Sandy Alderson finally made the move that everybody was hoping he would. The four- year, $60 million deal for Curtis Granderson was the biggest contract Alderson has signed during his tenure with the Mets. The good news is that this deal is only for four years, so it’s not that long. The bad news is that this contract is a lot of money for a player who is 33 years old, and is a power hitter moving from a hitter’s park to a pitcher’s park.
Right before the hot stove turned into a fiery-raging-inferno, some of the writers on our staff hoped that the Mets wouldn’t take a risk on free-agent outfielder Nelson Cruz. Commander Brian Joura expressed this sentiment on Thanksgiving, with an article aptly titled “Giving thanks for our readers and no Nelson Cruz.”
Yes, thank you Sandy Alderson for not signing Cruz, because Cruz is not that good. However, how different is Granderson versus Cruz?
Cruz and Granderson are both known to be pretty brittle. Cruz traditionally has struggled to play more than 130 games. There was an exception in 2012, when he played 159 games. Obviously, we can’t really account for last year because he was suspended for PEDs for the rest of the year. Granderson has also struggled to be on the field. Last year he ran into a couple of bad HBPs, and ended up only playing 51 games. However, Granderson usually manages to play at least 140 games, proving to be more durable than Cruz.
These are Granderson’s and Cruz’s career numbers.
| Name | BB% | K% | ISO | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granderson | 10.2% | 23.1% | .228 | .261 | .340 | .488 | .357 | 118 |
| Cruz | 7.9% | 22.3% | .228 | .268 | .327 | .495 | .353 | 114 |
As hitters, Granderson and Cruz profile the same way. They strike out a lot, don’t walk an awful lot, and hit for power. It’s interesting because Granderson actually looks like the type of player that the Rangers would like. When we think of Ranger hitters over past couple of years — Cruz, Adrian Beltre, and Josh Hamilton — they all seem to have the same profile: low OBP, high power.
If you’re going to pick one of the bats, Granderson is probably a better version of Cruz. Cruz just happened to hit a lot of home runs with every other part of his game being below average. It’s also important to keep in mind that he achieved all of this in at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, which happens to be one of the best hitters’ parks in baseball. Not that Yankee Stadium made it particularly hard for Granderson to hit home runs, but Granderson is just a more powerful bat altogether. Grandy’s power from Yankee Stadium won’t translate to Citi Field, however he will still provide some power in the Mets lineup — just not to the extent that he was powerful at Yankee Stadium.
The other thing that makes Granderson a better player than Cruz is that he’s a better defender. Although he has been slightly below average with the Yankees, it may have been because he was playing center field. He won’t be playing center field for the Mets as long as Juan Lagares is around, so we can imagine that his defense in right or left field will be average or slightly below average. Cruz is probably one of the worst defenders in the league, and will have to be a full time DH pretty quickly if he wants to stick around in the majors.
Granderson is a better player than Cruz, and he probably cost less money because the rumors are that Cruz wants $80 million. Their batting profiles are the same, but Granderson has more power altogether and he’s a better defender. Curtis Granderson is simply a better Nelson Cruz. Alderson made the right choice.
And Grandy will be higher quality in the clubhouse and a much better role model for our youth core. His approach to the game is great, and any interview you hear shows what a major presence he has. I’ll take Grandy, Ks and all. The change in scenery, and instantly becoming a team leader may do him some good.
I cant wait to see what number he takes. He surely wants 28 (Murph, you make make some money here!), then 14 (gone), but he was initially 26 with the Tigers.
Agree! Also, Granderson provides a LH bat to hit behind Wright, as opposed to Cruz, who bats from the right side.
Using career stats can be quite misleading. Granderson has been a completely different player since 2011.
Since then he has a 12% walk rate, 28% strikeout rate, .240 hitter compared to Cruz who has a 7% walk rate, 22% strikeout rate, and a .260 hitter. Granderson is a high walk, high strikeout guy who looks to hit HR’s. About 45% of his PA end in a strikeout, walk or HR. Cruz averages around a 35% on K,BB,HR. They are clearly not the same type of hitter.
The Mets needed a lefty bat with some punch. Granderson provides that, Cruz doesn’t. The fielding difference is also big, so Granderson is a much better signing.
Granderson also still has some speed,which Cruz never had.
Cruz looks like Duda in the OF
I agree with Chris F. My memories of Nelson Cruz in the OF are of that horrendous World Series against the Cardinals where he constantly looked lost. I never realized Cruz’s OBP was so mediocre. Granderson might lack in the average category, but in every other way, I’d much rather have the Grandy-manning a corner.
Both Cruz and Granderson had two “out-liers” … seasons where they overperformed … in the last five years.
Taking those out, you have
.332 .312 .319 .327 OR
.327 .324 .319 .317
Can you pick the outstanding player? Wait, let’s look at OPS+
117 113 104 123
102 108 115 97
Of course, where it shows is WAR
2.3 1.3 0.4 2.0
4.3 4.5 3.0 1.1
Granderson is the better ball player, no doubt, for 162 game season. But Cruz happened to slug nearly 700 in the playoffs on the way to a nearly 1.1 OPS and Granderson has been merely ordinary.
Of course, we’re not too worried about playing in October at Citifield.