Bright Light Leaves Fading City

Those damn Yankees just won’t stop waving around all that money they’ve got, will they? On December 8th, the Yanks tightened the purse strings of the attendance struggling Detroit Tigers, by taking All-Star Curtis Granderson off their hands. According to USA Today, Granderson was owed $25.75 million through 2012. All of the residents in Detroit combined don’t have that kind of money these days.

Unfortunately, Granderson was just the kind of light the fading city of Detroit needed. Not only were #28’s baseball achievements last season quite impressive (30 home runs, 71 RBI's, 20 steals), he was also voted 2009 Marvin Miller, Man of the Year by his peers. Although the southpaw’s batting average has been looking like the Dow Jones over the last few years, he has proved himself to be one of the best in the league; on and off the field.

In 2006, when he beat out Nook Logan for the starting centerfield position, even the untrained eye could see he had something special in him. With career highlights such as last season’s mind-boggling catch in the crucial game against the White Sox, (where a win would send the Tigers to the American League Central tie-breaker game against the Twins) and a seat as an elite member of baseball’s 20-20-20 club (20 doubles-20 triples-20 homers in a season) Granderson has continually proved a force to be reckoned with.

In a sports world of heartless Michael Vicks, arrogant Terrell Owenses and holier than thou Allen Iversons, Granderson is doing everything in his power to regain the good name of athletes. As one of the few college graduates currently in Major League Baseball, he seems to recognize the significance and value of a proper education. In 2008 he founded "The Grand Kids Foundation" which provides supplies, equipment, books, etc… to needy families and inner-city schools. On top of all this, he was recently asked to work with First Lady Michelle Obama on her Anti-Obesity campaign in D.C. Believe it or not, I have only hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his humanitarian efforts.

So this, readers, this is my farewell to a bright light of the Tigers and a beacon of the city of Detroit. As much as I hate those damn Yankees, I will cheer for you wherever you go in your career, Mr. Granderson. Rock those pinstripes.