TAMPA — While the Yankees have had “a conversation or two” about offering an extension to Robinson Cano this offseason, according to Hal Steinbrenner, they have yet to reach out to Curtis Granderson as he enters the final year of his contract.
Not surprisingly, Granderson said he would listen if they wanted to talk.
“Definitely,” said Granderson, who is set to become a free agent for the first time after the season. “I’d be a fool not to. It’s been a great organization, it’s been a great team. I’ve enjoyed my three seasons here and I’m so excited about this fourth season. Hopefully it isn’t the last one.”
A bounce-back season by the center fielder would go a long way toward ensuring he stays in pinstripes.
After a terrific season in 2011, when he finished fourth in the AL MVP voting, Granderson slipped a year ago.
He hit 43 homers and drove in 106 runs, but he struck out 195 times and his OPS fell from .916 to .811.
Granderson followed that up with a nightmarish postseason, going just 3-for-19 against the Orioles in the ALDS before an 0-for-11 disaster in the ALCS sweep by the Tigers.
Despite those struggles, which included a combined 16 strikeouts in 33 playoff plate appearances, Granderson said he does not intend to make any significant adjustments heading into this season.
“I’ve had some people say, ‘You strike out too much’ and I start thinking, ‘What’s a good number? Is there a good number?’ ” Granderson said. “And there isn’t. It’s going to happen. If I can get a little more consistent, hopefully not get to two strikes as much and get a little more aggressive, I think that’s going to translate to good things.”
He altered his offseason routine a bit after chatting with Ichiro Suzuki.
“I talked to Ichiro about … when he starts hitting and kind of tweaked it a little bit,” Granderson said. “I may have hit two weeks earlier [than normal].”
With sluggers Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Raul Ibanez gone, Granderson’s power likely will play an even more important role in the Yankees’ offense, but he doesn’t plan on letting that have an impact on him.
And he insisted he would be fine shifting to left field to make room for Brett Gardner in center.
“I played all three outfield positions in college and coming up in the minor leagues,” Granderson said. “It’s been a while since I’ve done it in the big leagues, but I have done it.”
True, but Granderson has started just three games in left in the majors — and none since 2007.
The Yankees are interested in taking advantage of Gardner’s speed in center.
“If they’re open to it, I’m open to it, too,” Granderson said. “I feel like I can float around there.”
* Though David Aardsma was healthy at the end of last year, he did not feel completely comfortable on the mound.
“I felt good, but I wasn’t fully back into pitching mode,” said Aardsma, who spent much of the season rehabbing from July 2011 Tommy John surgery before making a single appearance in September.
The former Mariners right-hander has thrown four bullpen sessions and experienced no problems as he tries out for a bullpen that features Mariano Rivera and David Robertson at the back end and question marks elsewhere.
“It feels good to be getting ready for a real spring training for once,” Aardsma said.