Curtis Granderson is Excited to be a New York Yankee
December 17, 2009 – 8:26 am by timgunterLife can change in the blink of an eye and that is exactly what happened to Curtis Granderson. He had been a lifelong Detroit Tiger and now he is a New York Yankee. Talk about rags to riches. In the last twenty-five years, the Detroit Tigers have only been to the playoffs three times and the New York Yankees have been to the playoffs fourteen out of the last fifteen years. His only taste of the playoffs was in 2006 when they advanced all the way to the World Series to eventually lose to the St. Louis Cardinals. Granderson and the Yankees will be sure to play many playoff games over the next few years and maybe have another World Series title or two. The centerfielder hit .249 with 30 home runs for the Tigers last year but had hit close to .300 in the two previous seasons. Granderson is a good bet to steal 20 bases a season and will make a super-talented Yankees’ lineup even more potent.
Curtis Granderson joined The Herd on ESPN Radio to talk about whether moving to the media capital of the world is a good thing for him, whether he ever wondered what it would be like to be a Yankee while playing for another team, how he thinks he fits in with the club, and what it is like playing with Derek Jeter.
On him being good with the media and whether moving to the media capital of the world is a good thing for him:
“Not really quite sure because you have guys that through there that they are great with the media, some guys avoid the media, and some guys have an English barrier with the media and they still end up playing there so I am not sure of any major deciding factor at all but I don’t think it hurt anyone.”
Whether he ever wondered what it would be like to be a Yankee while playing for another team:
“You know what it never really crossed my mind. I was focused on being a Detroit Tiger at the time. Our payroll is starting to creep up there too. (Editor’s note: Notice he still refers to the Tigers as our and we) Over the past two years I think we were in the top-five in payroll. It was one of those things hey they are spending money we are spending money. If that is the correlation to being successful then we are right there. Sure enough we were in contention three out of four years to get to the playoffs and one year we did get to the playoffs and make it all the way to the World Series but the Yankee name and the logo with the history and tradition of it…Everybody knows about it so you can’t help but know, think and talk about the Yankees from childhood all the way up until now.”
On how he thinks he fits in with the club:
“Interesting. I am not sure where I am going to be in the lineup. There is a chance that I may move around the outfield which I have no problem doing. Same thing about the lineup I have bounced around my whole career, the minor leagues and major leagues. I had a chance to play with Derek Jeter in the World Baseball Classic so that is going to be exciting to be his teammate again. Some of these guys I played with coming up: Robinson Cano, Chien Ming Wang, and Nick Swisher. All of these guys either have been opponents but we have all been on some of the same steps and same levels coming up. That relationship is going to be very similar and some of the other guys again. I know the names I just got to go ahead and build a relationship which takes just a little time.”
On what it was like playing with Jeter:
“Jeter was a cool guy. It was amazing watching him go about his business and prepare. Get his work done before the game, during the game and after the game also. It was amazing to get a chance to watch that but at the end of the day you realize that they he is another teammate. The superstar status, the iconic baseball that you see when it all comes down to it ends up being just a teammate. I had that same experience when I played with Pudge Rodriguez. Ultimately the most well-known catcher to play this game and to become his teammate same thing and when I found out that I was on the team and we were competing and we are all trying to accomplish the same goal. You start to realize that he is not much different than you are.”
Whether there is a place where he is more comfortable in the Yankees batting order:
“Not necessarily. It is hard to take a guy like a Derek Jeter out of the leadoff spot with what he has done not only last year but what he done consistently over his career. Then you take a guy like Johnny Damon if he does return to that lineup and move him again with what he has done and also in his career. There has been talk before of moving to the middle of the lineup. I see that nowhere near happening with guys like A-Rod and Teixeira in the middle of that lineup doing what they have done. So it looks like I will end up somewhere toward the middle-bottom of the lineup which I have done too. I have got no problem doing that. My main job no matter what the situation is to get on base and if there are guys on base try and drive them in.”
Tags: 20/20 Club, 20/20/20 Club, bat in the lineup, Centerfield, Centerfielder, Curtis Granderson traded to Yankees, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, replace Melky Cabrera, Where will he bat?
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