Mariners notebook: Dee Gordon’s new patience at plate ‘stands out’ to Servais
Feb 28, 2019, 10:52 AM | Updated: 10:54 am
"I got my bounce back," said Mariners 2B Dee Gordon, who was slowed by injury in 2018. (AP)
(AP)
PEORIA, Ariz. – Dee Gordon is once again atop the Mariners lineup for Thursday’s game against the White Sox, and that is where he hopes to be Opening Day.
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It is not a given, however, as once Mallex Smith is healthy there will be competition for the top spot. No matter for Gordon, who came to camp ready for competition with the nagging toe and foot injuries that slowed him for the majority of his first season with Seattle well behind him.
“I feel good to be good,” Gordon said. “I think you guys see me play. I’m running, I got my bounce back, a pep in my step a little bit.”
Injuries and position moves made 2018 an anything but normal season for Gordon, and his numbers reflected in part the adversity he faced. Getting his position at second base back, plus the Mariners adding up his favorite infield coach (Perry Hill) and the energy of a brand new team around him has helped Gordon turn the page quickly.
“It was a little tough on me last year but hey man, if you ain’t got nowhere to go, a reason to work out, you should quit,” he said. “I had a great reason to work out, great reason to be motivated for the season and try to get better. Like there are some things I wouldn’t try to get better on because I was so good at doing it the way I was doing it, so I was able to go and learn and get better as a hitter as well.”
Translation: Take more pitches. Gordon is aware that the nine total walks he took last year and the .288 on-base percentage that came with them will not cut it in 2019. Back at second base and not attempting to learn a position that he had never played, as he was doing a year ago in spring training, has allowed him to turn his focus to his at-bats.
Mariners manager Scott Servais likes what he has seen both on the field from Gordon, as well as a willingness to try and improve from a player who was well known for not walking much.
“Dee Gordon stands out for me,” Servais told Brock and Salk Thursday morning (full interview here). “He’s really trying to be more patient at the plate. He’s not just standing there taking pitches, he’s ready to hit. He’s being more selective. It’s a marked difference in approach.”
The challenge with Gordon is that he has a unique talent in getting the bat to the ball. Sometimes that is not the best course of action; bat on bad pitches can lead to bad results, and while he will not go into specifics with his approach, Gordon acknowledges that yes, he is trying to change.
“I’m taking more pitches, I’m not just going up there and hacking,” he said. “We will see how that goes.”
Lineup!
Dee Gordon, 2B
Mitch Haniger, RF
Jay Bruce, LF
Edwin Encarnación, 1B
Kyle Seager, 3B
Omar Narváez, C
J.P. Crawford, SS
Jake Fraley, CF
Dustin Ackley, DH
Félix Hernández, RHP
Game pitchers posted: Roenis Elias, Justin Dunn, David McKay, Robin Leyer.
Minor league call-ups: Raymond Kerr, Nolan Hoffman, Nathan Bannister.
Notes
• Félix is on a pitch count of around 50 in his second start of the spring.
• Ryon Healy and Evan White, who are both dealing with slight hamstring injuries, are expected to return to game action Friday.
• Top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez will play in the Mariners’ B game against the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization Friday morning on Field 1 at the Peoria Sports Complex. Rodriguez, who is actually listed as one of the minor league call-ups for the game today against the White Sox, has been a familiar face around the stadium, taking in all of the Mariners home games from the seats behind home plate or the aisleway just above it. As I mentioned in a previous post, the kid is obviously itching to get into a game, something Servais has noticed. “I was thinking about just letting him sit in the stands and calling him in from the stands to see if he would rip off his clothes and have his uni on underneath and be good to go,” Servais said with a laugh. “I think he might. I think he might be ready to roll.”
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