Is Curtis Granderson a Yankee?
After hearing news that the Mets signed Curtis Granderson, I went to the office of a colleague (at my real job) who happens to be a huge Mets fan and has held season tickets for the past 15 years. I asked her if she was excited about The Grandy Man joining the Mets.
She frowned, and answered, “He’s a good player, and the Mets need a hitter, but …”
But what?
“He’s a Yankee.”
Ah. Something I hadn’t considered. In fact, I was thinking the opposite. The fact that Granderson has been in New York for the past several years, performed well, and truly inserted himself into the community, made me thin that most Mets fans would know he is and have positive feelings about him. And perhaps, many/most do.
On the other hand, there is the fact that he was very much, and very publicly, a Yankee. Not unlike the way Tom Glavine was a Brave, for comparison. I can easily see a Curtis Granderson “Yankeeography” produced in the next two years.
What about you? Do you care that Curtis Granderson was/is a Yankee? Curious to hear your thoughts.
Mets Item of the Day
It’s the holiday season, and — per Larry Hockett — candlesticks always make a nice gift. So how about buying some sweet-smelling Yankee Candles
As far as Glavine goes, I hated the fact that he was a Brave, hated the fact that questec was put in at Shea the year we acquired him, hated the fact that Glavine recieved around 6 inches of respect, up, down, in and away, from the HP umpire as a Brave, and got squeezed the moment he became a Met. But, Glavine eventually adjusted, pitched quite well, I became a fan, and then, his last game, OMG. What was his line, 1/3 IP, 11 ER, in a win or go home affair.
Anyways, I do not care that Granderson was a Yankee, but did not like Glavine at first because he was a Brave. Primarily because he got so many BS calls given to him while facing the Mets as a Brave. That was complete BS.
Alderson must be betting that he will have a third wind in his mid thirties, because his Yankee second wind seems to have disappeared, looking at his year to year OPS+. Or maybe he’s trying to corner the market on aging CFs to offset the younger ones he already has.
And yet I suppose it’s beyond arguing that when you join the Yankees, you embody the Yankees for that period of time, and Damon illustrates this as well as anyone. Earrings get boxed up, facial hair and long locks get shorn, you memorize the Best Yankee Practices Handbook for proper phrases when dealing with the press. And if you’re Soriano, you inexplicably go all Ruthian when returning to the fold. It’s mystifying.
Active Yankees whose Yankeeness would bother me: Jeter, A-Rod, Cano, Teixeira, Sabathia, Chamberlain.
I strongly associate Gardner with the Yankees too, but I actually like him. He’s kind of the anti-Yankee to me: a guy who plays really hard without supreme talent and big dollars.
I was actually please to see the spread of Grandy’s deal. We knew they would go low in 2014, but it does not escalate each year so I took that as good news.
I agree with you that despite Alderson’s tap dance around the payroll budget, that figure is the biggest component of the Met offseason. Harvey’s injury is overemphasized and is being used by some to conveniently kick the can to 2015. Despite Harvey’s dominance, the Mets were 13-13 in games he started. This can be replaced, and other areas can be strengthened to field a WC competitor for 2014 that is poised to compete for 2015 and beyond as well.
Oh I agree about the elephant, no doubt. With all these Alderson interviews, has anyone asked him directly these questions
1. First, a simple math equation – with $26 million in new TV moeny for 2014, and the same payroll amount that produced 70 something wins in 2013, where is the additional $26 million going? Lower ticket prices?
2. Last year the Mets were around the 20th highest payroll., well below average. At the same level in 2014, they will sink deeper into the bottom 3rd. How does a team in the biggest market justify this payroll level with a losing product 5 straight years?
3. And follow it up with this question – why should the paying customers continue to pay premium NYC prices for an inferior product that the ownership refuses the spend on to improve?
I understand that spending does not fix all problems, and can cause problems, but id the Mets can get a legit SP3, a legit SS, and a legit bullpen arm, they can compete for the WC in 2014. They can undoubtedly do this with $30 million more in 2014 payroll and without making commitments for more than three years. And, doing that in the FA market can keep all the young arms, permittingthem to trade from strength going forward. These actions could easily increase revenues 10%, paying for the difference between an $85 and $100 million payroll.
Adam Rubin – ask Sandy directly about the elephant!