Saturday, April 26, 2014

For Good Or Bad, Spotlight Finds Granderson

After driving in the winning run in last night's 4-3 walk-off win, Mets right-fielder Curtis Granderson is hitting a miserable .141. How, you might ask? Striking out 26 times in 78 at-bats and producing just 11 hits in 90 plate appearances well, that's how! With that type of production thus far as a Met, who needs him you might ask?

Well, for starters, the Mets have committed $60 million this off-season to Granderson and have signed him to a four-year contract with the hopes that his high strike out numbers would be off-set by his home run and runs batted in production.

Looking at the 31-year-old's last two full seasons in 2011 and 2012 with the New York Yankees (Granderson played in just 61 games in 2013), he averaged 42 home runs, 119 runs scored, and 112 runs batted in. On the flipside, he struck out an average of 182 times per season. As startling as those strike out numbers may sound, during those two seasons, Granderson's on-base percentage averaged .342 and his slugging percentage held it's own at an impressive .522 per season which most likely contributed to him earning a trip to the All-Star Game for both of those years.

In 22 games so far this season, Granderson's on-base is a paltry .244 and his slugging is an embarrassing .231. Not to mention that he has produced just one home run and only 7 RBI which has led to tons of criticism from the fans and the media who have begun to label him as this season's Ike Davis or even worse, Jason Bay.

To his credit though, two of Granderson's seven RBI have led to two of the Mets thirteen victories, both coming in walk-off fashion lending to what has become an up-and-down first month of the season for Granderson. Unfortunately, the ups have been out-weighed by the downs and have allowed for the career .259 hitter a moment in the sun in good times and in bad, more bad than good perhaps. But some good, nonetheless.

What are you thoughts so far concerning Grandy's first go-round with the Mets?

Feel free to fill out the comments section with your opinions.

       

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