By Phil Rogers
The New York Post's Joel Sherman is reporting that the Tigers are shopping Curtis Granderson. That would be crazy, given Granderson's impact on and off the field, but could be true with Detroit forced to consider ways to cut a payroll that no longer fits the franchise's financial picture, in part bloated by the presence of Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez.
Granderson, 28, is a product of Thornton Fractional South and the University of Illinois-Chicago. He's also a terrific center fielder and the type of hitter who can help in the leadoff spot or the middle of the order. He's got only $25.75 million on his contract for three years, not including a $13-million option for 2013.
In short, he's the perfect player for a Chicago team.
The New York Post's Joel Sherman is reporting that the Tigers are shopping Curtis Granderson. That would be crazy, given Granderson's impact on and off the field, but could be true with Detroit forced to consider ways to cut a payroll that no longer fits the franchise's financial picture, in part bloated by the presence of Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez.
Granderson, 28, is a product of Thornton Fractional South and the University of Illinois-Chicago. He's also a terrific center fielder and the type of hitter who can help in the leadoff spot or the middle of the order. He's got only $25.75 million on his contract for three years, not including a $13-million option for 2013.
In short, he's the perfect player for a Chicago team.
There's no way that the Tigers would be willing to trade him to a
division rival, so the White Sox are out of the question. The Cubs
should do absolutely everything to get him, if he is available. There's
no debate about this.Starlin Castro has an unbelievable future as the Cubs' shortstop. Carlos Marmol is a very valuable pitcher as a guy with less than two years' service time and the mindset and repertoire of an elite closer. Granderson is such a perfect guy for the Cubs that they should be willing to deal those guys to get him. That's the viewpoint here, anyway. It will be interesting to see what the Tigers say about the NY Post report.
Are they hurting so bad they would trade one of the best guys in the game?
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"Win now" or actually try to build something good and sustainable?
Hendry is once again in a position of "win now" to save his job and behind.
Same guy who's burdened us with all these gigantic, back-loaded, come-due contracts to players who are overrated, physically breaking down and showing their age.
Same guy whose organization can't develop kids and isn't very good at drafting or trading for the really good ones anyway.
Of course, Jim Hendry is going to do his "win now" thing again. He's only going to set us back further.
Funny thing is, I think Ricketts "gets it". Stated emphasis on building the farm But....he went with Hendry for another year. Sigh.
Some of you people need to look at a players CAREER NUMBERS, not his 2009 numbers. A single season doesn't tell you squat about a player. Yeah his averages were down, but the guy hit 30 jimmy jacks in 2009, take the good with the bad...
That said, Granderson can't hit lefties.
He has a life time .292 avg .367 obp versus righties
and a life time .210 avg and .270 obp versus lefties.
I also question if hitting leadoff is the right spot for him to be batting. He looks like he's becoming more of a 5th spot hitter, because while he does walk a lot, he strikes out a TON as well.
Plus their is NO WAY IN HELL I would trade Castro and Marmol for this guy. Sure Granderson is only making $9 million averaged over the 4 year deal (including the $13 million option year), but then you'd have to figure in having to replace Marmol in the pen, and good FA closers cost $4 to $7 million per year. And since this team in unable to acquire starting short stops we'd be missing out on the 5 cheap years Castro COULD start for the team if he is the player we are being told he could be.
The Cubs 25 man roster payroll is currently (Estimated) $129 million to start next year, that's with Theriot and Marmol getting raises to about $1 to $1.5 million, Grabow making $3 to $3.5 in 2010 with Rich Harden and his $7 million gone as well. Trading Marmol and Castro for Granderson raises the roster payroll to $139 million,(Granderson $5.5 - Marmol $1.5 + Free agent closer $6) = $10 million on top of the current $129 million. And the team still doesn't have a true short stop. If they can dump Bradley and Miles that would help, but the payroll wouldn't leave much room for trading deadline deals..
Correct me if im WRONG Phil, but wasnt Corey Patterson & Felix Pie unbelievable future Cubs....Yeeeeah!Phil some of your ideas...there not good. The Cubs should do absolutely everything to get Granderson??? How did you get this "Job"?
Cubs prospects never turn out to be jack (the list is to long to mention). So trading one or two of the overhyped prospects isnt such a bad idea. The Cubs do a terrible job of developing players, plain and simple. How about Soto, Castro, Vitters, and Fontenot for Granderson, Edwin Jackson, and Alex Avila. We take $$ off the Tigers hands and in turn get 2 very good major leaguers and a young catcher.
Castro and Vitters are the future..thus untouchable, at least until we see what they can do. They're both so young. Marmol, and anyone else for that matter is fair game. As long as we don't have to give up Starlin or Josh I say get it done.
Never happen. It's more likely they'll keep Bradley. Granderson will probably stay in Detroit or the Yankees will get him. Besides the Cubs are a LONG WAY from contention.
nah...go after Carl Crawford, or BJ Upton....KEEP CASTRO!
Also sign Valverde! Marmol and Font for Crawford or Upton.
Curtis Granderson last year had 141 strikeouts and a batting line of .249/.325/.453.
Perfect leadoff for a Cubs team that can't get anyone at the top of the order on base. One of the best players in the game? Offensively, he looks more like Alfonso Soriano II.
If Castro is all he is hyped up to be, they shouldn't dangle him for Granderson. Curtis is not going to be the difference between contention and another .500 season. They need to continue to develop Castro and Vitters and get some bad contracts off the books so that when those two prospect are ready to contribute in Chicago, we'll also have the payroll flexibility to surround them with veteran talent.
Phil rogers is now the sam smith of baseball. Yeah phil lets trade bradley for granderson straight up. No way castro of marmol get traded now, hendry doesn't have the say so for those kinds of deals. If they want more throw in Zambrano or dempster.
CUBS NEED TO GO AFTER HIM 120%!
There is no way the Cubs should get rid of Marmol. Granderson would do them no good if they unloaded Marmol. Things would just cancel out and leave them in the same pathetic position they are in now. Get rid of Zambrano and or Soriano. Eat the difference. Start over. It's better than going around in circles, Even with all the f...ups Marmol still had a successful season. Get a decent coach to bring him around.
There is no way the Cubs should get rid of Marmol. Granderson would do them no good if they unloaded Marmol. Things would just cancel out and leave them in the same pathetic position they are in now. Get rid of Zambrano and or Soriano. Eat the difference. Start over. It's better than going around in circles, Even with all the f...ups Marmol still had a successful season. Get a decent coach to bring him around.
Derrek Lee was the only Cub significantly more valuable than Granderson in 2008. Granderson is a tremendous value and definitely warrants Castro and Marmol. Sure Castro is awesome, but at only 19, he's a big unknown. Granderson makes the cubs a serious contender immediately, which is something every cubs fan wants.
The "must have" guy last year was Milton Bradley.'
How did that turn out?
'Nuf said.
Phil,
are they hiring where you work?
WELL, I HAVE WATCHED CURTIS GRANDERSON play on occasion, but it has never been on my main radar. The bottom line that we need to consider though, is that PHIL ROGERS was one of the folks, (along with me, I might add) who steadfastly kept reminding JIM HENDRY during last off season to acquire ADAM DUNN, which never occurred. Now just compare what Mr. DUNN did for that certain last place team during 2009 and compare it to what THE LEOPARD did for that certain 1st place team who finished 2nd !!! I can't speak for this supposed superstar youngster waiting in the wings to play shortstop for us, but you always have to give something to get something. And while MARMOL has some decent skills, he can still be a rockhead, like ZAMBRANO, and sending him to DETROIT would not be a terriffic loss, as I've seen the FREE AGENT list for all the teams, and there ARE SOME VERY GOOD CLOSERS on that list !!!
I'd love to see Granderson leading off for the South Siders, but I agree a trade within the division is unlikely (unless it's with the Royals - hut that's because they're not really trying to compete).
If the Sox can't get him, the Cubs should try to. Don't let his average decieve you, Granderson is a clutch hitter with some speed and pop. And he is superb defensively.
@ Enrique - what's with the shot about Danks being "25 years old already"? Neither one of the Danks brothers is 25! Jon Danks is 24 and will turn 25 in April of next year (and since he's had 3 full seasons in the Sox rotation I wouldn't consider him a prospect). And Jordan Danks (who IS one of the Sox's top prospect) just turned 23 in August - oh, and he's still a prospect at 23 because he played college ball at Texas.
Phil - go ahead and use the crowbar to yank the tongue out of your cheek now.
Obviously David Haugh is a Sox Fan after hearing him on CTL and the aftersoon but anyways. Why would the Cubs include both Castro and Marmol in a trade for a player that will likely be a platoon player because he stinks against lefties. Why would they give up Castro who almost all scouts are raving about and is only 19yrs old but yet is projected to be in the majors in the middle of 2010 season. I agree if the right CF came along the cubs should include Castro but Granderson by no means is the right CF to justify trading one of your top prospects. Especially a guy who doesn't hit over .260 and doesn't have an OBP over .330 . Phil i think age is getting to you. How about you report about the sox and how danks is such a hot prospect despite the fact that he's 25yrs old already.
Here's a thought, go offer two of the Cubs best prospect for someone that had a better hitting line than .249/.325/.453.
Please stop talking about baseball. You're worse than that other jack a$s Paul Sullivan.