Lynn Worthy | Post-Dispatch
Sports columnist
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today
Nolan Arenado had just said his goodbye to St. Louis. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol orchestrated a moment on the field for Arenado to receive an unofficial sendoff in the final home game of the season at Busch Stadium last Sunday, and after the game Arenado stood in front of his locker and acknowledged that “change is coming” and that he was “in the way.”
It served as a clear example of two sides having decided it’s time to go down separate paths.
Meanwhile across the clubhouse from the crowd at Arenado’s locker, Brendan Donovan stood within eyesight, fairly close in proximity yet far away in terms of the stage of his career. Roughly 1,300 games worth of distance and a mountain of expectations separate the two players.
Donovan, nearing the end of his fourth season, tried to remain tunnel visioned and laser focused on his daily objectives. Donovan tried not to think about whether he’d be part of the coming changes.
Though when reporters’ questions interrupted that focus, Donovan didn’t feign as though he were oblivious to the uncertainty ahead.
“It’s kind of out of my control,” Donovan said of his future. “I’ve got a lot of relationships in this clubhouse that I truly cherish. If I’m in the cards, I’d absolutely love to be here. For sure.”
There’s certainly reason to consider trading Donovan this offseason, particularly if a trade helps the Cardinals acquire the starting pitching they desperately need.
Ultimately, the Cardinals will benefit more from keeping Donovan as a cornerstone in their rebuilding efforts. They need his experience, versatility, steadiness and willingness to be one of the leaders and tone setters.
The team’s lone All-Star this season and a past Gold Glove award winner, Donovan will turn 29 years old in January. He’s got two more seasons until he reaches free agency, and the Cardinals have entered a rebuilding phase with transitions underway both in the front office and on the roster.
Donovan started his big-league career just as one “wave” of Cardinals ended its run. He played alongside Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright as they headed into retirement. Donovan also saw the end of the line in St. Louis for Jack Flaherty, Paul DeJong, Paul Goldschmidt, Ryan Helsley and likely Arenado.
The next wave of core players continues to take shape, but it’s not clear whether Donovan will successfully surf from one wave to the next or end up caught somewhere in between.
“I just kind of appreciate each day for what it is, try to be a positive example,” Donovan said. “I try to be someone that guys can talk to. I try to lead by example. That’s how I look at it. I try to just take it one day at a time. Obviously, there’s no way of kind of knowing. What you think is going to happen in this business is usually what doesn’t happen.
“I just try to focus on things that I can control. Human nature, it’s easier said than done. But I just try to place my emphasis on preparation, mentality and hustle. Am I in the middle of a wave? Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not really sure. I hadn’t really looked at it like that.”
Depending on whether the Cardinals trade Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and Arenado, Donovan could be one of the most veteran and more accomplished remaining on this team.
Donovan’s ability to play all around the infield or at the corner outfield positions is invaluable for a team that’s still trying to figure out how the pieces of their puzzle fit together.
“It’s hard to put a time limit on development, and success isn’t linear,” Donovan said. “I think it’s just kind of, you know, gotta let guys go play and then you kind of see how the cards fall from there.”
Donovan could be an outfielder if there’s some combination of Masyn Winn, J.J. Wetherholt, Thomas Saggese and Nolan Gorman on the infield.
Donovan could also be an infielder if the two corner outfield and designated hitter spots must be used for some combination of Jordan Walker, Ivan Herrera, Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson.
Donovan also provides a relatively predictable level of performance compared to the inconsistency of the younger players who’ve flashed high upside with inconsistent overall production.
In each of his four seasons, Donovan has been roughly between 2.0 and 4.0 wins above replacement (per Baseball-Reference.com) with a batting average ranging from .278 to .287 with an OPS between .759 and .787.
There’s value in knowing what you’re going to get from Donovan, and he’s capable of impacting the club on a daily basis. If he’s traded for a starting pitcher, at best that pitcher performs once every five days. That’s if the pitcher stays healthy, which is a big IF.
It’s one thing to trade a position player that only contributes to one facet of the game — a one-trick pony feast-or-famine power hitter — in exchange for a starting pitcher.
However, Donovan can impact offensively, defensively and in terms of intangibles as a leader and clubhouse presence. He’s flexible enough to fit in multiple places, so he doesn’t have to block any one player out of playing time.
He’s shown no signs of shying away from the rebuild, nor has he given an indication that chasing personal accolades is paramount. He’s not yet at a point where he is watching the seasons tick off and getting antsy that his time is running out.
“I’ve never been afraid of building something,” Donovan said. “So it’s an individually based team game. For me, how I try to combat that is I just try to play every night to win, try to let the situation dictate what I want to try and do. I’m up to being here and helping us build something.”
Unless the return package includes a no-doubt upgrade to your pitching rotation for multiple years to come, Donovan shouldn’t be one of the players moving this winter.
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Lynn Worthy | Post-Dispatch
Sports columnist
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today