Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he's never had a player as conscientious as Curtis Granderson is in terms of preparation.
Leyland's been in baseball a long time. So that's quite a compliment.
And the praise didn't stop there.
"He's fun to watch, fun to be around because he does everything right leading up to every situation he's in," Leyland said. "He gives himself the chance to be the best player he can be, always working on something. He accepts instructions real good, accepts advice real good, even if he doesn't agree with you.
"He makes a mistake, he learns from it; when he has some success, he handles it well. This kid is a jewel, he's a real treat to manage."
After going 2 for 4 in Tuesday's 7-1 victory over Tampa Bay, Granderson is batting .323 (43 for 133) over his last 35 games.
Leyland is projecting Granderson to eventually bat in the middle of the order. The centerfielder has hit from the leadoff spot in all 59 games he's played this season.
"I don't think he's ready to drop down just yet into a consistent RBI position, but I think he definitely will be a middle-of-the-order guy before it's all over, with RBIs and some power," Leyland said. "I'm not even considering that right now; that's probably a year down the road, maybe two."
Granderson batted third at Double-A Erie for most of 2004, when he drove in 94 runs, and before that at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
"If I know going into the situation I have a chance to do it I'm kind of OK," Granderson said. "In the Dominican (Winter League) I started the season in the three spot when I didn't expect it and kind of pressed too hard, thinking I need to drive in runs and can't bunt. When I try not to do anything different, that's when I have the most success."
Leyland doesn't mind that his pitchers must bat during upcoming Interleague road series against the Cubs and Brewers -- he'd prefer American League pitchers hit all the time -- but he's warning them to be careful in how they prepare in the batting cage.
"I don't worry about the games, I worry about what leads up to it, bunting and hitting practice," Leyland said. "I don't like that because you get one of them out there who thinks he's Ted Williams and he swings (really hard) and pulls a ribcage or something. I already warned them. If anybody does anything stupid, it's not going to be a pretty sight."
mlive.com
btw, john I grew up in Michigan as a Tigers fan...yet, in the last 10 years the Tigers have had real trouble...In the last few years the new GM Dombrowski has been re-tooling and then he hired Leyland last fall...Well, very few Managers can get more out of a team than Jim Leyland...He is a class act all the way around and his team isn't in first place by accident this year...I still am a Cubs fan BUT this year I have been watching more Tigers and White Sox games...I like to support teams that play good fundamental baseball...This weekend I'm taking my friend Cindy to Wrigley Field to see the Tigers play the Cubs...we have some great seats for the Saturday game and it should be a lot of fun.
-s2@MidwesternBaseballFan.com |
