TAMPA — Curtis Granderson is going to be named the Yankees’ center fielder to open the season, The Post has learned.
The Yankees had come to spring training open minded about the possibility of Granderson playing left and Brett Gardner manning center. They had both statistical data and late-season eyeball scouting to suggest Granderson had slipped defensively as a center fielder while believing that Gardner had a chance to be one of the rangiest center fielders in the game.
And, early in camp, Granderson did give the Yankees concern by not looking especially effective in center, particularly in his penchant for taking awkward routes.
However, as camp has progressed, Granderson has played center better and better, well enough that the Yankees have not seen a significant gap between him and Gardner defensively. And in order to move the more established player off of his position, the Yanks were going to have to feel that Gardner was far superior in center to Granderson.
The Yanks preferred not to move Granderson anyway. He was their key acquisition in the offseason and they wanted him to get comfortable as quickly as possible, and figured changing positions could harm that aim. They also have to be concerned that Gardner never proves he is an everyday player, which could have forced them to have to move Granderson back to center during the season if Gardner lost a regular job.
So now Gardner will get a chance to demonstrate he is an everyday player as the Yankees’ left fielder.