Granderson on Team USA

DETROIT–Former UIC baseball standout and current Detroit Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson has received and accepted an invitation to play for Team USA at the second World Baseball Classic in March.

Granderson will begin workouts with Team USA on March 2. The World Baseball Classic begins on March 7 when the U.S. plays Canada in Toronto.

“It means a lot to me,” Granderson told DetroitTigers.com. “We are talking about representing my country. It is an honor to be considered among the best in our nation and to be able to represent my country on the field in an amazing event. We are trying to make the game of baseball a more globalized game, and it is humbling to be a part of that process.”

The final 28-man rosters for each country are revealed on Feb. 24.

Last season, Granderson batted .280 with 22 home runs and 66 RBIs in 141 games for the Tigers. In 2007, the UIC grad had 23 homers, 23 triples, 38 doubles and 26 steals, becoming just the third player in major league history with 20-plus homers, 20-plus triples, 20-plus doubles and 20-plus stolen bases and the first since the legendary Willie Mays accomplished the feat in 1957.

Granderson has represented Major League Baseball as an ambassador around the globe for the past few years, including a trip to meet with the International Olympic Committee this past November to propose restoring baseball to the Olympic Games beginning in 2016.

One of the best players to ever don a UIC uniform, Granderson finished his UIC career as the school’s all-time leader in single-season batting average (.483, 2002) single-season hits (100, 2002) single-season runs (76, 2002) and career runs scored (178, 2000- 2002).

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