If only the Detroit Tigers had won that one-game playoff last year. If only they hadn't wasted so much money on Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman. If only, if only, if only.
But neither of those things happened, and now Curtis Granderson is gone. Gone, gone, gone. And what a shame.
Granderson seemed to be among the few players in sports who had a good grasp on life. When the Tigers first offered him a contract, he turned them down because he wanted to go to college and get an education. How many athletes do that today?
But that didn't matter to Mr. Illitch or Mr. Dombrowski. They went ahead and dealt him away to the New York Yankees to add pitching and build for the future. Whether it works remains to be seen.
But even if it does, it's a crying shame that this day came.
With the possible exception of Brandon Inge, Granderson was our most beloved Tiger. He sparked the team and fired up the fans. His power, speed, fielding, and smile made him an instant favorite. Not to mention all the charity work he did.
Wednesday, December 9, ought to go down as a sad, sad day in Tigers history. It will go down as the day that we lost a kind, humble man whose attitude is difficult to replace.
Alas, perhaps the greatest role model in recent sports history is gone.
1 comment:
Well, he's not gone. We can still watch him on the Yankees. He's young enough that he may even come back to us some day.
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