Miami Marlins: Why Curtis Granderson is vital in Lewis Brinson’s development
With a very competitive crowd in the National League East, the rebuilding Miami Marlins have little hopes at making the postseason in 2019. Instead, this year is all about the development of players like Lewis Brinson.
The development of talented young Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson comes through the mentorship of veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson.
Granderson, 38, joined the Marlins on a one-year, $1.75 million deal late in the offseason. The veteran outfielder brings 15 seasons of experience to a young Marlins team. He is renowned for being a fantastic clubhouse presence, which is vital when most of the Marlins teams is on the younger side.
He was the 2016 Roberto Clemente Award recipient, which goes to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship and community involvement. Grandy has been mentoring younger outfielders for years, like Michael Conforto with the New York Mets from 2015 to 2017and Randal Grichuk with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.
Now, Lewis Brinson has the opportunity to learn from Granderson.
Brinson requested to have their lockers next to each other, so he would have more access to the veteran. He wants to be right next to him in case he has anything to ask him.
He really sees that there is a lot to learn from Grandy and wants to make sure he takes it all in and make improvements. He wants to see what make Granderson’s career so successful.
Brinson noticed how Granderson always brings water in his pocket out to batting practice. That is one thing the 25-year old added into his routine. They are in the same hitting group and go through stretching routines together.
Even though he does not deem himself a “mentor”, the three-time All-Star has been to the postseason eight times. According to David Wilson of the Miami Herald:
"“I think it just kind of happens naturally when you’re in this game and you play with each other for as long as you do, and you’re on the field for as long as you are and you’re playing similar pitchers,” Granderson said. “And your lockers are near each other, no matter what you naturally are just going to talk about certain things.”"
Despite whatever he says, in their series against the New York Mets, the two were basically inseparable during pre-game routines. They hit together, talked with each other as they watched the rest of the team hit, and did drills together in the outfield. They even sat next to each other on the team’s flight to Atlanta this week so that they could have some extra time to talk.
Brinson is coming off of an underwhelming rookie season, where he batted just .199 in 109 games. However, the organization views him as the centerfielder of the future. The Miami Marlins acquired the 25-year old as the key return from the Milwaukee Brewers for Christian Yellich prior the 2018 season.
Brinson has shown some improvements in the early season, batting .269 through seven games. Miami looks for Brinson to continue improving during his second full season, as well as Granderson being a part of the team’s production as well. The two outfielders have built a relationship that goes beyond baseball and will help instill some of Granderson’s heroic values in Brinson.