PEORIA, Ariz. – Brendan Donovan arrived early to spring training a week before the required reporting date for position players because, well, why wouldn’t he?
Sure, joining a new organization, which included a move from training in the Grapefruit League in Florida, where he makes his home, to the Cactus League was a reason to get a head start. But until 10 days ago when he was traded from St. Louis to Seattle, he was preparing for another year with the Cardinals.
“It was my first time being traded, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” he said early Wednesday morning before heading out for voluntary workouts. “I thought it went smooth. For me, it was important for me to meet a lot of people. I’m good with names, not good with faces, so I’m kind of putting those both together.”
But if he was still playing with the Cardinals, he still would have arrived to camp a week early.
“We believe in getting to spring training early and getting settled in,” he said. “I feel like I try to lead by example. So, to just be here and just try to earn some respect from the guys, that’s just kind of how I work.”
Perhaps it stems from being the son of a soldier. His father, Jim, was a decorated combat aviator, retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army. The military has been part of Donovan’s life, including being born in Germany while his father was stationed in Würzburg. As the saying goes, “early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.”
“In the military, which is why I think I was attracted to baseball so much, there’s a sense of community and culture and teamwork,” Donovan said. “There’s all those things that the military, I feel like, did a pretty good job of instilling in me as a kid.”
But really Donovan shows up to spring training early because it’s what he’s always done as a professional. It’s what he needs to do to get himself ready for the upcoming season.
Asked to describe himself as a player, he replied:
“I believe in preparation. I try to be the most prepared player on the field. I think that may come with being able to play all over the field. You kind of have to be the most prepared. And I play really hard. Your effort, your mentality – those are things that you can control in this crazy game. I try to play like my hair is on fire, and that’s something that I think makes the game more fun, too.”
Sound like a few players on the Mariners?
While he wouldn’t allow himself to follow the trade rumors this offseason, he knew the Mariners had interest in him dating back to even last season. During the MLB GM meetings in November and the winter meetings in December, it was impossible to ignore. But the Mariners’ lengthy pursuit of Donovan wasn’t realized until a few weeks before spring training. Once he got the call from Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations, and the deal was announced, Donovan started checking with people he trusted around the game for info on his new club.
“They were all like, ‘Great people. You’re going to love the people in this organization,’ ” he said. “To me, the character of the organization, that’s extremely important.”
When he arrived this week and started working his way around the clubhouse, he felt at home. He asked about any team rules or requirements he needed to learn.
The response pleased him.
“It was, ‘We’re going to prepare. We’re going to be great people,’ ” he said. “I liked that. When you have a group of guys that hold themselves to a higher standard, and there’s that aspect of accountability and preparation and guys that genuinely care, and there is talk of winning a World Series, you don’t really need (rules).”
Donovan noticed it with Cal Raleigh immediately.
“Cal’s the first one in the door, and I think he’s the last one here,” he said. “I saw that yesterday. I was like, ‘Wow, he’s here early.’ And then when I left, I was like, ‘Wow, he’s still here.’ It’s just a testament to him and why he’s able to set the foundation for this culture.”
Raleigh received plenty of calls from players around the league when Donovan was traded to Seattle.
“A bunch of guys have reached out and have been like, ‘Oh, you got a good one. He’s a great dude, great teammate, great player, somebody you’re going to like to come to work with every day,’ ” Raleigh said.
Raleigh knew about what Donovan can do at the plate – a .361 on-base percentage, a low strikeout rate and a mature approach – along with positional versatility in the field that fits the M’s needs. Manager Dan Wilson is expected to slot Donovan into the leadoff spot in the lineup.
“I think he complements our lineup really well,” Raleigh said. “He’s what we needed to add to this team, that type of player. It’s sad seeing some of the other guys walk out, but knowing what we needed, and having to add while making our lineup deeper with different types of hitters, he’s a big add. It’s always good to be a little more diverse and less one-dimensional as an offense.”
Donovan worked at third base during the infield ground ball sessions the past two days. While he played mostly second base the past three seasons, including earning a spot on the National League All-Star team last season, the Mariners will likely start Donovan at third base. It’s a position he played more early in his career. His preparation to return to the spot is simple.
“Go find Bone and have him tell me what to do,” Donovan said.
“Bone” is the nickname of infield coach Perry Hill. Of the slew of phone calls he received the night he was traded, Donovan made sure to answer when Hill called.
“So we talked the night I got traded,” Donovan said. “You hear about reputations and things throughout the game of baseball, and everyone talks about, ‘If you get a chance to work with Bone, he’s gonna make you a better defender.’ ”
Donovan first heard about Hill and his Six F’s of Fielding – Feet, Field, Funnel, Footwork, Fire, Follow – in college at South Alabama.
“We had an infield coach who was big on his Six F’s,” Donovan said. “That was my first introduction to that. And then you start meeting infield coaches, a lot of their stuff comes from him. You can see the lineage.”
Working with Hill on Monday for the first time, all those teachings from different coaches started to resonate in a different way.
“It’s funny. It’s just like a simple brilliance when he’s talking,” he said. “It was like, ‘That makes complete sense.’ It’s not something that’s crazy. Yesterday, it was just, ‘field it, funnel it, replace your feet.’ And I was like, ‘OK, I can do that.’ ”