards to what team his client wants to play for although the Braves surely fit Junior’s wishes to be closer to his Orlando home.

“They told us if we trade Junior, they knew they weren’t going to get fair value,” Goldberg said. “So they asked us not to talk about it because they need the advantage of teams not knowing who is in and who is out. Junior told them he has no problem with that, it’s the least he can do for them.”