Curtis Granderson rejected the New York Yankees' $14.1 million qualifying offer and now, according to Ken Rosenthal, he wants to play for a contender.
The Boston Red Sox might not want to invest in Granderson, but the St. Louis Cardinals might find some space in their budget for the power-hitting left-hander. Why would they not want Granderson? Think of all the great things the 32-year-old could do in right field.
The first thing that Granderson could provide the 2013 N.L. Champions is power. During the World Series, the Cardinals could only muster two home runs, which also affected their run production, driving in 13 runs in six games. They finished the playoffs with 10 home runs, tying them with the Red Sox, but when it mattered most, power was not found.
Granderson is a long ball threat, especially when he is healthy. His 2013 numbers do not adequately reflect what Granderson can do for an entire season. Due to a broken arm and finger, his season was cut short, playing only 61 games in 2013. If the Yankees did not want to offer Granderson a longer deal, then another team elsewhere will find the money and invest in the outfielder.
Ideally, Granderson would play left field, but that is Matt Holliday's position. So, with Carlos Beltran expected to make a splash in the free agent market, right field could open up for the Cardinals, which is where Granderson would be useful. He was originally a centerfielder, but in 2013, Granderson was going to take over left field. He's an athlete, he can learn right field and the Cardinals can pack his contract with incentives.
The Cardinals have a very balanced lineup, but they lack pop as Yadier Molina is more of a contact hitter and Holliday has been more of a 20-100 player, hitting more than 30 home runs just twice in his career. Allen Craig is an RBI machine and with no Albert Pujols in the lineup, the Cardinals do not pose a true home run threat, ranking 27th in baseball with 125 home runs.
Busch Stadium is increasingly larger than Yankee Stadium down the lines. However, Granderson has hit 111 of his 217, more than half, have come on the road. This would only make the Cardinals more dangerous.
Do you think Granderson is worthy of putting on a Cardinals uniform? Realistically speaking, the Yankees need a couple of more parts and better starting pitching in order to make a World Series run.
