Five Reasons Why Curtis Granderson-to-the-Yankees Makes Sense For New York and Detroit
By Jason McIntyre
1. Detroit needs to trim payroll. According to this, the Tigers are doing what many fans think they should – generating revenue and spending it on their team. That’s great if you win. The Tigers lost a one-game playoff and missed the postseason. Despite a 12-win improvement in 2009 over 2008, the Tigers lost an average of 8,000 fans per home game. Granderson is set to make $5.5 million in 2010, and $8.25 million in 2011. He’s trade bait.
2. The Tigers have a lot of holes to fill. Brandon Lyon, Fernando Rodney, Adam Everett and Placido Polanco are all free agents. Magglio Ordonez isn’t a capable defensive player. Others, like Carlos Guillen, Ryan Raburn and Clete Thomas don’t appear to be everyday players. (Feel free to argue that.) Trading Granderson for 2-3 players makes sense.
3. Detroit has a recent history of dumping speedy centerfielders. Remember Cameron Maybin? He was one of the centerpieces in the deal that landed boozy Miguel Cabrera. What about Nook Logan?
4. Granderson in Yankee Stadium has ridiculous potential. Yes, he’s coming off a good, but not great season. He tends to strikeout a lot. But he’s an ideal leadoff man, one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game, and his lefty power (20 homers) is perfect for Yankee Stadium.
5. Trades that may or may not make sense: Prized Yankees OF recruit Austin Jackson and RP Joba Chamberlain is probably too much (not for us; they both have high value due to being young and cheap), though we would do it with question. Would a package of Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and maybe David Adams do the trick? Insert Granderson in CF, shift Melky to LF, and the outfield will have no holes. Resign Matsui to be your DH. If Scott Boras is serious, and he thinks Johnny Damon can get anywhere near $13 million a year while Granderson can be had for much less (and is an upgrade in nearly every way fathomable) … the Yankees have to do this.