Mark Teixeira Pays Tribute to Yankees Teammate Curtis Granderson Following Retirement Announcement
By Adam Weinrib
Though Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson never actually won a ring together in Pinstripes, they teamed up during some of the most power-packed years in the team's recent vintage.
And on the occasion of Granderson's retirement from the bigs, Tex stepped up to the plate once more to congratulate his brother in arms.
One of my favorite teammates of all time, thank you @cgrand3 for all of your contributions to the game of baseball and the communities you serve. Enjoy retirement my friend! https://t.co/UoW7Ak5VcF
— Mark Teixeira (@teixeiramark25) January 31, 2020
Granderson showed out with the Yankees, slamming 41 and 43 homers in back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012, before the injury bug hit him in '13 (as it often did Tex, as well), felled by a fractured wrist in the season's early going.
He made World Series runs in 2006 with the Tigers and 2015 with the Mets, but ultimately ended up ringless. That's the sole reason Teixeira's Yankees career will likely garner more historical accolades than Grandy's, though. The kid with the high socks likely outperformed Big Tex. It's just a shame he couldn't have arrived in trade a year earlier, playing the Melky Cabrera role for a World Series winner.
This is exactly what Curtis Granderson was about his whole career.
— Freddie Benson (@DeeH_NYC) January 31, 2020
Down 2-0 in the series.
Down 3-2 in the game.
In his home ballpark.
Doing whatever he needed to do. Rallying the team and the fan base. Consummate professional.
Thanks for everything Grandy! pic.twitter.com/1XCC0PsfwT
No moment was too big for Granderson, and no stage too loud. He's got plenty to say in his post-baseball life, and though Teixeira's retirement took him to broadcasting, we wouldn't be shocked to see Grandy use his oration for more important purposes.