Dee Gordon on moving to Seattle: ‘I gotta go do my thing for the Mariners’

In the midst of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, which didn’t end well for the Mariners, Seattle snagged an exciting new player in infielder Dee Gordon.

New Mariners CF Dee Gordon on moving from 2B: If I’ll move for anybody, it would be Cano

“I’m just ready to play, ready to meet these guys, and you know, see what Seattle is all about,” Gordon told 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny, Dave and Moore. “I’ve only been there two times to play against them so I didn’t really get a good taste of it, so hopefully making it my home for awhile. I’m excited.”

Gordon, who Seattle picked up from the Miami Marlins, is known for his speed. In three of the last four seasons, he’s led the National League in stolen bases. This year, he racked up 60 bases. He also won the Gold Glove award in 2015.

Although Gordon played second base for the Marlins, the Mariners plan to move him to center field. Robinson Cano, who Gordon says he knows and respects, is Seattle’s current second baseman.

“I never shagged,” Gordon said when asked about the challenges of switching from infield to outfield. “I was really adamant becoming really good at second. I tried to stay at my position and get as good as I could out there…I believe I can do it.”

Growing up, Gordon was no stranger to Major League Baseball. His father, Tom Gordon, was a pitcher in the league for 21 years.

“It was my dad’s job and I saw the ups and downs with him,” Gordon said. It was one of the reasons he didn’t start playing organized baseball until he was 16.

“I’m going to be honest with you, me starting so late, I think I have an upper hand on a lot of guys because I actually love playing. You can ask Don Mattingly. The only time me and him would get into it is when I got benched or he thought I needed a day off and I didn’t think I needed a day off,” Gordon said. “I physically just love and admire playing the game and it’s one of the best things I could do. I can’t think of anything else I could do right now.”

As for his Miami teammates, Gordon says he’ll miss them. “I honestly I built a brotherhood with those guys,” he said. “Now I gotta go do my thing for the Mariners.”

Gordon said he plans to reach out to past Mariner center fielders like Ken Griffey Jr.

“I already know Mr. Griffey. He lives around the corner from me,” Gordon said. And speaking of “Mr. Griffey,” Gordon had to cut his call short with Danny, Dave and Moore when The Kid himself rang Gordon’s phone.