After leaving hometown team, Span eager to help Mariners

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 29, 2018

SEATTLE — Denard Span answered a phone call last week from a pumped-up Dee Gordon, who apparently had learned Span was about to become Gordon’s new teammate with the Seattle Mariners.

But Span said he still didn’t believe the news until a few hours later, when the Mariners announced they had acquired Span and right-hander relief pitcher Alex Colome from the Tampa Bay Rays in a four-player deal.

Span reported to the Mariners on Monday and made his Seattle debut. He went 0-for-4 in Seattle’s 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers.

“I first got the call and I was like, ‘Come again?’” Span said.

Span, 34, grew up in Tampa, went to high school in Tampa, had just bought a house in Tampa, and for the first time in his 11-year major-league career the outfielder was playing for his hometown team.

“But once it settled in and I was able to process it, I got excited right away,” Span said. “This is an opportunity that, at this point in my career, I can hopefully take advantage of.

“I just want to come in here and fit in with these guys. They already have a good ball club here. (I’m) just thankful that Jerry (Dipoto) and the Mariners thought that highly of me to bring me over here and help this team.”

Span is expected to be a regular in the Mariners’ lineup. “Denard Span is going to play — that’s why we acquired him,” manager Scott Servais said.

Span needed 72 hours to report to his new team.

He said Nelson Cruz asked if Span drove to Seattle. He might as well have with how busy he was making arrangements for his family and figuring out the logistics of traveling from Florida to Seattle with a seven-month old boy, DJ, in tow.

“Especially when you throw that into the mix,” Span said. “I wanted to be here (Sunday) but Jerry was so gracious to allow me to come a day later so I could get things in order with my wife and family back home.”

His wife, Anne Schelper, is a former Olympic medal-winning hockey player. Span said the transition was made a bit easier because she understands the life of a professional athlete.

And Span knew at some point he’d likely be traded, given the state of the Rays’ organization and his $9 million salary (the second-highest on Tampa’s team) and the fact he’s a free agent at the end of the season. He was just caught by surprise that he was traded in May and not sometime near the July trade deadline.

Span spent the past two seasons with the San Francisco Giants and for three years prior to that was with the Washington Nationals. He spent his first five seasons in the majors with the Minnesota Twins.

He was hitting .238 with a .364 on-base percentage in 43 games with the Rays before the trade. But he’s a career .282 hitter with a .348 on-base percentage.

“It seems like each year I’ve had different challenges and grown in different ways,” Span said. “Looking across my career, some years I’ve walked more than others and I think that has to do with how I’m feeling at the plate.

“This year, even though my average doesn’t say it, I’ve been seeing the ball good, having good at-bats, putting good swings on balls and just having bad luck.”

Servais said the addition of Span will push outfielder Ben Gamel into a backup role.

Gamel had his first three-hit game of the season in Sunday’s 3-1 victory to complete a sweep of the Twins and is batting .339 in May (21-for-62) with a .423 on-base percentage. He came into Monday’s game with the ninth-best batting average in the American League in May — after entering May batting .121 (coming off a strained oblique).

Servais said Gamel will take ground balls at first base to give the team some late-game options. Gamel did appear in a game at first base last year.

“Ben is a good hitter and he’s proven he’s a good hitter,” Servais said. “He kind of struggled in the second half of last year and got off to a slow start this year, but what we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks have been very encouraging.

“And, (you’ve) got to realize, Ben is still 26 years old. Still a young player so there’s going to be ups and downs.”