Welcome to the first column in what will hopefully become a hilarious and occasionally insightful series. Each week, or whenever we feel like it, I will be debating a sports topic with Bleacher Report writer, Cleveland Indians fan and roommate Nick Dobreff. We definitely want your thoughts on the topic, as well as suggestions for future topics.
This week: Curtis Granderson versus Grady Sizemore. Who is better?
Joe Guarr: I'm about to fix this big misconception you have. Curtis Granderson is a better player than Grady Sizemore. It's no contest. If you weren't such a homer, you'd see the light.
Nick Dobreff: Oh Joe, how wrong you are...like always. While I admit to having a huge man crush on Grady Sizemore, my debate will be based solely on statistics and facts.
First let me start off by saying that these two young men are the most exciting center fielders in baseball today. They are both daily candidates for web gems and are bona fide studs who provide the proverbial spark for their respective teams.
With that out of the way, i'll start this off by crushing your very existance with a stat-oriented, pride-obliterating b*$%@ slap to the face. Sizemore is a year and 5 months younger than Granderson, the reigning Gold Glove winner in center (Granderson has none), and Sizemore has now been elected to 3 All-Star games to Granderson's 0. What do you have to say about that?!
JG: Because All-Star games are soooo important. I'm serious. This one counts. For real. I hate you, Bud Selig...
If you want to bring up certain games that Sizemore has participated in and Granderson has not (yet), I'll just bring up the World Series. Curtis 1, Grady...a big fat cup of Nick's tears for him.
So you want to talk stats? Good, because I took a stats class once in high school and I didn't sleep through it. I'll just bring up last year's 20/20/20/20 season. You know who else has done that? Willie Mays, Frank "Wildfire" Schulte, and Jimmy Rollins. I think that's pretty good company.
Lemme throw some more stats at you. Curtis has more assists and fewer errors in his career. Both are better fielders than the league average, so I was going to say that their defense was a wash, but it's not. Curtis wins this one, too.
ND: Erroneous! Erroneous on both counts! Sizemore has been a starter since 2005 while Granderson didn't become a full time starter until 2006. If you take their average errors from those seasons where they have been starters, Sizemore's average errors per year stand at 2.66 while Granderson's hover at 3. So dont give me that bologna about fewer errors.
While Granderson had more assists in 2007, Sizemore had more in 2006 and truthfully, their arms are both pretty average. So...yea I dont know if I can pummel that argument anymore. And like I said earlier, Sizemore's got the hardware.
Oh yea....I remember his quad 20 season last year. We were all really impressed. But that was Grandy's first season with over 20 steals; Sizemore has 4 including 32 last year to Granderson's 26. Sizemore has also been in the top 10 in runs scored every season since 2005; Granderson only once.
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5 months ago
This shouldn't even be an argument. I know I will be labeled as a homer, but here are some vitals stats:
2008
Sizemore: 0.75 BB/K, .374 OBP, .539 SLG, .913 OPS, 16.9% HR/FB, 22 SB, 7.94 RC/27
Granderson: 0.48 BB/K, .354 OBP, .484 SLG, .838 OPS, 10.3% HR/FB, 6 SB, 6.50 RC/27
Career
Sizemore: 0.55 BB/K, .370 OBP, .495 SLG, .865 OPS, 12.9 HR/FB, 101 SB, 7.01 RC/27
Granderson: 0.37 BB/K, .345 OBP, .492 SLG, .837 OPS, 11.6% HR/FB, 41 SB, 6.43 RC/27
These all go for Sizemore, I don't include AVG because it is a flawed stat, OBP is a better judge of getting on-base. And as said in the article: Sizemore 1-0 in Gold Gloves with more to come....and 3-0 in All-Stars with more to come.
I can never understand why this is such an argument. I like Granderson, but Grady is at a totally different level. He has better plate judgement, more power, better SB ability, better glove, etc.
from 5 months ago
It's an argument because of the unbalanced schedule and the fact they play 18-19 times a year. Plain and simple. There is no reason for the argument beyond that.
Throw in the fact that Sizemore continues to improve in all facets of his game each year and it is obviously he is the better overall player. Granderosn had improved is AVG/OBP but his other totals have been consistant.
It is irrelevant that Granderson has played in the World Series. His team didn't win.
from 5 months ago
Way to gang-up Tribe fans!
That's why the article had to be humorous right? So that the argument wouldn't seem one-sided.
5 months ago
Granderson is a great little player, but let's not be silly here. You guys who try and make this argument are just jealous we have a center fielder that attracts more women.
5 months ago
Baseball players aren't supposed to be pretty. Pete Rose, Hideki Matsui, Andruw Jones, etc. Most players would never compete at Mr. Universe. With all of his screaming teenage fans, Sizemore may as well be the 6th Backstreet Boy :)
I think the World Series argument is definitely relevant. You've got to be the best in the AL to make it to the World Series, and team accolades are always more important than individual in this sport. The Tigers may not have won, but they made it at the expense of some very good teams. Teams that were thought to be better than the Tigers.
Michael, not sure why you claim that Sizemore has a better glove. A 1-0 lead in Gold Gloves is hardly overwhelming. The two are a wash defensively, if anything. Granderson actually has a slightly higher career fielding percentage and more assists in fewer games.
I'm glad we've got a little healthy discussion going here.
from 5 months ago
I thought we were discussing which player was better, which is an individual argument and not the 2006 Tigers being better than the Indians. The Tigers had a great run that year, just as the Indians did last year. It takes more than one guy to make the Series. The Indians didn't have it against the Sox when it counted. And if I remember right, Granderson didn't hit too well in the postseason that year, so he didn't really carry the team to the Series. Of course neither did Sizemore...
Anyway, I do think Granderson has a terrific glove, and is definitely Gold Glove worthy as well. I thought he was really snubbed last season. He had a terrific defensive season. They are very similar in the outfield. And Comerica's spacious center field really helps Granderson get to a few more balls that would likely be HR or off of the wall in Cleveland.
I really like this debate column. Great idea!
5 months ago
i know you'll say close but no cigar to this joe but the tribe reallly should have gone to the world series last year after being up 3-1. Pitching did them in, during games 6-7, similarly to how the tigers pitching (or should i say pitchers fielding) did the tigers in. I honestly dont believe any team could have beaten the red sox last year but we came damn close.
what does that have to do with anything? nothing really. were talking about the individual players. If we want to debate teams, we'll do that next time haha. The fact is titles reads this way: Granderson-0 Sizemore-0. end of story.
I wish you could convince some of your fellow tigers fans to get on here and debate. maybe they already realize the truth...Sizemore > Granderson
5 months ago
I love the humor in your article which seems to be lost to others, I think all things considered they are pretty evenly matched. If Granderson had played as well as he is now at the beginning of the season he would surpass Sizemore, but should have, could have, Didn't! but one area Granderson has Sizemore beat is salary, Granderson's 10,000,00 is considerably more than Sizemore's 3,166,666 and you know the saying about how Money talks!
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