As of 2022, He is a 39-year-old man. In his interviews, Curtis often states about his ups and down through his career and tries to motivate the followers. He hit .147 that August, and .299 in September. [5] During his playing career, Granderson wore his socks high to honor players from the Negro leagues. The first tied the ballgame in the bottom of the 11th inning and the second won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning. vs. MIN 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: Curtis Granderson has retired from NASCAR. [47], On May 6, 2012, Curtis achieved his 1,000th hit against the Kansas City Royals. I was hoping more so that it would be fair, than anything else. [15], The Tigers promoted Granderson to the MLB for the first time in September 2004. Then teams kept letting me come back.. The 34-year-old outfielder is currently a free agent and last played for the New York Mets. Im single, I dont have kids yet, he says. Curtis Granderson at the University of Illinois at Chicago, his alma mater, where he works out in the off-season. Curtis age is 40 years as of in 2021 and his birthplace is Blue Island. Bio, Age, Wife, Is Jalen Carter in Jail? [22] Granderson was named the AL Player of the Week on July 16, the first time he had won the award, as he hit .500 (8 for 16) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run during that week. See, I dont even remember.. Why are there so few blacks and Latinos at the helm of big-league ball clubs? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It stayed fair just long enough, which is good.. On the Mets, Granderson and David Wright the team captain and a white Virginian are the veteran leaders in a clubhouse of whites and Latinos from four nations, and a couple of African-Americans. As per some sources, he has an estimated net worth of approx $58 Million as of 2022. 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. Granderson is the first player since 1949 to manage at least 23 in a single season. Ive covered the Mets for a variety of outlets since 1997. [67] The following day, he stole his 150th career base, becoming the 36th player in MLB history with over 300 home runs and 150 or more steals. Granderson (3) and the Mets after a victory on Sept. 27 during their improbable run to the postseason. Granderson played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Fairness in hiring is not quantum physics. Granderson played for seven teams, starring for the Tigers, Yankees and Mets before finishing his career with brief stints with the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Brewers and Marlins. Jan 31, 2020 4:45 PM EST In honor of Curtis Granderson announcing his retirement on Friday, let's take a look back at the trade that brought him to the Bronx -- a three-team, seven-player mega. [39], Sports Illustrated, September 24, 2007, p. 51, Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 00:09, American League Most Valuable Player Award, Major League Baseball Players Association, List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders, List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders, "Pujols, Granderson earn top awards: Cardinal, Tiger honored with Players Choice Awards", "Dorfman: Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson writes to help kids", "New York Yankees have quite a catch in Curtis Granderson, who's a leader on and off field", "How valuable is Curtis Granderson? He wound down his career as a . MILWAUKEE Curtis Granderson rounded first base and kept going. [58] In the third game of the National League Division Series, Granderson picked up five RBI this tied a Mets single game postseason record previously set by Carlos Delgado in the 2006 National League Championship Series, Edgardo Alfonzo in the 1999 NLCS and Rusty Staub in the 1973 World Series. On June 10, against the Baltimore Orioles, Granderson hit for a career high six RBIs with a home run, two doubles, a single and a walk. 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. PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. Even for 10 minutes, Curtis Granderson can't restrain himself. 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. Granderson announced his retirement from baseball on January 31, 2020. Among free agent position players signed by the Mets, only Beltran played in more games than Granderson, who played in 573 out of a possible 606 games with the Mets. [37] The Yankees acquired Granderson in a three-team trade on December 9. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Born and raised in Chicago. In 2004, that bible of statistical analysis, Baseball Prospectus, described him as a low-ceiling minor league prospect who might eke out a few major league seasons. [52] On May 29, 2013, Granderson underwent surgery in which a pin was inserted to the knuckle to stabilize the fracture. Since those early moments, Granderson has seen many things in terms of team performance. [3][4] Granderson wrote a children's book, All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It!, which was published in August 2009. [76] As of 2021, he serves as the president of the Players Alliance, an organization of active and former Major League players that works to increase opportunities for black athletes to participate in professional baseball. In self-defense, I will point out that others have underestimated him. From T-ball to college, however, almost all of his teammates were white. Ive been so lucky, he says. [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. [64], On August 18, 2017, the Mets traded Granderson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named later, identified as Jacob Rhame. What position did Curtis Granderson play? Nor did Granderson ever embarrass the organization like Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman or Jason Vargas. In the deal, the Yankees received Granderson while sending Phil Coke and centerfielder Austin Jackson to Detroit. Curtis Granderson is on Twitter at cgrand3. Being a famous baseball player,Curtis Granderson has not revealed anything regarding his personal life such as his affair, relationship, dating, girlfriend, and more in public and media. He became a free agent for the first time of his career after the season. Great game of baseball, Granderson said. Really, just one or two fewer remote clicks away. Sad to say, but you look at who owns baseball, Granderson says of the vastly white ownership ranks. Granderson was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 13, 2004, with the Detroit Tigers. [54] He batted .227, and had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.37). South) in Lansing. The Baseball player, Granderson has been able to leave a deep imprint of his name on the history of sports. He points out the baseball stadium with a backdrop of the soaring downtown skyline, and two new Little League fields with artificial turf and light towers. Bio, Age, Movies, Who are Beverly DAngelo Children? [72] He batted .220 for the Brewers. My last game as a Met, I think I ended up homering before I got traded, Granderson said. He donated money for the construction of the stadium, which is also used by youth teams. 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.. He was born under the star sign of Pisces. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'wikinetworth_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',184,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-wikinetworth_com-medrectangle-4-0'); The baseball player has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad and has received the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award twice and the Roberto Clemente Award in 2016 in Recognition of his contributions to the community. Who is Buster Poseys Twin? [55] Granderson played in a total of 205 games between May 15, 2013 and September 16, 2014, during which time he did not ground into a double play, a record which still stands as of 2020[update].[56]. 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. Similarly, he has kept love as a big mystery in his life. We all know guys who did a good job in the minors, as a manager or pitching coach, and then a manager is hired and these guys werent even in the interview process. The Brewers returned to Miller Park on Tuesday, where a handful of South, choosing the number due to his father wearing it while playing softball. Originally worth $13 million, it became a $15 million option after he placed 4th in the MVP voting in 2011. Told the Yankees were swept in all four games by the Mets the Yankees in 2013 his last year with the Yankees and the first year of the back-to-back two-game series format Granderson grinned. [33], With the Tigers failing to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, TBS employed Granderson as a commentator alongside Cal Ripken Jr., Dennis Eckersley and Frank Thomas for its coverage of the 2007 and 2008 postseasons. Granderson's half-sister, Monica, is an English professor at Jackson State University. Curtis Granderson. The American player belongs to the AfroAmerican ethnicity and has a decent height of 6 feet and 1 inch. He is known for stopping to give fist bumps to kids as he goes out to the on-deck circle. [9], During his junior season at UIC, Granderson batted .483, second in the nation to Rickie Weeks. @cgrand3. American. By which he means he contributed $5 million. PLAYERSGF always cover the news of NFL wags, cricketers hottest life partners, MLB athlete's new girlfriend, etc. He has traveled to England, Italy, the Netherlands, France, South Africa, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan to promote baseball. But Grandersons retirement Friday and a look back at all those gaudy numbers on his Baseball-Reference page serve as reminders for why he wasnt much for self-analysis after a game. The foundation has no staff member or expenses. Granderson hit .283 with three homers, 14 RBIs and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven) during the Mets World Series run in 2015. Thatd be a really, really cool way to go out. When was Misty Copeland married? It's been an incredible journey! [34][35], Granderson was chosen to appear in the 2009 MLB All-Star Game. Every dollar goes to the programs. David and I are in the same type of position on the team, Granderson says. So kind of interesting, if it does end up being that way. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Talking about the personal life of Curtis Granderson, He is currently single. [73][74], For the 2019 season he batted .183/.281/.356 in 317 at bats, with his on base percentage and slugging percentages both career lows. His sexual orientation is straight and he is not gay. In many cities, fewer and fewer black fans go to the ballparks. Upton.[28][29]. 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. He graduated from UIC with a double major in business administration and business marketing. On May 15, Granderson returned to Citi Field for the first time since he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 18, 2017 and went 1 for 4 with a single. Curtis Granderson Jr. (born March 16, 1981), nicknamed the Grandyman, is an American former professional baseball outfielder. We know that . Find out more. Saw it hooking Ive been having issues with that (trying) to keep balls straight. Theres a lot of references to it being a white kids sport.. But there was one thing about dealing with Granderson that was as challenging as stepping into a batters box and trying to hit a 97 mph fastball: Trying to get him to talk about himself after a game. Founder of the Grand Kids Foundation. Curtis was traded by the Blue Jays to the Milwaukee Brewers for Demi Orimoloye on August 31, 2018. Curtis grew up in Blue Island and Lynwood, Illinois, located in the southern suburbs of Chicago, USA. He has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball both at home and abroad. Curtis Granderson is calling it a career after 16 Major League seasons. Outfielder's mom was heavily involved in community, like her slugger son. And when he stands to take the hit, the audience expects something incredible is going to happen. At a very early stage in Granderson's career, he put together 4.0, 7.9, and 4.1 fWAR seasons in Detroit between 2006 and 2008. He plays within the shadow of careers end. He is the son of the father Curtis Granderson Sr and the mother Mary. He started 148 games with 130 in right field. When he struggled two years ago, I opined that his career seemed near an end. 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. On August 2, 2013, Granderson was activated from the disabled list. In a similar all-out effort in the postseason this year, Granderson, at 35, robbed the Giants Brandon Belt of an extra-base hit. 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. The American League and Detroit Tigers record is 26 triples, a feat achieved by the all-time triples king, Sam Crawford, in 1914. I repeat my question. 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. Luckily, I played with a group of white kids who treated me like everyone else, he said. [88], Granderson has been involved in the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) since 2006. It turns out Granderson did not think much of his chances, either. Though, he can understand love. The manager beckoned: Curtis, come here. As of June 16, 2016, Granderson had hit 17 leadoff homers since joining the Mets in 2014, a franchise record. He has taken part in negotiations of the labor contract. 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. He has won a bundle of public service prizes, including baseballs prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, and he poured every needed cent into his Grand Kids Foundation, which supported the youth program at his alma mater. Curtis Granderson was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 3rd round of the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL). We present them here for purely educational purposes. We wisely stop short of decreeing any man or woman noble. He has calls to make and public service spiels to record. Ask about his run-in with the wall, and Granderson shrugs. As a teenager, he felt the tug of basketball, a more multihued sport, on the court and in the stands. Curtis Granderson was born on March 16, 1981. But asked about the possibility he might have just homered in his final at-bat against the Mets, Granderson smiled and finally put down the lunch box, so to speak. 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). 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. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Weight lifting and crunches are also important elements. Curtis Granderson is on Instagram at cgrand. Curtis Granderson was born in Blue Island, IL. Check out his Personal Life with Professional Career! Granderson also set a standard of amiability and accountability in the clubhouse. On January 31, 2020, Curtis announced his retirement from baseball. Granderson is a three-time MLB All-Star, and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2011. [11], The Detroit Tigers selected Granderson in the third round of the 2002 MLB draft. [7] T.F. On June 14, 2017, Granderson hit his 300th career home run in a Mets win over the Chicago Cubs. He was the first batter up in the bottom of the 9th inning. His mother, Mary, taught chemistry at Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago. Ah, Curtis? And the Grandersons raise money each year to endow scholarships so that children from Tchula the fifth-poorest town in our nation can attend Mississippi Valley State. Were on the South Side, and not so many blocks from here, mayhem rules too many young lives. His father was a dean and physical education teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School, Illinois, and his mother Mary Granderson was a high school chemistry teacher. [21], Through June, Granderson ranked first among American League (AL) outfielders in triples (14), third in doubles (22), tied for fourth in runs (58) and tied for 10th in homers (11) with a .289 batting average in the 2007 season. 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 . the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He also improved his plate discipline, as he finished seventh in the AL in strikeouts with 141. Granderson, with the Maine-Endwell team that won the Little League World Series, before a Mets home game against the Marlins late last season. 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 . Besides that, he has dark brown color hair and a pair of brown color hair. He was received warm applause every time he stepped to the plate, including Sept. 26, when the Marlins were 55-103 and the Mets were one night removed from being eliminated from playoff contention. We shake hands, and Granderson moves off at a youthful trot.