Coach Caliendo enjoys his conversation with 16 year Major League Veteran and
3 time All Star Curtis Granderson. This conversation is special because we
get a look into how Curtis trained, prepared daily and for a long season. He
also discusses what it takes to become a great teammate, player and last
long in the game.
Items discussed:

*       What makes a great teammate and what is the value to the team.
*       If you were a General Manager of a Major League Team what
characteristics would you look for in selecting players.
*       During times of failure, you seemed to never show it, when did you
learn to deal with it, how?
*       What did your off season routine look like?
*       Curtis talks about the importance of players at a young age playing
many sports and why. Also, the medical implications.
*       As a hitter how did you prepare for each game.
*       In the 16 years you went through many changes in the game, what
things did you do different in hitting later in your career?
*       Defensively, things you worked on to make yourself better.
*       344 home runs, where you get the power? He talks about Staying tight
and connected in the swing.
*       What is your message to parents out there when having kids play
baseball?
*       Curtis discussed his charities and why they are important to him.
*       And so much more.
*
Curtis Granderson Twitter @cgrand3

Curtis Granderson Jr. (born March 16, 1981) is an American former
professional baseball <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_baseball>
outfielder <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outfielder> . He played in Major
League Baseball <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball>  (MLB)
for the Detroit Tigers <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Tigers> , New
York Yankees <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees> , New York
Mets <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Mets> , Los Angeles Dodgers
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers> , Toronto Blue Jays
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Blue_Jays> , Milwaukee Brewers
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Brewers> , and Miami Marlins
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Marlins> .
Granderson played college baseball
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_baseball>  at the University of
Illinois at Chicago
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Illinois_at_Chicago> . He was
selected by the Tigers in the 2002 MLB draft
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Major_League_Baseball_draft> . He made
his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2004. Granderson is a three-time MLB
All-Star <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game>
, and won a Silver Slugger Award
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Slugger_Award>  in 2011. As of 2019,
he led active players in career triples, was 2nd in career strikeouts, was
5th in career home runs, and was the 6th-oldest player in the National
League.[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>
Off the field, Granderson is recognized for his commitment to the community
through outreach and charity work.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  Many of his charitable
endeavors support inner-city <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_city>
children. He has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad. Granderson has
won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Players_Choice_Award>  four times and the
Roberto Clemente Award
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Clemente_Award>  in 2016 in
recognition of his contributions in the community.
Granderson grew up in Blue Island, Illinois
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Island,_Illinois> , and Lynwood,
Illinois <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynwood,_Illinois> , south suburbs
of Chicago <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago> .[3]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  His father, Curtis, Sr.,
was a dean <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_(education)>  and physical
education <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_education>  teacher at
Nathan Hale Elementary School in Illinois. His mother, Mary, taught
chemistry <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry>  at Curie Metropolitan
High School <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curie_Metropolitan_High_School>
in Chicago. Granderson's half-sister, Monica, is an English professor at
Jackson State University
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_State_University> .[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>
As a child, Granderson grew up a fan of the Atlanta Braves
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Braves> , choosing not to root for
the hometown Chicago Cubs <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Cubs>
because he often rushed home from school to watch Saved by the Bell
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saved_by_the_Bell>  and was disappointed when
a Cubs game was on instead.[5]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  Granderson attended
Thornton Fractional South High School
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Fractional_South_High_School>  (T.F.
South) in Lansing <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansing,_Illinois> ,[6]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  where he played baseball
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball>  and basketball
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball> .[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  During his high school
baseball career, Granderson batted
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batting_average_(baseball)>  .369 with 11
home runs <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_run>  and 88 runs batted in
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_batted_in>  (RBI), and was named an
All-State selection his senior year.[6]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  Granderson wore #14 at
T.F. South, choosing the number because his father wore it while playing
softball <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball> .[7]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  T.F. South honored
Granderson by retiring his jersey in a December 2011 ceremony.[6]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>
Granderson was recruited by a number of college baseball
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_baseball>  programs, and he chose the
University of Illinois at Chicago
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Illinois_at_Chicago>  (UIC), in
part because they allowed him to play basketball in addition to baseball.[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  However, Granderson quit
basketball two weeks into his freshman year in order to concentrate on
baseball.[4] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>
As a freshman at UIC in 2000, Granderson led the UIC Flames
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UIC_Flames>  baseball team with seven home
runs <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_run>  and 45 walks
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_on_balls> . He followed that by hitting
.304 as a sophomore, leading the team in runs
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_(baseball)> , home runs, and walks. After
his sophomore year, Granderson played in a summer collegiate league for the
Mankato Mashers, now known as the MoonDogs
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mankato_MoonDogs> , of the Northwoods League
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwoods_League> , where he batted .328 in
44 games, with eight doubles
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_(baseball)> , two triples
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_(baseball)> , one home run, 17 RBI, 28
runs scored, and 15 stolen bases.[8]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>
During his junior season at UIC, Granderson batted .483, second in the
nation to Rickie Weeks <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickie_Weeks> .[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  Granderson was named
Second-Team All-American <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-American>  by
Baseball America <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_America>  and USA
Today <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Today> ‘s Baseball Weekly
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Weekly>  and a Third-Team Louisville
Slugger <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisville_Slugger>  NCAA Division I
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I>  All-American. He graduated
from UIC with a double major in business administration and business
marketing.[3] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson> [9]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>  On February 6, 2013
Granderson had his number 28 retired by UIC.[10]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Granderson>

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