In the off-season there was plenty of speculation that the Yankees were going to let Curtis Granderson head off to free agency in 2014. The feeling was that the Yankees needed to put their resources behind re-signing Robinson Cano. In light of the fact that Ichiro is a shell of himself, Brett Gardner is not a power hitter and Alfonso Soriano will be 38-years old, the Yankees have no choice but to bring Granderson back.
It was really unfortunate that the classy outfielder was injured twice by being hit with a pitch that basically destroyed his walk year and a chance for a big contract. Granderson is the perfect left-handed hitter for Yankee Stadium. He is an above average fielder and he still has speed. He can bat anywhere from second through sixth in the lineup. On top of all of that, he is a great teammate and an excellent representative of the franchise.
It is quite possible that Granderson could be the only legitimate left handed power hitter in the lineup next year. No one knows what the status of Mark Teixeira will be next season. It is evident to me that Teixiera is on the downside of his career. Who else is there from the left side of the plate? Are you bringing Lyle Overbay back? Travis Hafner? Or will Brian Cashman find some other over the hill 30-something to plug in and hope lightning strikes in a bottle?
With a cloud hanging over Alex Rodriguez’s head, uncertainty on what to expect from Derek Jeter and no legitimate left-handed power threat from the farm system, not signing Granderson is a colossal mistake. Of course, Cashman and Company are not beyond making mistakes as evidenced by signing Ichiro to a two year deal and not re-signing Russell Martin. Not to mention letting Raul Ibanez leave the Bronx. Who would you rather have: Ibanez and his 27 home runs or Vernon Wells and his 11 home runs?
The Yankees need to work something out with Granderson. The fact that he didn’t have a big season may give the Yanks a shot at a multi-year deal that would be acceptable under the self-imposed $189 million dollar cap. Granderson will be 33 years old in March and if the Yankees are smart they may be able to work something out to keep him for another three years. Time will tell but for my two cents, they need to bring the Grandy Man back.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave your comments below. Yaou can follow me on twitter – @tonytalkssports and follow our baseball department @LastWordMatt, @Nvincelli and@lastwordmark. You can also follow the site while you are at it – @lastwordonsport.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
