Why New York Yankees Shouldn’t Extend Curtis Granderson
August 9, 2012 · Michael Moraitis · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Despite a great game against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night, Curtis Granderson is having a horrible August, and it isn’t looking so certain the New York Yankees will extend him at season’s end.
Granderson is hitting .160 in August and has completely fallen off the map offensively.
Entering Wednesday night’s game, the Yanks center fielder was hitting .240. He’s spent most of his time hitting in the No. 2 hole before being dropped to No. 6 because his struggles are just too detrimental to the top of the Yankees order.
That low average is nothing new for Grandy, who hit .247 in 2010 for the Bombers and followed that up by a slight improvement to .262 in 2011. But that improvement appears to have been short-lived, and Granderson is back where he was in 2010.
As a result of his low average, Granderson has become just another typical Yankee hitter. That is, a hitters who’s heavily dependent on the long ball to drive in runs and sports a low average to boot.
There’s no denying his power numbers are impressive, but Granderson is more a part of the problem rather than the solution in the Bombers’ case. This team has major issues driving in runs without a homer, and it’s all-or-nothing hitters like Grandy that fill the Bombers’ lineup already.
To spend upwards of $15-20 million more on the same type of player for years to come isn’t fixing anything.
On an aging roster, Granderson isn’t helping this ballclub get any younger. At 31, Grandy isn’t likely to change much in regard to his approach at the plate. And, in turn, he’s only likely to see his numbers decrease further.
In a few years, Grandy could be the same .240 hitter without all the gaudy power numbers to soften the blow. At this point, his average isn’t high enough to be a top- or middle-of-the-order bat for the Bombers.
That could leave Granderson batting No. 6 into the future, and I’m not sure how good of an idea it is to open up the wallet wide for a No. 6 hitter.
The Bombers would be better served spending their money elsewhere and bring in a better hitter who can drive in runs in multiple ways and squeeze into the lineup in a more important position.
In a new age when the Yankees are trying to spend their money more wisely, not extending Granderson would be a step in that direction. That is, of course, unless Granderson can change his approach at the plate and prove to be more than a one-dimensional hitter.
Even if Granderson can’t prove himself to be a better bat in the Yankees lineup this year, a 2013 club option gives both sides more time to figure this whole thing out. However, if things don’t change, Granderson could very well be looking for a new home in 2014.
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