Curtis Granderson and His Importance to the Detroit Tigers

Trade rumors have come about speculating that the Detroit Tigers may possibly trade fan favorite center fielder, and lead off hitter Curtis Granderson during the off-season for the right price. A few teams have been named as takers in these trade rumors, namely both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, as well as the New York Yankees. All these teams are rumored to be in the market for a center fielder who is also a great hitter.

Curtis Granderson is not only a great center fielder who had a career high 30 home runs during the 2009 season, but he is also a great humanitarian, who hosts various charity events in the Detroit area throughout the year. Curtis has established himself in Detroit as a true gentleman and upstanding individual, unlike many athletes.

Curtis Granderson deserves to be a franchise player for the Tigers like former players Alan Trammell and Lou Whittaker who played their entire careers with the Detroit Tigers. Curtis is a hard working player who has been a standout with the Tigers since his debut in September 2004.

If the Tigers agree to a trade with the Cubs, the White Sox, or the Yankees, many Tigers fans will be disappointed to see their favorite Tiger playing for another team. Fans like myself will feel that the Tigers don't care what we want, which is to watch players we have loved through both good times and bad. The Tigers would also be trading a wonderful humanitarian that the community has come to count on for his annual charity basketball game among other fund raising and charity events he hosts throughout the course of the year.

While teams like the Cubs and the White Sox and their fans may be thrilled to see Curtis Granderson play in a Chicago uniform since he is from Chicago, the Detroit Tigers won't be the same. And to see Curtis Granderson play for the New York Yankees would just be wrong.

I don't feel that there is any amount of money, or a player on any of the teams mentioned who could bring to the Detroit Tigers what Curtis Granderson has. Curtis has always been a bright spot on a team that has at times been brought down by off field antics of other players. Curtis is a world class athlete who is loved by the fans in Detroit and is too valuable to lose to another team, especially a fellow American League team like the White Sox or the Yankees.

I hope that the Tigers hear the voices of the Detroit fans who don't want to see their beloved "Grandy" go and keep him as a Tiger for life!