| Curtis Granderson | |
|---|---|
 Granderson with the New York Yankees in 2011 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1981-03-16)March 16, 1981 (age 44) Blue Island, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 13, 2004, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 2019, for the Miami Marlins | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .249 |
| Home runs | 344 |
| Runs batted in | 937 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Curtis Granderson Jr. (born March 16, 1981), nicknamed "the Grandyman", is an American former professionalbaseballoutfielder. He played 16 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theDetroit Tigers,New York Yankees,New York Mets,Los Angeles Dodgers,Toronto Blue Jays,Milwaukee Brewers, andMiami Marlins.
Granderson playedcollege baseball at theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago. He was selected by the Tigers in the2002 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2004. Granderson is a three-timeMLB All-Star and won aSilver Slugger Award in 2011. He retired after the 2019 season.
Off the field, Granderson is recognized for his commitment to the community through outreach and charity work. Many of his charitable endeavors supportinner-city children. He has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad. Granderson won theMarvin Miller Man of the Year Award four times and theRoberto Clemente Award in 2016 in recognition of his contributions in the community.
Granderson grew up inBlue Island, Illinois, andLynwood, Illinois, south suburbs ofChicago.[1] His father, Curtis Sr., was adean andphysical education teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Illinois. His mother, Mary, taughtchemistry atCurie Metropolitan High School in Chicago. Granderson's half-sister is an English professor atJackson State University.[2]
As a child, Granderson grew up a fan of theAtlanta Braves ofMajor League Baseball (MLB), choosing not to root for the hometownChicago Cubs because he often rushed home from school to watchSaved by the Bell and was disappointed when a Cubs game was on instead.[3] Granderson attendedThornton Fractional South High School (T.F. South) inLansing, Illinois,[4] where he playedbaseball andbasketball.[2] Hebatted .369 with 11home runs and 88runs batted in (RBIs) in high school and was named an All-State selection his senior year.[4] Granderson wore uniform number 14 at T.F. South, choosing it because his father wore it while playingsoftball.[5] T.F. South honored Granderson by retiring his jersey in a December 2011 ceremony.[4]
Granderson was recruited by a number ofcollege baseball programs, and he chose theUniversity of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), in part because they allowed him to play both baseball and basketball .[2] However, Granderson quit basketball two weeks into his freshman year to concentrate on baseball.[2] As a freshman in 2000, Granderson led theUIC Flames with seven home runs and 45walks.[6] He followed that by hitting .304 as a sophomore, leading the team inruns, home runs, and walks. After his sophomore year, Granderson played in asummer collegiate league for theMankato Mashers of theNorthwoods League, where he batted .328 in 44 games, with eightdoubles, twotriples, one home run, 17 RBIs, 28 runs scored, and 15stolen bases.[7] He wore the number 28, which Mankato retired on May 29, 2023.[8]
During his junior season at UIC, Granderson batted .483, second in the nation toRickie Weeks Jr.[2] Granderson was named Second-TeamAll-American byBaseball America andUSA Today'sBaseball Weekly and a Third-TeamLouisville SluggerNCAA Division I All-American. He graduated from UIC with a double major in business administration and business marketing.[1][9] On February 6, 2013, UIC retired Granderson's number 28.[10]
TheDetroit Tigers selected Granderson in the third round of the2002 MLB draft. The Tigers assigned Granderson to theOneonta Tigers, theirMinor League Baseball affiliate in theClass A-Short SeasonNew York-Penn League. With Oneonta, Granderson batted .344 in 52 games. Determined to complete his college education, though the fall semester began before the minor league season ended, Granderson made arrangements to begin his senior year at UIC via internet courses.[2]
The Tigers assigned Granderson to theLakeland Tigers of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League in 2003 and theErie SeaWolves of theDouble-AEastern League in 2004. With the SeaWolves, Granderson hit .303 with 21 home runs and 93 RBIs.[11]Baseball America named Granderson the Tigers' minor league player of the year and top prospect after the 2004 season.[9] Prior to the 2005 season,Baseball America rated Granderson as the 57th best prospect in baseball.[12] Granderson competed for the role as the Tigers' starting center fielder in 2005spring training, but the organization decided he needed more seasoning and assigned him to theToledo Mud Hens of theTriple-AInternational League.[13] With Toledo, he hit .290 with 15 home runs, 65 RBIs and 22stolen bases.[14]
The Tigers promoted Granderson to MLB for the first time in September 2004.[15] He made his MLB debut on September 13 against theMinnesota Twins, going hitless but threw out a baserunner from the outfield.[16] He received his second promotion to the majors in July 2005, playing in six games. After his third promotion to MLB that August,[14] he remained in the majors permanently. Granderson hit his first MLBinside-the-park home run on September 15, had a five-hit game September 18, and hit awalk-off home run on September 26 against theChicago White Sox.[17]
Granderson became the Tigers starting center fielder for the 2006 season after beating outNook Logan for the position during spring training.[18] From the start of his major league career in 2004, Granderson began a 151-gameerrorless streak, the longest by a position player to start his career sinceDave Roberts went errorless in 205 games.[19] Granderson hit two home runs during theAmerican League (AL) Division Series and one in theAL Championship Series, but struggled in theWorld Series, batting .095, as the Cardinals defeated the Tigers.[20]
Through June, Granderson ranked first among AL outfielders in triples (14), third in doubles (22), tied for fourth in runs (58) and tied for 10th in homers (11) with a .289 batting average in the 2007 season.[21] Although Granderson was not listed on theAll-Star Game ballot, due to the Tigers' decision to putGary Sheffield as an outfielder on the ballot, he still received 376,033 write-in votes, the most write-in votes for any player.[21] Granderson was named the ALPlayer of the Week on July 16, the first time he had won the award, as he hit .500 (8 for 16) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run during that week.[22] Grandersonslugged .938, drove in two runs, scored seven runs, and had fifteen total bases during Detroit's four-game series against theSeattle Mariners.[23]
On August 7, Granderson became the second player in franchise history to have at least 30 doubles, 15 triples, 15 home runs, and ten stolen bases in a single season when he hit a double in a game against theTampa Bay Devil Rays. The other Tiger to accomplish this feat wasCharlie Gehringer in 1930.[24] He became the sixth member of baseball's20–20–20 club on September 7, joining theKansas City Royals'George Brett (1979),Willie Mays of the New York Giants (1957), Cleveland'sJeff Heath (1941), St. Louis'Jim Bottomley (1928), andFrank Schulte of the Chicago Cubs (1911). Granderson stole his 20th base of the season on September 9, joining Mays and Schulte as the only players in major league history to reach 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in a season, a feat accomplished by thePhiladelphia Phillies'Jimmy Rollins 21 days later.[25][26][27]
Granderson hit .302 with 23 home runs for the season, and was 26 for 27 in stolen base attempts. He also improved his plate discipline, as he finished seventh in the AL in strikeouts with 141. He was one of six AL players to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, along with teammateGary Sheffield,Ian Kinsler,Alex Rodriguez,Grady Sizemore, andB. J. Upton.[28][29][30]
During the 2007 season, Granderson hit 23 triples, which led all of baseball. The Tigers and AL single-season record is 36 triples, achieved bySam Crawford, the all-time triples king, in 1914. Granderson was the first player since 1949 with at least 23 in a season.[31] Granderson hit only ten triples at home[32] despite the factComerica Park allowed far more triples than most MLB ballparks.[33] Granderson's 23 triples matched or exceeded six entire teams' triples in 2007: theChicago White Sox,Cincinnati Reds,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,Oakland Athletics,Seattle Mariners andSt. Louis Cardinals.[34]
In February 2008, Granderson signed a five-year, $30.25 million contract extension with the Tigers that included a club option for 2013.[35] Granderson continued hitting well in 2008, finishing with a .280 batting average, 13 triples and 22 home runs. He continued to improve his plate discipline, striking out only 111 times (versus 141 in 2007 and 174 in 2006) and drawing a career-high 71 walks.[30] During August, he hit six triples,[36] including two in consecutive innings during a game against theTexas Rangers.[37][38]
With the Tigers failing to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008,TBS employed Granderson as a commentator alongsideCal Ripken Jr.,Dennis Eckersley andFrank Thomas for its coverage of the 2007 and 2008postseasons.[39][40]
Granderson was selected to the2009 MLB All-Star Game, his first All-Star appearance. In the game, he hit a triple in the top of the 8th inning and scored the winning run.[41]
After the 2009 season, the Tigers began shopping Granderson to other teams in an effort to reduce their payroll.[42] The Yankees acquired Granderson in a three-team trade on December 9. In the deal, the Yankees received Granderson while sendingPhil Coke and centerfielderAustin Jackson to Detroit. Also, theArizona Diamondbacks received Yankees pitcherIan Kennedy and Tigers pitcherEdwin Jackson in return for young pitchersMax Scherzer andDaniel Schlereth, who joined the Tigers.[43]
Granderson hit a home run in his first Yankee at bat on April 4, 2010, becoming the 12th player to do so.[44] Although he missed some games due to a strained groin, Granderson finished the season with 136 games played, a .247 batting average, and 24 home runs.[28] Granderson, who struggled against left-handed pitching throughout his career, also put up subpar numbers against right-handed pitchers, causing Granderson to revamp his swing with the help ofhitting coachKevin Long in August 2010.[45]
Granderson's work with Long was credited as a reason for his strong 2011 campaign.[46] Granderson received over 6.6 million votes for theAll-Star Game.[3] In August, Granderson andMark Teixeira became the first Yankees teammates to hit 30 home runs in 115 games sinceRoger Maris andMickey Mantle in 1961. On August 10, Granderson hit two home runs against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim to tally a career-high 31 home runs.[47] Granderson,Robinson Canó, andRussell Martin all hitgrand slams in a game against the Athletics on August 25, the first time a team had three grand slams in one game.[48] Granderson was namedAL Player of the Month for August 2011, in which he batted .286, with a .423on-base percentage, slugged .657, hit ten home runs, recorded 29 RBI, and scored 29 runs, and had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.44).[49][50] He became the first player in MLB history to record 40 home runs, 10 triples and 25 stolen bases in one season. Granderson finished fourth in balloting for theAL Most Valuable Player Award.[46][51]
On May 6, 2012, Granderson achieved his 1,000th hit against Kansas City. On August 26, he hit his 200th career home run against theCleveland Indians. He finished the 2012 season with a .232 batting average, 43 home runs, 106 RBI, and set a new Yankees season record by striking out 195 times.[52]
On October 19, 2012, the Yankees exercised Granderson's club option for 2013. Originally worth $13 million, it became a $15 million option after he placed fourth in the MVP voting in 2011.[53] In his spring training debut against theToronto Blue Jays on February 24, 2013, Granderson was hit by a pitch fromJ. A. Happ that fractured his right forearm. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list to begin the season.[54] He returned to the Yankees on May 14.[55] On May 18, Granderson made his first start at right field. On May 24, Granderson broke a knuckle on his left pinkie finger after getting hit byTampa Bay'sCesar Ramos's pitch in the 5th inning. He was again placed on the 15-day disabled list.[56] On May 29, Granderson underwent surgery in which a pin was inserted to the knuckle to stabilize the fracture.[57] On August 2, Granderson was activated from the disabled list.[58] Granderson was limited to only 61 games in 2013 batting .229 with 7 home runs and 15 RBI. He became a free agent for the first time of his career after the season.[59]
Granderson agreed to terms with theNew York Mets on a four-year contract worth $60 million on December 6, 2013. Granderson's salaries were set at $13 million in 2014, $16 million in 2015 and 2016, and $15 million in 2017.[60] On May 12, Granderson returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time since he signed with the Mets, and went 2-for-5 with a home run.[61] The Mets played Granderson as theirright fielder. He started 148 games with 130 in right field.[62] He batted .227 and had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.37).[63] Granderson played in a total of 205 games between May 15, 2013, and September 16, 2014, during which he did not ground into a double play, a record which still stands as of 2020[update].[64]
In 2015, Granderson became the team's primaryleadoff hitter.[65] He went on to lead the team in games played, runs scored, hits, stolen bases, walks, on-base percentage andtotal bases en route to aNational League (NL) East division title.[66] In the Game 3 of theNL Division Series (NLDS), Granderson picked up five RBI – this tied a Mets single game postseason record previously set byCarlos Delgado in the2006 National League Championship Series (NLCS),Edgardo Alfonzo in the1999 NLCS, andRusty Staub in the1973 World Series.[67] After beating theLos Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLDS, the Mets went on to sweep theChicago Cubs in four games in theNLCS.
Granderson hit three home runs and five RBIs in theWorld Series. In Game 1, after the Royals tied the game in the ninth inning with a home run off Mets closerJeurys Familia, Granderson made an excellent leaping catch with no outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, off the bat of the Royals fastest runnerJarrod Dyson, preventing what would have at least been a lead off triple and likely saving the game at the time.[68]
On May 27, 2016, Granderson hit a walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the first batter up in the bottom of the 9th inning. By June 16, Granderson had hit 17leadoff homers since joining the Mets in 2014, a franchise record.[69] On September 17, Granderson hit two solo home runs against the Minnesota Twins atCiti Field. The first tied the ballgame in the bottom of the 11th inning and the second won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning. He became only the eighth player in major league history to hit multiple home runs inextra innings of the same game.[70][71] In theNL Wild Card Game against theSan Francisco Giants on October 5, Granderson made an incredible catch to save several runs from scoring late in the close game.
On June 14, 2017, Granderson hit his 300th career home run in a win over theChicago Cubs.[72] He batted .228 with the Mets in 2017. He had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.52).[73]
On August 18, 2017, the Mets traded Granderson to theLos Angeles Dodgers for aplayer to be named later.[74] Two days later, the Dodgers sentJacob Rhame to the Mets to complete the trade.[75] Granderson hit his first home run for the Dodgers on August 20 againstJustin Verlander of the Tigers.[76] After hitting a grand slam home run in his last at-bat for the Mets on August 17, he hit one for the Dodgers on August 21, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit grand slams for two different teams within the same week.[77] The next day, he stole his 150th career base, becoming the 36th player in MLB history with over 300 home runs and 150 or more steals.[78]
Granderson batted .161/.288/.366 for the Dodgers, in 112 at bats. He was 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts in the first two rounds of the2017 MLB postseason, and the Dodgers left him off theWorld Series roster.[79]
On January 23, 2018, Granderson signed a one-year, $5 million contract with theToronto Blue Jays.[80] On June 10, against theBaltimore Orioles, Granderson hit for a career high six RBIs with a home run, two doubles, a single and a walk.[81] On June 25, while playing theHouston Astros, Granderson hit his eighth and ninth home runs of the season off of former teammateJustin Verlander to lead the Jays to victory.[82]
On August 31, 2018, the Blue Jays traded Granderson to theMilwaukee Brewers forDemi Orimoloye.[83] He batted .220 with two home runs in 19 games for the Brewers.[84] Granderson hit an RBI double against theLos Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of theNLCS, which the Brewers lost.[85]
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On February 5, 2019, Granderson signed a minor league contract with theMiami Marlins that included an invitation tospring training and provided him with a $1.75 million salary if he made the major league roster.[86][87] The Marlins included Granderson on their roster as a leadoff hitter when facing right-handed pitchers.[88]
For the 2019 season, Granderson batted .183/.281/.356 in 363 plate appearances, with his on base percentage and slugging percentages both career lows.[28] He was the sixth-oldest player in the National League.[89]
Towards the end of the 2019 season, Granderson said that he wanted to play again in 2020.[90] Granderson announced his retirement from baseball on January 31, 2020.[91] He is the board chair of the Players Alliance, an organization of active and former major league players that works to increase opportunities for black athletes to participate in professional baseball.[92][93][94]
Granderson joined the studio show forMLB on TBS in 2020.[95]
Granderson is a fan ofWWE, and attendedWrestleMania 23 in Detroit. He considersThe Ultimate Warrior,The Undertaker,Junkyard Dog and"Macho Man" Randy Savage to be his favorite wrestlers.[96][97] He is also an avid fan ofcollege basketball and of theKansas Jayhawks.[98]
Granderson has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball International. He has traveled to England, Italy, the Netherlands, France, South Africa, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan to promote baseball.[99][100][101] In appreciation for his efforts,CommissionerBud Selig penned a thank you letter to Granderson which read in part, "There are so many fine young men playing Major League baseball today, but I can think of no one who is better suited to represent our national pastime than you."[2] He has also promoted and assistedAfrican-American baseball players, often participating in and initiating dialogue about the lack of Black players at all levels of the sport.[102][103] When he signed endorsement deals withNike,Louisville Slugger, andRawlings, he asked them to donate money to his foundation or equipment to inner-city baseball programs rather than pay him.[2]
Granderson's foundation, the Grand Kids Foundation, has raised money to benefit the educations of inner-city children around the country.[1][2] He wrote a children's book,All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It!, published in August 2009. The book is illustrated by students of theNew York City public school system.[1] In February 2010, Granderson represented MLB at aWhite House function announcingLet's Move!, a childhood anti-obesity effort sponsored by First LadyMichelle Obama.[104] Granderson donated $5 million to help UIC build a new baseball stadium in 2013.[105]
Granderson has been involved in theMajor League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) since 2006. He has taken part in negotiations of MLBPA labor contracts.[3] Granderson won the 2009Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award by the MLBPA for his off-field work, an award he won again in 2016, 2018, and 2019.[106][107]
In 2011, Granderson was also voted one of the friendliest players in the major leagues, according to a poll conducted bySports Illustrated of 290 players.[3] During his playing career, Granderson wore his socks high to honor players from theNegro leagues.[44]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
