In this past off-season, the New York Yankees needed a bat. Having no Hideki Matsui or Johnny Damon, they need someone to fill an outfield void. So, they did what they always do: they got who they wanted.
Curtis Granderson came to the Yankees as part of a three-team, six player deal; sending Granderson to New York, Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks, and Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke, and Austin Jackson to the Tigers.
There was much outcry by New York fans because it seemed like Cashman was sending away yet another speedy and young outfielder, just like he had done in 2008 with Jose Tabata.
They complained how he couldn't hit righties, and even Brian Cashman was saying stuff about him. "Is he the perfect player?" No, he's not the perfect player."
Well if he's not, then why did you let Matsui go, who in the World Series seemingly was.
They also complained about Curtis not being able to hit lefties, among other things like not adjusting to the New York lifestyle.
Once the fans got use to it, though, they thought, the Yankees were getting a 30 home run guy who some predicted would hit 40 and even maybe 50 home runs with the short porch in right field.
He had great speed himself, and who didn't remember that time when he stole Grady Sizemore's home run? Maybe, it'll turn out Cashman wasn't as stupid as we thought he was.
And when he hit that home run on Opening Day, New Yorkers were beginning to get giddy with themselves.
But as the season progressed, Granderson got bad, and Jackson got hot. A-Jax looked like he was going to hit .310 and maybe 15 home runs with how well he was hitting the ball. Granderson, on the other hand, was on the DL and indeed couldn't hit lefties.
In the middle of August, taking a day off facing the Royals, Curtis decided to use his time wisely and work out with arguably the best hitting coach out there, Kevin Long. At the time, he was hitting .239 with only 10 home runs and 33 RBI.
Said Long, "Granderson came to me and said, 'I want to try something different." And I said, "What do you suggest?'" Since then, Granderson has raised his average to .251 and hit 13 home runs with 30 more RBI.
Also, he is in the midst of a hit streak, and John Sterling, the Yankees radio announcer has said, "It seems like he's hitting a home run every other day now." So true John, so true.
Also, Jackson has considerably gotten back down to Earth; batting .295 with 4 home runs and 37 RBI on the season.
Basically, since that lesson with K-Long, Granderson has reached everyone's expectations that he had gotten when he came to New York, and Jackson has been your usual rookie with nothing spectacular.
As on now, this trade has been a definite boom, but there is still time, and no one can fully say it was a success until Jackson retires.
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