Curtis Granderson - Baseball-Reference.com Born and raised in Chicago. More On Recent MLB Wives, Girlfriend, Partners & Wags, Top 20 Hottest Tennis Wives and Girlfriends, Top 20 Hottest Golf Wives and Girlfriends, Curtis Granderson is a professional outfield baseball player and currently plays for the popular Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (. Granderson was a part of the 2018 playoff team. To be more specific, it is not yet confirmed if he ever walked down the wedding aisle with his wife or asked out his girlfriend on a date simply because there is no proof about the matter. His sexual orientation is straight and he is not gay. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. He has made three All-Star teams, and he is one of four players in baseball history who in a single season has hit 20 doubles, 20 triples and 20 home runs, while stealing 20 bases. [3][4] Granderson wrote a children's book, All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It!, which was published in August 2009. NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 5: Curtis Granderson #3 of, the New York Mets is greeted by teammates during player introductions prior to the National League Wild Card Game against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 in the Queens borough of New York City. 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. Thatd be a really, really cool way to go out. The crowds were another matter. He mentions the example set by his parents, Mary and Curtis Sr., whom I will meet and talk with that night. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In the National League Wild Card Game against the San Francisco Giants on October 5, Granderson made an incredible catch to save several runs from scoring late in the close game. In a time in which it seemed as if the Mets were being operated at the whims of a voodoo doctor or victimized by some gypsys curse, Granderson showed up, day after day after day, and offered reliability in a lineup otherwise lacking that quality. Update Celebrity Biography, Entertainment Gossip & More. 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. On June 14, 2017, Granderson hit his 300th career home run in a Mets win over the Chicago Cubs. [5] Granderson was chosen as the 2009 Marvin Miller Man of the Year by the MLBPA for his off-field work, an award he won again in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Curtis Granderson weighed 200 lbs (90 kg) when playing. [14] With Toledo, he hit .290 with 15 home runs, 65 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. [8] He followed that by hitting .304 as a sophomore, leading the team in runs, home runs, and walks. Check out his Personal Life with Professional Career! As of 2019, he led active players in career triples, was 2nd in career strikeouts, was 5th in career home runs, and was the 6th-oldest player in the National League.[1]. Curtis announced his retirement from baseball on January 31, 2020. On January 31, 2020, Curtis announced his retirement from baseball. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [20] Granderson hit two home runs during the 2006 American League Division Series and one in the 2006 American League Championship Series, but struggled in the 2006 World Series, batting .095, as the Cardinals defeated the Tigers. In many cities, fewer and fewer black fans go to the ballparks. Does First Lady Of Television Actress Have Children? (Age 38-197d) Married to Medicine's Dr. Jackie Walters and her husband, Curtis Berry, have endured their fair share of marital difficulty, most of which played out in front of the Bravo cameras on the hit reality show on which they both star. [22] Although Granderson was not listed on the 2007 All-Star Game ballot, due to the Tigers' decision to put Gary Sheffield as an outfielder on the ballot, he still received 376,033 write-in votes, the most write-in votes for any player. 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. Just trying to continue to keep the opportunity for us to have a chance to win.. When was Misty Copeland married? He wears shoes of size 9(US). Also, the Arizona Diamondbacks received Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy and Tigers pitcher Edwin Jackson in return for young pitchers Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth, who joined the Tigers. 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 has not revealed his annual salary to the public yet. Do you have a sports website? Granderson hit the first pitch he saw from Bryan Mitchell for a grand slam and was traded late the next night. Curtis Granderson is spending what could be his last year in the majors with the rebuilding Marlins, serving as the veteran voice he's been for so much of his excellent career. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list to begin the 2013 season. [4], As a child, Granderson grew up a fan of the Atlanta Braves, choosing not to root for the hometown Chicago Cubs because he often rushed home from school to watch Saved by the Bell and was disappointed when a Cubs game was on instead. 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 . During the 2007 season, Granderson accumulated 23 triples, which led all of baseball. MILWAUKEE Curtis Granderson rounded first base and kept going. Determined to complete his college education, though the fall semester began before the minor league season ended, Granderson made arrangements to begin his senior year at UIC via internet courses. She joined Thornton Fractional South High School (T.F. This is philanthropic impulse as learned memory. The talk that follows is lighthearted and yet gives players an understated way to gauge difference and similarity, and perhaps to push open lifes many doors. Its the off-season, his downtime. 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. (The Mets, Granderson says, are entirely supportive, with time, money and enthusiasm.) A. Happ that fractured his right forearm. [5] During his playing career, Granderson wore his socks high to honor players from the Negro leagues. His zodiac sign is Pisces and his zodiac animal is Rooster. He was born on March 16, 1981, in Blue Island, Illinois. Furthermore, there is no information regarding his body measurement, and dress size on social media. Jan 31, 2020,10:24pm. The Tigers signed Curtis to a five-year contract of US$30.25 million with a club option for the year 2013. That memory is a dozen years old. [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]. After all, how do you end up playing in more than 2,000 games and collecting more than 7,000 at-bats and registering nearly 50 wins above replacement? Who is (Gerald Dempsey Buster Posey III ) Buster Posey Wife? Nor did Granderson ever embarrass the organization like Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman or Jason Vargas. 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. [60] On September 17, Granderson hit two solo home runs against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Curtis Granderson's catch joins legends and doesn't matter We play this game, me and other black players, counting the black people in the stands who werent working at the game, Granderson says. Granderson won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award four times and the Roberto Clemente Award in 2016 in recognition of his contributions in the community. Curtis Granderson is on Instagram at cgrand. He has talked to retired players like Derek Jeter and given thought to what lies around the corner. [38], Granderson hit a home run in his first Yankee at bat on April 4, 2010, becoming the twelfth player to do so. 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. The foundation has no staff members or expenses. He is the son of the father Curtis Granderson Sr and the mother Mary. Granderson, with the Maine-Endwell team that won the Little League World Series, before a Mets home game against the Marlins late last season. Granderson hit .283 with three homers, 14 RBIs and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven) during the Mets World Series run in 2015. The Baseball player, Granderson has been able to leave a deep imprint of his name on the history of sports. He belongs to that endangered subspecies, the African-American baseball player. His mother, Mary, taught chemistry at Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago. Granderson's 23 triples were as much or more than six entire teams managed in 2007; the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals all had no more than 23 team triples. Granderson grew up in Blue Island, Illinois, and Lynwood, Illinois, south suburbs of Chicago. All day long Grandersons cellphone has rung, with questions about food and music and D.J.s; he has a bar mitzvahs worth of details to attend to. Prior to the start of the 2008 season, the Tigers signed Granderson to a five-year, US$30.25million contract with a club option for 2013. He is also a great motivator who spends his time motivating his supporters through his interviews, using his good and bad experiences throughout his career. In past years, he acknowledges, a few querulous baseball sorts asked pointedly if he risked tiring himself out with his charities. It was the eighth inning of the Mets-Angels game in Anaheim on Friday night when Curtis Granderson caught a ball near the wall. (Photo: 8 May 2015) Whether it was his mother, who worked full-time as a teacher, or his father, Curtis Sr. Granderson, who did his own job, they both worked tirelessly for their son,, and the results are clear: Curtis is not only making his parents proud, but also the . We wonder why not.. Bio, Age, Net Worth 2023, Allegations, What is Erica Hernandez Net Worth 2023? [23] Granderson slugged .938, drove in two runs, scored seven runs, and had fifteen total bases during Detroit's four-game series against the Seattle Mariners. With the help of the Mets and others, he has raised well over a million dollars to support youth education and sports. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and . [72] He batted .220 for the Brewers. Similarly, he has kept love as a big mystery in his life. It stayed fair just long enough, which is good.. He considers The Ultimate Warrior, The Undertaker, Junkyard Dog and "Macho Man" Randy Savage to be his favorite wrestlers. He was a full-time starter for the first time in 2006 for Tigers, who blew the AL Central in the final . During last seasons Subway Series conversation. Granderson had his first career MLB inside-the-park home run on September 15, a five-hit game September 18 and a walk-off home run on September 26 against the Chicago White Sox. Speaking more of his family, he has a sister named Monica who is a professor at Florida State University. Former MLB Outfielder. 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. [34][35], Granderson was chosen to appear in the 2009 MLB All-Star Game. He has traveled to England, Italy, the Netherlands, France, South Africa, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan to promote baseball. [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. in Blue Island, IL Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Data Provided By Why are there so few blacks and Latinos at the helm of big-league ball clubs? I want to step aside gracefully.. Curtis Granderson is not married. 18,591st in major league history) [85][86] When he endorsed Nike, Inc., Louisville Slugger and Rawlings, he asked them to donate money to his foundation or equipment to inner-city baseball programs rather than pay him. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 12:52AM. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. That was that.. He wound down his career as a . You will be astonished to see the most trending NHL wives that they are not too lovely and pretty as you are. He became a free agent for the first time of his career after the season. Granderson made the second out of the ninth inning in Chris Hestons no-hitter on June 10, 2015. View more / View less Facts of Curtis Granderson, Wayne Shorter Wife: Carolina Dos Santos, Bio, Husband, Was Gwendlyn Brown Engaged? New York Mets, Curtis Granderson agree on 4 years, $60 million - ESPN.com He also hit his first walk-off home run since 2016 in a 10th-inning victory against the Boston Red Sox on April 24. After his sophomore year, Granderson played in a summer collegiate league for the Mankato Mashers, now known as the MoonDogs, of the Northwoods League, where he batted .328 in 44 games, with eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 17 RBI, 28 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. Among the players with more at-bats than Granderson, only 108 had an OPS higher than his .803. [28][29] He was one of only six batters in the AL to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, along with teammate Gary Sheffield, Ian Kinsler, Alex Rodriguez, Grady Sizemore and B. J. Mom, so-and-so needs a ride. Dad, so-and-so wants to eat. Join our linker program. On a recent morning here in spring training, before the start of his 12th full major league season, he. Thornton Fractional South High School, UIC Business, Curtis Granderson Married, Wife, Girlfriend, Dating, Stats, Contract, Trade. He went on to have a fine season and to hit three home runs in the 2015 World Series. Samuel Stringer/Icon Sportswire, via Associated Press. He is known for stopping to give fist bumps to kids as he goes out to the on-deck circle. [63] He batted .228 with the Mets in 2017, and for the season had the highest number of pitches per plate appearance in the major leagues (4.52). Originally worth $13 million, it became a $15 million option after he placed 4th in the MVP voting in 2011. He was a point guard, good enough to play Amateur Athletic Union ball. Granderson is companionable, and by nature not a controversialist. [87] Granderson donated $5 million to help UIC build a new baseball stadium in 2013. 340.5K Followers. [82][83][84] In appreciation for his efforts, Commissioner Bud Selig penned a thank you letter to Granderson which read in part, "There are so many fine young men playing Major League baseball today, but I can think of no one who is better suited to represent our national pastime than you. Bio, Age, Net Worth 2023. The Mets loaded the bases with none out for Granderson, who was batting .227 for the season and was 0-for-2 with two walks in his first four plate appearances. Curtis Granderson has put together an impressive resume in his 16 seasons in Major League Baseball. Continue with Recommended Cookies. [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. Granderson's half-sister, Monica, is an English professor at Jackson State University. With Oneonta, Granderson batted .344 in 52 games. Although they got married all the way back in 2002, a very public cheating scandal led to the couple almost calling it quits for good in 2017. [59] After beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLDS, the Mets went on to sweep the Chicago Cubs in four games in the NLCS and advance to their first World Series since 2000. He was born under the star sign of Pisces. I watched and absorbed without realizing what it was, Granderson said. In late August 2004, after a good Class AA season in Erie, Pa., Granderson followed his annual custom and tossed his glove, cleats and batting gloves into the trash can. The Mets played Granderson as their right fielder. He finished the 2012 season with a .232 batting average, 43 home runs, 106 RBI, and set a new Yankees season record by striking out 195 times.[48]. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Granderson mentioned he liked when the series was split into four consecutive games, two played at each stadium. Listen. [81], Off the field, Granderson has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball International. He favors plural personal pronouns. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? The Tigers assigned Granderson to the Oneonta Tigers, their Minor League Baseball affiliate in the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League. 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. It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. But he knows himself, and this day he speaks candidly. [4] However, Granderson quit basketball two weeks into his freshman year in order to concentrate on baseball. "[4] He has also served as something of an unofficial baseball ambassador to the African-American community, often participating in and initiating dialogue about the lack of Black players at all levels of the sport. Outfielder's mom was heavily involved in community, like her slugger son. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. [79][80] He is also an avid fan of college basketball and of the Kansas Jayhawks. Upton.[28][29]. Curtis studied at Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, where he played baseball and basketball. Hes got three hours before this evenings fund-raiser. My friends are going to Orlando to play national tournaments in air-conditioned gyms, and Im driving an hour to play baseball in rural Indiana, where its 105 degrees and were using wooden bats and hitting is hard, hard., He laughs. Curtis Granderson was born on 16 March, 1981 in Blue Island, IL, is an American baseball player. The American baseball player, Granderson was born on March 16, 1981, in Blue Island, Illinois, United States. [5] In August 2011, Granderson and Mark Teixeira became the first Yankees teammates to hit 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. Once he swings the bat, the ball goes out of the bar. The Actor is Dating a Girlfriend named Krista Allen Currently! Were on the South Side, and not so many blocks from here, mayhem rules too many young lives. vs. MIN 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: Curtis Granderson argues with fan who patted him on shoulder 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. He was again placed on the 15-day disabled list. As of June 16, 2016, Granderson had hit 17 leadoff homers since joining the Mets in 2014, a franchise record. As per some sources, he has an estimated net worth of approx $58 Million as of 2022. Can I invite him over? . He has calls to make and public service spiels to record. Granderson appears to belong firmly in that second category. [69], On January 23, 2018, Granderson signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition to that, the baseball player became three times MBL All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2011. 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). Or write about sports? Hey, T. C., what do you think about this? . Granderson and Daniel Murphy were the two most productive hitters in the Mets lineup during their 2015 postseason run to the World Series. [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. Most in attendance for a four-game series against the Marlins last September realized they were probably seeing the 38-year-old Granderson who was a reserve for the first time in his career and hit .183 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs in 317 at-bats as a veteran mentor for the rebuilding team for the last time. Granderson turned and ran and ran and reached for the ball just before he crashed into the fence. Founder of the Grand Kids Foundation. On August 2, 2013, Granderson was activated from the disabled list. As a college all-American, he figured his pro career would be short. An American former professional baseball outfielder Curtis Granderson is well known for his commitment to the community through outreach and charity work. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Curtis Granderson Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family He was born under the star sign of Pisces. And when he stands to take the hit, the audience expects something incredible is going to happen. After the 2009 season, the baseball player was traded to the team Yankees, and after his contract gotterminated following the 2013 season, he signed a four-year contract with the Mets. South). Manage Settings 363 Following. [4], His foundation, Grand Kids Foundation, has raised money to benefit the educations of inner-city children around the country. Mets fans last saw their teams 35-year-old right fielder moonlighting in center during a one-game playoff against the San Francisco Giants. Theres a lot of conversation about that, Granderson replies. He got his first big-league hit against a hometown team, the Chicago White Sox. As he poses for photographs with his Little Leaguers on the South Side, he listens to their conversations and feels a pang for his sport. Granderson played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Chicago. A native of a nearby suburb and a graduate of this university, Granderson goes on about what we have accomplished here. University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL), Thornton Fractional South HS (Lansing, IL). Discover Curtis Granderson's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Yankees center fielder finds himself right in the middle of AL MVP debate", "Yankees' Granderson Has Rebels Jersey Retired", "As Granderson Arrives, Damon Is Probably Gone", "Making the bigs: Granderson first player from Mankato Northwoods franchise in Major League Baseball", "Granderson in demand by family, Tigers fans", "UIC Baseball to Retire Curtis Granderson's #28 Jersey - The Official Website of UIC Flames Athletics", "Granderson likes pinstripes, Erie memories", "O's rookie pitcher to start offseason early", "Tigers brushed off by Twins: Johnson allows four runs in seven innings", "Indians rock All-Star starter then hold off Tigers' big rally", "2006 World Series St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers (4-1)", "Granderson nets weekly AL honor: Center fielder opens second half with hot streak", "Detroit's Curtis Granderson named Bank of America Presents the American League Player of the Week", "Eighth-Inning Outburst Carries Tigers Over Tampa Bay", "Granderson's 20th steal puts Tigers center fielder in select company", "Granderson's two-strike approach better", "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Triples", "Sheffield, Granderson help Tigers rally for win", "Granderson to commentate for TBS: Center fielder will join studio crew during Division Series", "Tigers' Curtis Granderson triples, scores winning run for American League in eighth inning", "Yankees could trade for Tigers' Granderson", "Get to know Curtis Granderson: 13 fun facts about 'Grandy', "Curtis Granderson Statistics and History", "Grandy, Cano place behind MVP Verlander: With big production, Yankees stars earn respect on AL ballot", "Ain't life Grand? [13] Granderson competed for the role as the Tigers' starting center fielder in 2005 spring training, but the organization decided he needed more seasoning, and assigned him to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League. September 13, 2004 He checks the time and politely excuses himself. In 2014, Curtis signed a $60 million contract with the Mets that provided a guaranteed income of $60 million and an average annual salary of $15 million. In 2018, he signed a one-year $5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Any information related to his marriage or kids will be shared in the future. Under the watch of Nick Zostautas, a strength and conditioning coach, Granderson swam laps as part of his off-season workout program. 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. Really, just one or two fewer remote clicks away. 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. Similarly, he has a weight of around 88 kg or 185 lbs. The Brewers returned to Miller Park on Tuesday, where a handful of He was born to his parents; Curtis Sr. and Mary Grandson and both of them were teachers. Curtis Granderson - Net Worth, Salary, Age, Height, Bio, Family, Career Age is an insistent visitor now. Curtis Granderson and his mother, Mary Granderson, on the 8th of May, 2015. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'wikinetworth_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',174,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-wikinetworth_com-banner-1-0'); 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. [4] During his high school baseball career, Granderson batted .369 with 11 home runs and 88 runs batted in (RBI), and was named an All-State selection his senior year. Granderson's salaries were set at $13 million in 2014, $16 million in 2015 and 2016, and $15 million in 2017. In the summertime, dozens of black Little Leaguers from those often chaotic neighborhoods jam the fields here from sunup to sundown. We wanted to build a place where these kids could play and get a wider view of life, Granderson says. When players got to the big club and fell into slumps, they would hop in their cars and drive back to Toledo for a morning refresher course. Granderson, a good student, left college when he was drafted by Detroit after his junior year. Granderson also set a standard of amiability and accountability in the clubhouse. American. [3] In February 2010, Granderson represented MLB at a White House function announcing Let's Move!, a childhood anti-obesity effort sponsored by First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. Besides that, he has also gained a lot of name and fame from his successful career. 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. By maintaining the lunch pail mentality even after the final out has been recorded. Our conversation turns to that nights fund-raiser at a hip club. His height is 6 feet and 1 inch and his weight are 194 pounds (200 lbs). Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. [51] On May 18, 2013, Granderson made his first start at right field. Mike Janes/Four Seam Images, via Associated Press. With his impressive stats since the early years, he got selected by the Tigers in the 2002 MLB draft.