We shake hands, and Granderson moves off at a youthful trot. Just as he was about to throw the ball back to the infield, an . As for the homer, which hooked just fair down the right field line? [12] Baseball America named Granderson the Tigers' minor league player of the year and top prospect after the 2004 season. vs. PHI 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: He won the #38 in 2009 and won the #42 in 2013. Curtis Granderson is on Twitter at cgrand3. In his interviews, Curtis often states about his ups and down through his career and tries to motivate the followers. At a touch over 6 feet and supple, he is no behemoth. Determined to complete his college education, though the fall semester began before the minor league season ended, Granderson made arrangements to begin his senior year at UIC via internet courses. He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2004. On June 14, 2017, Granderson hit his 300th career home run in a Mets win over the Chicago Cubs. The back of Grandersons cleats bear the logo of his Grand Kids Foundation, which supports youth programs in Chicago. Granderson had his first career MLB inside-the-park home run on September 15, a five-hit game September 18 and a walk-off home run on September 26 against the Chicago White Sox. Granderson is a three-time MLB All-Star, and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2011. With his credibility of throwing right handed and batting left-handed,he has gained the popularity within and across the country. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Ive been so lucky, he says. While stretching, or in the locker room, Granderson tosses out what he calls the daily race question: Food, spice, music, clothes, cars what are your favorite kinds? On March 16, 1981, Curtis Granderson was born in Blue Island, Illinois, United States of America. My leg was sore for a few days, he says. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? It stayed fair just long enough, which is good.. The Mets traded him to the Dodgers after the final season. He is also a great motivator who spends his time motivating his supporters through his interviews, using his good and bad experiences throughout his career. Granderson hit .283 with three homers, 14 RBIs and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven) during the Mets World Series run in 2015. Curtis, I ask, how much did you contribute, besides many hours of your time? The 34-year-old outfielder is currently a free agent and last played for the New York Mets. He was selected by the Tigers in the 2002 MLB draft. Curtis's father is Curtis Granderson Sr, and his mothers name is Mary Granderson, both of them were teachers. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. He has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball both at home and abroad. Thornton Fractional South High School, UIC Business, Curtis Granderson Married, Wife, Girlfriend, Dating, Stats, Contract, Trade. us. This is philanthropic impulse as learned memory. Curtis was honored by T.F. Granderson sprinted to retrieve his glove and cleats. He didnt cement his Hall of Fame candidacy like Tom Glavine or spend as much time in the blue and orange as Steve Trachsel, but unlike them, Granderson didnt torpedo his Mets legacy at the very worst possible time. He has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad. [2] Many of his charitable endeavors support inner-city children. [52] On May 29, 2013, Granderson underwent surgery in which a pin was inserted to the knuckle to stabilize the fracture. [54] He batted .227, and had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.37). If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Once he swings the bat, the ball goes out of the bar. As of 2019, he led active players in career triples, was 2nd in career strikeouts, was 5th in career home runs, and was the 6th-oldest player in the National League.[1]. [63] He batted .228 with the Mets in 2017, and for the season had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.52). The book is illustrated by students of the New York City public school system. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about left fielder Curtis Granderson on ESPN. Update Celebrity Biography, Entertainment Gossip & More. Curtis Granderson is not married. Grandy Man is a nickname for Curtis Granderson. [40] Granderson, who struggled against left-handed pitching throughout his career, also put up subpar numbers against right-handed pitchers, causing Granderson to revamp his swing with the help of hitting coach Kevin Long in August 2010. A Retirement Ode To Curtis Granderson, As Reliable And Unflappable As He Was Productive Jerry Beach Contributor I've covered the Mets for a variety of outlets since 1997. He hit .147 that August, and .299 in September. Curtis appointed The Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2002 MLB draft. [60] On September 17, Granderson hit two solo home runs against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Curtis Granderson has never won a World Series. [24], On August 7, Granderson became the second player in franchise history to have at least 30 doubles, 15 triples, 15 home runs, and ten stolen bases in a single season when he hit a double in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Its not quite a Hall of Fame career, but dubbing him a candidate for the long-proposed Hall of the Very Good diminishes just how good Granderson was, and for how long. The Mets loaded the bases with none out for Granderson, who was batting .227 for the season and was 0-for-2 with two walks in his first four plate appearances. In addition to his work through the Grand Kids Foundation and his youth academy, Granderson is a leaguewide spokesman for the White Houses initiatives to get children to lose weight and drink more water. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [79][80] He is also an avid fan of college basketball and of the Kansas Jayhawks. On August 26, 2012, Granderson hit his 200th career home run against the Cleveland Indians. [20] Granderson hit two home runs during the 2006 American League Division Series and one in the 2006 American League Championship Series, but struggled in the 2006 World Series, batting .095, as the Cardinals defeated the Tigers. Granderson's half-sister, Monica, is an English professor at Jackson State University. [4] As a freshman at UIC in 2000, Granderson led the UIC Flames baseball team with seven home runs and 45 walks. A: A person who's been able to develop into what he has been today, considering the road and path that he's taken, not necessarily being a pitcher starting out his career, transitioning to . And to be able to come back and help the team out better late than never.. Curtis Granderson has earned a good sum of money from the entertainment industry. Talking about the personal life of Curtis Granderson, He is currently single. Now do I just tell the attendant that Im a baseball player? Manage Settings Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Granderson mentioned he liked when the series was split into four consecutive games, two played at each stadium. Just trying to continue to keep the opportunity for us to have a chance to win.. The great baseball player we are talking about is Curtis Granderson who is famous as a three-time MLB All-Star center fielder who led the major league in triples in 2007 and 2008 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Draft: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 3rd round of the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL). Childhood sweethearts in tiny Tchula, Miss., they attended Mississippi Valley State University, married and migrated north to Chicago to work as teachers. My friends are going to Orlando to play national tournaments in air-conditioned gyms, and Im driving an hour to play baseball in rural Indiana, where its 105 degrees and were using wooden bats and hitting is hard, hard., He laughs. As it turned out, that was the 1,800th and last big league hit for Granderson, who right up until the very end always had less to say and more to do. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Curtis Granderson is on Instagram at cgrand. He was always available to provide quotes and context about his teams and teammates, especially when someone was writing a feature on one of the many New York baseball players who didnt readily make themselves available for interviews. [18], Granderson became the Tigers starting center fielder for the 2006 season after beating out Nook Logan for the position during spring training. During the 2007 season, Granderson accumulated 23 triples, which led all of baseball. [7] T.F. By any measure, Curtis Granderson headed into retirement today as one of the 250 best position players of all-time. Curtis grew up in Blue Island and Lynwood, Illinois, located in the southern suburbs of Chicago, USA. Last season, what was expected to be a one- or two-question query about his experience playing on both sides of the Subway Series rivalry yielded an 18-minute conversation in which Granderson, who kept his midtown apartment after jumping from the Yankees to the Mets as a free agent following the 2013 season, recalled inviting young Yankees catcher John Ryan Murphy to share an apartment with him after Murphy earned a midseason promotion to the bigs. Speaking more of his family, he has a sister named Monica who is a professor at Florida State University. He was a beast of an athlete in his heyday on the baseball diamond. [citation needed] On June 25, while playing the Houston Astros, Granderson hit his eighth and ninth home runs of the season off of former teammate Justin Verlander to lead the Jays to victory.[71]. Talk to my teammates who wake to care for little babies and then have to play.. Granderson stole his 20th base of the season on September 9, joining Mays and Schulte as the only players in major league history to reach 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in a season, a feat accomplished by the Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins 21 days later. [50] He returned to the Yankees on May 14. [49] In his spring training debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on February 24, 2013, Granderson was hit by a pitch from J. Curtis Granderson is calling it a career after 16 Major League seasons. [23] Granderson slugged .938, drove in two runs, scored seven runs, and had fifteen total bases during Detroit's four-game series against the Seattle Mariners. Granderson grew up in Lynwood, a racially mixed suburb. It was a grand moment in what became a gut punch of a loss. By nationality, He is American, and currently, his food habit is mix vegetarian & non-vegetarian. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Curtis keeps his personal affairs unrevealed so he is not involved in any relation with anyone. With the help of the Mets and others, he has raised well over a million dollars to support youth education and sports. [77][78] As of 2022, Granderson is a host for MLB on TBS. He belongs to that endangered subspecies, the African-American baseball player. His mother taught high school chemistry and raised money for the Girl Scouts, the P.T.A., the church. He interrupted Clayton Kershaws perfect game bid with a leadoff single in the seventh inning on July 23, 2015, when Granderson topped a lineup so anemic (John Mayberry Jr. and Eric Campbell batted fourth and fifth) that a no-hitter or perfect game was actually anticipated beforehand. I repeat my question. You want tough? In the sixth inning of the NL wild card game a year later, Granderson, no longer possessing the range nor the arm for centerfield but still the Mets best option out there, ran down a seemingly sure-fire run-scoring sixth-inning extra-base hit by Joe Panik and made the catch while crashing into the wall to keep the game scoreless. Outfielder's mom was heavily involved in community, like her slugger son. Durham helped Granderson during Grandersons time in the Tigers organization and just received his first promotion to a major league coaching staff, as the Tigers assistant hitting coach. Granderson's trademark enthusiasm is evident even in an off-day workout in the postseason. Though, he can understand love. Given his middle-aged personality and charm, there are chances of him having a secret girlfriend, but nothing can be commented unless he confirms it. The Tigers signed Curtis to a five-year contract of US$30.25 million with a club option for the year 2013. The #18 has retired from the #26. [1] He was the sixth-oldest player in the National League.[75]. You will be astonished to see the most trending NHL wives that they are not too lovely and pretty as you are. [38], Granderson hit a home run in his first Yankee at bat on April 4, 2010, becoming the twelfth player to do so. As of June 16, 2016, Granderson had hit 17 leadoff homers since joining the Mets in 2014, a franchise record. Similarly, he has a weight of around 88 kg or 185 lbs. I wondered about myself sometimes.. Granderson talked with two of those Little Leaguers last year. in Blue Island, IL Curtis Granderson began his carer as a baseball player at an early age. Granderson was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 13, 2004, with the Detroit Tigers. South honored Granderson by retiring his jersey in a December 2011 ceremony. As of now, the sportsman doesn't seem to have married, but his fans would love to see him getting weaved in a marital bond with a wife. He graduated from UIC with a double major in business administration and business marketing. [30] Only ten of his triples were at home despite the fact Comerica Park has seen more triples since it opened in 2000 than any other ballpark in baseball. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He has not revealed his annual salary to the public yet. The boys, 8 and 9, told him they had never seen Lake Michigan, the vast and shimmering water that stretches all along Chicagos eastern shore. Curtis Granderson had 344 home runs over his career. Granderson with a Mets fan while in the on-deck circle during a home game against the Phillies late in the season. Great game of baseball, Granderson said. [26][27], Granderson hit .302 with 23 home runs for the season, and was 26 for 27 in stolen base attempts. In Game 1, after the Royals tied the game in the ninth inning with a home run off Mets closer Jeurys Familia, Granderson made an excellent leaping catch with nobody out in the bottom of the 11th inning, off the bat of the Royals fastest runner Jarrod Dyson, preventing what would have at least been a lead off triple and likely saving the game at the time, though the Royals would go on to win the game anyway in the bottom of the 14th inning on a sacrifice fly by Eric Hosmer. Maybe you are finding the woman tennis player's boyfriend photo and you may be surprised to see that you are more beautiful than the husband of that tennis player is. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He has talked to retired players like Derek Jeter and given thought to what lies around the corner. As of now, Curtis is a 39-year-old man. And yet, he notes, race remains a complicated calculus. Granderson hit .136 in his first month with the Mets in 2014, and then .275 for the next two months. (Age 38-197d) He mentions the example set by his parents, Mary and Curtis Sr., whom I will meet and talk with that night. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He favors plural personal pronouns. Curtis studied at Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, where he played baseball and basketball. Besides of his career as a baseball player, he does the community charity works, and many of his endeavors support inner-city children. Granderson, with the Maine-Endwell team that won the Little League World Series, before a Mets home game against the Marlins late last season. September 29, 2019 In the minor leagues, he found black teammates, many of them Latino. He got his higher education in business administration and business marketing from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and played both baseball and basketball. As a teenager, he felt the tug of basketball, a more multihued sport, on the court and in the stands. David and I are in the same type of position on the team, Granderson says. All the money it raises goes to the programs. [39] Although he missed some games due to a strained groin, Granderson finished the season with 136 games played, a .247 batting average, and 24 home runs. [15], The Tigers promoted Granderson to the MLB for the first time in September 2004. [42] Granderson finished fourth in balloting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. [6], Granderson was pursued in recruitment by a number of college baseball programs, and he chose the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), in part because they allowed him to play basketball in addition to baseball. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Miami Marlins. Prior to the start of the 2008 season, the Tigers signed Granderson to a five-year, US$30.25million contract with a club option for 2013. On May 27, 2016, Granderson hit a walkoff home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Blue Island, Illinois, United States of America, Thornton Fractional South High School (T.F. South, choosing it because his father wore it while playing softball. He was 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and the Dodgers left him off the World Series roster. The Brewers returned to Miller Park on Tuesday, where a handful of His net worth will raise in the future. Granderson is companionable, and by nature not a controversialist. I was hoping more so that it would be fair, than anything else. Granderson's 23 triples were as much or more than six entire teams managed in 2007; the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals all had no more than 23 team triples. His sexual orientation is straight and he is not gay. It turns out Granderson did not think much of his chances, either. She is a professor of English at Jackson State University. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He does not want to be that guy who stumbles where once he made a shoestring catch. This is a handsome oasis. [5] In August 2011, Granderson and Mark Teixeira became the first Yankees teammates to hit 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. Granderson received Major League Baseballs Roberto Clemente Award for public service from Commissioner Rob Manfred in Chicago before Game 3 of this years World Series. Born and raised in Chicago. His father was a dean and physical education teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Illinois. On January 31, 2020, Curtis announced his retirement from baseball. He has made three All-Star teams, and he is one of four players in baseball history who in a single season has hit 20 doubles, 20 triples and 20 home runs, while stealing 20 bases. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. He wound down his career as a . He also improved his plate discipline, as he finished seventh in the AL in strikeouts with 141. He rolls his eyes. [66] After hitting a grand slam home run in his last at-bat for the Mets on August 17, he hit one for the Dodgers on August 21 and became the first player in MLB history to hit grand slams for two different teams within the same week. Curtis Granderson is spending what could be his last year in the majors with the rebuilding Marlins, serving as the veteran voice he's been for so much of his excellent career. He was a full-time starter for the first time in 2006 for Tigers, who blew the AL Central in the final . [28][29] He was one of only six batters in the AL to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, along with teammate Gary Sheffield, Ian Kinsler, Alex Rodriguez, Grady Sizemore and B. J. [36], After the 2009 season, the Tigers began shopping Granderson to other franchises in an effort to reduce their payroll. Is Castle Star Nathan Fillion Married Now? Sometimes we get Terry Collins in on it, Granderson says of the Mets manager. He is the son of the father Curtis Granderson Sr and the mother Mary. In the deal, the Yankees received Granderson while sending Phil Coke and centerfielder Austin Jackson to Detroit. He started his career with the Detroit Tigers, and played on seven teams and in two World Series. After the 2009 season, the baseball player was traded to the team Yankees, and after his contract gotterminated following the 2013 season, he signed a four-year contract with the Mets. Age is an insistent visitor now. He wears his socks pulled high to the knee, a stylistic homage to Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseballs race barrier, and to stars of the Negro leagues. Besides playing baseball, Curtis does community charity works and supports inner-city children. The American League and Detroit Tigers record is 26 triples, a feat achieved by the all-time triples king, Sam Crawford, in 1914. Granderson joined the 20-20-30-20 club, having more than 20 triples, 20 home runs, 30 doubles, and 20 stolen bases. So kind of interesting, if it does end up being that way. Discover Curtis Granderson's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. More . Granderson enjoyed three-and-a-half solid years with the Mets, particularly in 2015 when he was a Gold Glove finalist (the most recent one for the Mets) and finished 18th in NL MVP voting. If you look at the stretch circles before games, he says, youll most often see a perfect pie chart: all Latinos, all blacks, all whites.. But on deadline, it was usually difficult to wring something juicy out of him as it was on May 27, 2016, when, after closer Jeurys Familia blew a four-run lead in the top of the ninth against the Dodgers, Granderson delivered a walk-off homer to lift the Mets to a 6-5 win. Its the off-season, his downtime. [25] He became the sixth member of baseball's 202020 club on September 7, joining the Kansas City Royals' George Brett (1979), Willie Mays of the New York Giants (1957), Cleveland's Jeff Heath (1941), St. Louis' Jim Bottomley (1928), and Frank Schulte of the Chicago Cubs (1911). Of Grandersons 7,236 at-bats, there might have been two that best symbolized his professionalism and approach his final one as a member of the Mets in 2017 and his final one at Citi Field last September. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Granderson was a part of the 2018 playoff team. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'wikinetworth_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',176,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-wikinetworth_com-leader-1-0'); Signup for our Hollywood and pop culture newsletter. The Mets never had to worry about one of Grandersons soundbites living forever in infamy, the chances of him tossing a firecracker into a crowd of kids or the possibility he would challenge a writer to a fight. Most times, Granderson says, Collins just laughs, and they break off and practice. They are still some of my closest friends.. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The great baseball player we are talking about is Curtis Granderson who is famous as a three-time MLB All-Star center fielder who led the major league in triples in 2007 and 2008 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.