Dec
09
On Granderson and pulling the ball
ByIn the 19 hours or so since the Yanks agreed to acquire Curtis Granderson, much has been written about his offensive dip last year. Joe noted his shift from groundballs to fly balls last month, however Bill at The Detroit Tiger Weblog took a much more in-depth look at Granderson’s gradual shift in not just hitting more balls in the air, but pulling more balls as well. He notes that the biggest problem is that many of the balls Granderson put in play to the opposite field were simple pop-ups, which caused his batting average (and BABIP) to plummet. Make sure you check it out, it’s a great read.
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Why are so many folks missing the fact that he hit .731 OPS on the road against lefties? That’s the entire Yankee CF production over the last three years. And that’s the worst to expect from Granderson and only 30% of the time? Sign me up!
This trade is huge steal…all for a guy for might one day become Granderson and for surplus pitching. If Granderson were available on the market, we’d be looking at a $60 million deal. And not one Yankee fan would complain.
The trade is good for the Yankees…GREAT for the Tigers…and I am still trying to figure out not only why the D’backs got in on this…but WHY IN HELL they would initiate it…and be so adament about it.
It’s great for the tigers if Scherzer is good and healthy. If Jackson can hit major league pitching and hit with power.
Maybe if they didnt let Magglio get those ab’s and sign robertson, willis to ridiculous contracts they could have kept an in his prime CF and an all star starter.
I am just happy that when he comes up with none or one out and men on base and Tex behind him that Tex will get an at bat since there will be no GDP.
I think I will enjoy the stolen bases the most. I’m thinking around 30.
I think it depends where he hits.
Damon still has speed, but batting 2nd in front of Tex/ARod he only stole 12 after 29 the season before leading off, (Jeter got 11 from the 2nd spot last year).
So if Granderson is 2nd I have to wonder if that’s a team philosphy, or older veterans (who still have speed) just not wanting to take that chance when you got those 2 coming up.
I was forced to listen to WEEI this morning in traffic on my way to work and all they would talk about is how much better Johnny Damon is…they kept pointing to his .249 batting average and 140+ strike outs and how “everytime I would see him lead off with Detroit…he would strike out or pop up.” They were actually kind of split with 2 of them thinking the move was great and that “he’s a much better all around player than Johnny Damon.” To where the other two were saying “what’s an all around better player? we’re talking about hitting in the two-hole…obviously he’s a better defender than Damon.”
Anyway, they also were going crazy saying “If the Red Sox even thought for more than 30 seconds about trading Ellsbury for Granderson…I would question their intentions this winter. Ellsbury is MUCH BETTER than Granderson will ever be.”
I almost lost it. The best part is they ONLY looked at Granderson’s 2009 numbers…and that only. They didn’t mention anything about his previous years…not even to the point where they would point out how he’s been somewhat declining over the past few.
And I thought they brought up the fact that most of his home runs were to right field or something like that? Which is why I brought this up…because according to this thread…he’s pulling the ball more…so that wouldn’t be at all correct…no?
I’m sorry you have to listen to that propaganda all morning. According to “sources” in Boston, Detroit asked for Dell Buchholz and Tacoby Bellsbury. I hope that is true. Because that would mean, in Detroit’s FO, that IPK and Ajax = Dell and Bells.`
That’s about right.
They actually were arguing back and forth about that…finally concluding that the WEEI website had it as Buchholz OR Ellsbury. Not both. But they were arguing over it regardless haha
This is why Kevin Long gets paid the big bucks — to fix hitters’ weaknesses. Get to work, Kevin!
Yep, YS3, K-Long plus Tex and A-Rod will probably contribute to a monster year from Granderson (if Grandy slots in the two hole).
It’s amazing how some of the most successful hitting and pitching coaches were never all that good in the majors…if they ever even made it there.
The best ones are usually the players that either just barely make the majors or are at the “cusp” of the big show…. I’d chalk that up to the fact that they didn’t have the raw god-given talent that say guys like ARod and Jeter have and had to really learn the fundamentals of hitting (Long) or pitching (Eiland) to get as far as they did.
Just my own personal thought though.
I think that’s a pretty fair assumption to make
He needs to take Curtis to the Dominican Republic though. That is where Kevin Long can perform his obeah the best.
Personally, I would assume if they do go for a complimentary bat that can play good defense and hit lefties fairly well like Mike Cameron…that the Melky Cabrera Era could be coming to an end…which would save some money…no? No reason to keep all of them. Or you could just keep Melky in LF and sign Matsui at DH for cheap…and then sign a Sheets, Harden, Nas Escobar, etc.
why do people assume that Cameron will be a cheap option?
Because his agent isnt Boras?
Why not just DH Swisher? We’d save millions by moving Melky over to Swisher’s RF spot than sign Matsui to a near $10 mm. Cameron + Granderson + Melky would give the Yanks their best defensive outfield they’ve had in a long time.
The saved millions could be used to sign Escobar, who among all those names is likely to sign to the cheapest contract. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sheets and Harden land expensive 1 year deals. look at what Brad Penny just got … $7.5 guaranteed.
Why not just DH Swisher?
Because Hideki Matsui, or Johnny Damon, or Jim Thome, or Carlos Delgado, or whomever else you’d be inclined to sign to DH are all better than Melky Cabrera.
We’d save millions by moving Melky over to Swisher’s RF spot than sign Matsui to a near $10 mm.
True. But, we’d be a far worse offensive ballclub if we did that. I’d rather spend the 10M at DH and be better than not spend it and be worse, since there’s no long-term implications involved.
Cameron + Granderson + Melky would give the Yanks their best defensive outfield they’ve had in a long time.
And Cameron + Granderson + Swisher would also give the Yanks their best defensive outfield they’ve had in a long time, but instead of having a great defensive OF and having Cameron/Granderson/Melky/Swisher in the lineup, we’d have a great defensive OF and have Cameron/Granderson/Swisher/Matsui in the lineup. That’s better.
Agreed on all points, in addition Matsui is not getting $10m in this market
Precisely. Cameron/Granderson/Swisher/Matsui with Melky either gone or as the 4th OF would give us the best possible option (all around value wise).
Robbie Cano hits all his HR’s to right and yet he had over 200 hits, hit for avg etc. I think KLong can get Granderson’s avg/contact etc. improved. Everyone says Granderson is a great guy so you know he is gonna work hard and listen. Cano with speed-I like that…A couple of good years in CF and Grandy can play for one more long term contract from the Yanks…
So now we need 1 OF and 1 DH. I’m having nightmares of who this surprised team is for Milton Bradley and I’m hoping it doesn’t involve Melky and the Yankees. I mean I’m all for dumping Melky because I have this personal hatred thing for him on the baseball field, dunno why but he frustrates the hell out me, but imagine this shitshow Bradley would provide. I almost hope the Red Sox are getting desperate.
This may sound weird, but I wouldn’t mind having Milton Bradley. Sure he is a headcase, but that shit don’t fly in NY. We also have had a fair share of people with attitudes over the years like Sheffield and Strawberry. Do I want Milton Bradley, no, but if we got him, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
2008: .321/.436/.563 (161+) … but,
2008 Non-Arlington: .290/.410/.462
2009: .257/.378/.397 (99+)
And:
2010: 9M
2011: 12M
Stay away. Stay far, far away.
didn’t realize those stats, especially the money, not worth it, nevermind I said that.
I’m not in favour of trading for Bradley, but if there is a trade you’d have to assume that the Cubs would have to eat a lot of salary for 2010 and 2011
well that 410 OBP is pretty spiffy… and a .378 OBP on a way down year, not to shabby… ok now what about his defense… if you look at his defensive metrics, he’s not that bad when he’s being jogged out there everyday, putting up a -6.9 UZR this year while spot starting 20 games in the outfield for the Rangers in ’08 yielded a 14.6 UZR/150 in roughly 160 innings. On paper he’s the perfect fit, a good DH who can man the outfield for appx. 20 games a season. To bad he’s Milton Bradley, although I think he would be forced to behave on the yanks.
Just stop, it would be the end of the world. He’d corrupt Melky and Cano, burn down the clubhouse and sacrifice A-Rod to appease his Gods. Not to mention running into the booth and attacking Kay and Singleton. Yeah no thanks.
So you see an attack on Kay and Singleton as the deal breaker?
Maybe Jeter would just eat his heart to strengthen his vigor.
Paging Dr. Kevin Long, report to Granderson’s offseason home STAT.
Getting Granderson is a steal in a way. The Yankees really gave up nothing to get one of the best defensive CF in the league. Oh yeah the guy can motor around the bases and hits for power. If he hits .275/20hr/30sb this is a great move.
Move Melky to left field and the whole outfield is upgraded defensively. Plus you still have Gardner as the 4th outfielder.