Photo courtesy of the New York Post
The Yanks got some good news on the injury front last night, Curtis Granderson should be returning to the team a bit sooner than previously thought. Rick Carpieniello of LoHud has the story:
NEW YORK — The Yankees got some good news on the injury front Friday. Curtis Granderson is expected back sooner than originally thought.
Granderson, on the DL since May 2 with a strained groin, worked out with the team prior to Friday night’s game, and was then to fly to Louisville to join Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on its road trip. There, Granderson expects to play five games in six days — two at DH — and if all goes well, he hopes to return Thursday and be available to the Yankees next Friday.
It will be interesting to see what Girardi does defensively with him. He could use the injury as an excuse to move him to Left Field, and keep the better defensive player in Gardner manning Center. The Yanks view Gardner as far better defensively, and the main reason why he didn’t win the everyday CF job out of Spring Training was that the Yanks weren’t sure Brett was an everyday player. Also, I’m sure they wanted to smooth Granderson’s transition to the Bronx, a place where so many players have trouble settling in. But that’s all past us now, Gardner has shown himself to not only be an everyday player, but an absolutely vital cog with the Yanks both offensively and defensively. Girardi should feel free to put each player wherever he thinks they will do the most to help the team win. Curtis went on the record in March saying he would have no problem playing Left field, so it’s a convenient excuse for Girardi to give him the easier defensive position, citing the injury.
Personally, I would support the move. I know it doesn’t make a difference all that often, but the plays that Gardner will make that Curtis won’t will most likely be doubles and triples that you’re converting to outs. Even if that only happens a handful of times a month, it could be the difference between winning and losing that individual game. Especially if they come with two outs and/or men on base. It’s easy to dismiss a defensive upgrade, but the team that just left the Bronx on Thursday is an example of how these things can add up for a club that’s already high on the win curve. You’re playing both guys anyway, might as well put them in the best defensive configuration.
What do you think? Where would you play Curtis, and why?
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19 Responses to Granderson back soon, should he move to Left?
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I’m not saying I’m against the idea, but in my opinion it really isn’t that much easier to play left than center, especially in Yankee Stadium. As a center fielder you are basically just running back and forth, but as a left fielder you have to worry about balls in the corner and balls right up against the foul line. Once again I can’t say I’m against the idea of putting Granderson in left, but I’m not sure it would really benefit the team.
You put the better defender in CF because he can make up ground for both the RF and LF, so it does matter. It can also benefit both corner outfielders because you can position them differently knowing you have Gardner in CF who has more range, so Gardner actually improves both corner guys while playing CF.
agree..
Well of course, you move granderson to left and have the fastest guy in baseball now in center why put a slower guy out there. now we just need Gardner to lead off and things will improve some more.
I agree that the injury makes the move a lot easier. I think the effect defensively is a bit overstated, but even marginal improvements are worth it–if there’s an built-in excuse like in this case.
I have a feeling Cashman might disagree, tho’.
I can’t see that theres any real increased probability of injury playing left over center. He still would have to run full speed, stop and start, dive and jump, and he still has the risk of injuring himself on the basepath, which is how he originally got hurt. Granderson isn’t injury-prone, and he’s young; this was more of a fluke injury than anything.
Ach, I meant no increased probability of injury playing in center over left.
I wasn’t arguing that, so I think you misunderstood. More of a ‘things are going well, leave them as is’ kind of rationale.
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Agree- not much benefit over Gardner in CF….in my opinion both players are on par with each as CF, I see both as very good but neither as extremely special in center.
WIth Granderson back presumeably in the 7 spot in the order, I think the real question is should Gardner stay in the 2-hole? He’s hitting .231 with RISP on the year…I prefer him batting 9th in front of Jeter and would move Swisher up to the 2-spot with Granderson returning to the bottom half of the lineup
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4747&position=OF#fielding
Granderson’s a career 4.4 UZR CF
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=9927&position=OF
Gardner’s a career 26.5 UZR CF
gardner is better at balls hit right at him ..grandy aways had some problem with them..last year grandy misjudged a lot of balls. why do you think tigers let him go…just payroll..they signed damom for how much.. that trade should never had been made.. he is never going to hit lefties… he is in my opinion a part time player…you can’t have a starter hit 200 vs lefties..
I’m for playing Granderson in left in his first days back. I think the team would be better served to keep playing both in CF and LF. Keep the flexibility there, rather than setpiece arrangements. Who knows what’s going to happen in the outfield next year and going forward?
Also, the injury bug shows no sign of stopping the biting this year.
I think you’re jumping the gun in saying that Gardner has proven anything based on 40 games. I’m a Gardner fan and he’s won the right to be in the lineup everyday. I don’t think you mess with Granderson based on that small sample though. Let’s see how he does based on a full season before anoiting him a vital cog.
what did grandy hit last year..he is a new guy..who has been awful, except for 1 game vs boston..his injury did not have anything to do about why he could not hit. so i would not hand him center field on what he did years ago. he must prove himself also.. yes 40 games is not enough.. but he is hitting over .300 the whole year. so until that changes he would be my cf guy.. he is also #2 in the majors in stolen bases.. we need that position to be a vital cog no matter who plays it..like someone said earlier, you make your corner guys better. lets not change if it is not broke…he is doing a wonderful job in that spot.. we need to let winn go as soon as grandy gets back on the roster.. he looks like damon out there at times…he swings like he has an invisible bat..he swings like a cricket player. what did anyone seen in this guy…the giants did not want him..
[...] Day starters in their lineup and also would be a big help to the struggling outfield defense. Steve S. from The Yankee U wonders if he’ll be moved to left field upon his return. Like Steve, I wouldn’t mind it if he [...]
I think it is way too early to conclude anything about Gardner’s viability as an everyday player. As such, I’d leave Granderson in CF and Gardner in LF. If Gardner keeps this up and the Yankees decide in the offseason that Brett is a long term solution in their outfield, I would flip them to start 2011.
Do you see Gardner losing his job anytime soon to Randy Winn as the LF? I don’t. Also, while we all focus on Brett’s offensive deficiencies lets remember that Granderson is the one with the humongous platoon split, not Brett. But again, if you’re playing both guys everyday anyway them it makes sense to put each of them in the best defensive configuration. As I posted above, defensively they’re not as close as people seem to think.
No,but I could see them bringing in another LF next year if they don’t believe in Brett. If so,you want Granderson in CF rather than flip floping back and forth. The gap between Grandy and Gardy in CF is not that large over a full season (about half a win at most),so it makes more sense to leave the guy you know will stay on the club long term in the more vital spot.