Detroit Tigers Sign Granderson
Centerfielder Became Fan Favorite During Breakout Season A Year Ago
By signing Curtis Granderson to a five-year, $30.25 million deal Monday, Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski reinforced that he's committed to winning beyond 2008.
When Detroit Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski traded prospects Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller this winter, the initial reaction by many was to accuse Dombrowski of mortgaging the future to win now.
Here's proof - in case landing mid-20s stars like Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in the aforementioned trade wasn't enough - that Dombrowski plans to keep the Tigers competitive well beyond the 2008 season.
In another off-season signing that shows the Tigers' desire to take care of their own young stars, Dombrowski on Monday inked centerfielder Curtis Granderson to a five-year deal worth a reported $30.25 million. The move comes more than two years ahead of when Granderson, who debuted in nine games in 2004, was slated to enter free agency.
With Granderson signed, that's one less position Dombrowski will need to address in the next year or two, when the age of veterans like catcher Pudge Rodriguez, designated hitter Gary Sheffield, closer Todd Jones and even rightfielder Magglio Ordonez become more than mild concerns.
Granderson, 26, becomes a staple in the Tigers' lineup, with the potential to stick around town longer than nearly any player has since the days of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. He shares that much in common with ace Justin Verlander, who inked a similarly large deal in the off-season and should anchor the Tigers' rotation for years to come.
What the Tigers get in Granderson is a combination manager's and marketing director's dream, a guy who reached offensive numbers last season not seen since Willie Mays, and who was often the fans' answer in the team's "Who's Your Tiger?" promotional campaign. As the team's lead-off hitter, Granderson hit 38 doubles, 23 home runs, and a ridiculous 23 triples to go with 26 stolen bases to become the first 30-20-20-20 player since Mays did it in 1957. Granderson finished the season with a stellar .302 batting average.
If his improvement continues, the Chicago native figures to be a cornerstone of the Tigers' lineup for years. Granderson made his debut in 2004 when he played in only nine games. He spent most of 2005 in the Tigers' farm system, but was called up for 47 games, hitting .272 with three triples and eight home runs. In 2006, when the Tigers made their run to the World Series before losing to the St. Louis Cardinals, he played in 159 games and hit .260 with 19 home runs and nine triples.
Then came last year's numbers, which fueled his status in Tiger-dom despite other stats that Granderson himself has admitted he needs to improve upon. Most notably, his strikeout totals remain high, particularly for a guy batting leadoff, and he continues to struggle against left-handed hitters. Tiger fans had little trouble looking past those factors considering his success otherwise, including the highlight reel catches he made on a seemingly routine basis while playing Comerica Park's enormous centerfield.
Curtis Granderson. Comerica Park. Centerfield. There's a combination that Tiger fans should get used to.
