Curtis Granderson hit .247 with 24 home runs in his first season as a Yankee. He was fine. Perfectly adequate. The kind of player you describe to your friends as "solid" while privately wondering if the three-team trade with Detroit had been worth it. Then 2011 happened, and Granderson hit 41 home runs, drove in 119 runs (leading the American League), stole 25 bases, scored 136 times, and became the most productive hitter on a 97-win team. The transformation was so dramatic, so complete, and so unexpected that the only reasonable explanation was either witchcraft or Kevin Long. It was Kevin Long. But the results were basically magic.
The Kevin Long Effect
Long, the Yankees' hitting coach, had been working with Granderson since the outfielder arrived from Detroit in the three-team trade before the 2010 season. The project was specific: Granderson had a habit of pulling off the ball, leaving himself vulnerable to inside pitches and unable to drive outside offerings. His 2010 struggles -- the .247 average, the inconsistency -- were symptoms of mechanical issues that Long believed were fixable.
During the 2010-11 offseason, Long and Granderson worked extensively on keeping his front shoulder closed, staying through the ball longer, and generating backspin on his fly balls. The adjustments were subtle -- the kind of thing a casual fan wouldn't notice -- but the results were thunderous. Granderson's power numbers nearly doubled. His ability to drive pitches to all fields improved dramatically. And his fly-ball rate increased to the point where more of his well-struck balls were leaving the yard instead of dying at the warning track.
(The Kevin Long rehabilitation project is one of the most underrated coaching achievements in recent Yankees history. The man took a player the fan base had given up on and turned him into a 41-homer, 119-RBI monster. If coaches got MVP votes, Long would've been on the ballot.)
The 41-Homer Season
Granderson's power output was the headline, and it was spectacular. Forty-one home runs from the left side of the plate, most of them driven to right-center field with the kind of authority that made outfielders stop running and start watching. He hit home runs in bunches -- multi-homer games, back-to-back nights, stretches where it felt like every fly ball had extra distance. The Stadium's short porch in right field was his personal playground.
But the home runs were only part of the story. Granderson drove in 119 runs, leading the AL. He scored 136 times -- the most by any Yankee since A-Rod's 2007 MVP season. He stole 25 bases, giving him the kind of 40-20 season (41 homers, 25 steals) that only a handful of players in history have achieved. The combination of power, speed, and run production made him a legitimate MVP candidate (he finished fourth in voting).
The Lineup's Engine
In a lineup that included Cano (.302/28 HR), Mark Teixeira (.248/39 HR), and Jeter (3,000-hit milestone), Granderson was the heartbeat. He batted primarily in the cleanup spot and in the three-hole, and his presence in the middle of the order forced opposing pitchers to pitch carefully to the hitters around him. You couldn't pitch around Granderson without facing Cano or Teixeira, and you couldn't pitch around them without circling back to Granderson.
The protection effect was real and measurable. The Yankees scored 867 runs in 2011, and Granderson was responsible for 255 of them directly (runs scored plus RBI minus home runs, roughly). That's nearly 30% of the team's offensive output flowing through a single player who'd been an afterthought 12 months earlier.
The Defensive Value
Granderson's contributions weren't limited to the batter's box. He played a solid center field, covering the expansive outfield at the new Yankee Stadium with long strides and good instincts. His arm wasn't cannon-grade, but his routes to the ball were efficient, and he rarely made the kind of positioning mistakes that turn routine plays into extra bases.
The defensive value mattered because it made Granderson a complete player, not just a one-dimensional slugger. The Yankees didn't have to hide him in left field or DH him. He earned his spot in center and produced from it, which gave Joe Girardi flexibility in constructing the rest of the outfield.
The Context of Transformation
Granderson's breakout was the most dramatic single-season transformation by a Yankee hitter in recent memory. The closest comparison might be Cano's 2010 leap, but Cano's progression was more gradual -- a natural evolution from very good to elite. Granderson went from replacement-level production to All-Star caliber in one offseason.
The transformation also came at exactly the right time for the franchise. With Jeter declining, A-Rod increasingly injury-prone, and Posada in his final season, the Yankees needed someone to step into the offensive void. Granderson didn't just step in -- he filled the entire room. His 41 homers gave the lineup an anchor it hadn't had since A-Rod's prime, and his energy -- the Grandy Man was one of the most genuinely likable players in the sport -- gave the clubhouse a boost that went beyond statistics.
| 2011 Stats | .262 / 41 HR / 119 RBI / 25 SB |
| Runs Scored | 136 |
| RBI Rank | 1st in AL |
| 2010 Stats (comparison) | .247 / 24 HR / 67 RBI / 12 SB |
| HR Increase | +17 (from 24 to 41) |
| RBI Increase | +52 (from 67 to 119) |
| MVP Voting | 4th in AL |
| Hitting Coach | Kevin Long |
The Mechanical Overhaul
Granderson works extensively with hitting coach Kevin Long, adjusting his swing to keep his front shoulder closed and generate more power to all fields.
Early Returns
Granderson starts the season hitting home runs at a pace that immediately raises eyebrows. The offseason work is paying off faster than anyone expected.
All-Star Selection
Granderson earns his second career All-Star selection, with teammate Robinson Cano winning the Home Run Derby at Chase Field in Arizona.
Grand Slam Game
Granderson hits one of three grand slams in the Yankees' historic 22-9 victory over Oakland -- the first time in MLB history a team hit three grand slams in one game.
119 RBI and Counting
Granderson finishes with 119 RBI to lead the American League, capping the most productive offensive season by a Yankee since A-Rod's 2007 MVP campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many home runs did Curtis Granderson hit in 2011?
Granderson hit 41 home runs in 2011, a career high and 17 more than his 2010 total of 24. He also drove in 119 runs (leading the AL), scored 136 times, and stole 25 bases. The breakout season came after extensive offseason work with hitting coach Kevin Long.
What changes did Kevin Long make to Granderson's swing?
Long worked with Granderson on keeping his front shoulder closed longer, staying through the ball, and generating more backspin on fly balls. The adjustments were mechanically subtle but produced dramatic results -- Granderson's power nearly doubled, and his ability to drive pitches to all fields improved significantly.
Where did Curtis Granderson finish in 2011 MVP voting?
Granderson finished fourth in 2011 AL MVP voting behind Justin Verlander, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jose Bautista. His .262 batting average likely cost him higher placement despite his elite power numbers (41 HR, 119 RBI, 25 SB, 136 runs scored).