Curtis Granderson

2013

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2012

Granderson had an unbelievable 2011, hitting 41 homers, driving in 119, stealing 25 bases and leading the majors by a significant margin with 136 runs scored.  Much was made of Granderson's work with hitting coach Kevin Long starting in late 2010, and the improvement he made against lefties in particular is very real, as he hit .272 with 16 homers in 191 at bats against lefthanders.  Granderson remains something of a batting average liability, hitting .262 in 2011 after languishing in the .240s the previous two years. While some regression is likely, Granderson has taken a legitimate step forward, and should remain one of the top outfielders chosen on draft day.

2011

Nine home runs in August helped masked what was a somewhat lackluster debut in pinstripes for Granderson. His batting average sunk even further from a disappointing 2009 mark (to .247), and for much of the year he didn't demonstrate the type of power many expected from him in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. However, the mechanical tweak that led to his hot August is reason for optimism entering 2011, and a healthier campaign (he was limited to 136 games last season) should improve his hitting totals. You'll still probably have to deal with some batting average woes, however.

2010

Many looked at Granderson’s 2009 campaign as a disappointment due to his lackluster .249 batting average, but the center fielder still managed to help out fantasy owners by connecting for a career-high 30 home runs along with 20 stolen bases. The drop in battling average was due to an atrocious .183 clip against lefties. Granderson struggled against southpaws earlier in his career, but he managed to hit .259 against them in 2008, so a bounce back in batting average is possible. Granderson will once again be a top-notch fantasy option due to his power/speed combination, and his value should increase -- likely with more runs scored in a potent Yankees lineup -- even with the possible struggles in batting average.

2009

Granderson took another step forward last season despite missing time with a broken hand to begin the year. He fell only one home run short of his 2007 total in 59 fewer at-bats, and also improved his eye at the plate, cutting down on his strikeouts while increasing his walks. Granderson also had his best season ever against left-handed pitching, posting a .259 average with five home runs. That helps to alleviate some of our concerns from years past that Granderson might be destined to be platooned. The only area where Granderson regressed was with his stolen base output. He could swipe a few more bags this season but Granderson's production at the plate makes him valuable even if he settles in around 10-15 stolen bases again this year.

2008

Granderson was able to cut down on his strikeouts last year, leading to quite the breakthrough season. He still struggled against lefties however, hitting only .160 in 119 at-bats. The Tigers did platoon Granderson somewhat last season but they may have to consider going with something a bit more strict down the road as he's showing very few signs of improvement. He's also a bit miscast as a leadoff hitter and probably should move down in the order although that doesn't appear to be in Detroit's plans for 2008.

2007

Granderson won the starting center field job in Detroit last spring and was installed as the team's leadoff hitter mostly because they lacked any other solid candidates for the job. He performed well in his first year in the majors but he'd really be better off hitting lower in the order since his excessive strikeout numbers often had the Tigers starting innings with one out. Granderson doesn't stand out in any specific category but is a solid outfielder who provides a little pop and a few stolen bases. If he can cut down on the strikeouts a bit he might even contribute with a better average in 2007.

2006

Granderson has been penciled in as a nearly full-time center fielder for the Tigers this season. He'll lose some at-bats to the speedy Nook Logan, but since Granderson is the superior hitter, he'll end up with the vast majority of playing time. Granderson flashed some solid power in limited at-bats last season but never really got his running game going after swiping 22 bags at Triple-A. He may run a bit more as he gets more comfortable in the majors.

2005

Granderson is widely considered the Tigers top hitting prospect and should start the 2005 season at Triple-A Toledo. If he performs well, he could get called up to the majors early in the season, where the Tigers will give him a chance to show he's ready. When the Tigers finally tire of Alex Sanchez, Granderson should get the call.