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Detroit Tigers: Who will be the Tigers next Hall of Famer?

By Andy Patton

DETROIT, MI - JUNE 15: Torii Hunter #48 of the Detroit Tigers bats during the fifth inning of the game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on June 15, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Twins 4-3. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 15: Torii Hunter #48 of the Detroit Tigers bats during the fifth inning of the game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on June 15, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Twins 4-3. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers slides back into first base to avoid a tag during action on opening day against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO on April 3, 2006. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images)
Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers slides back into first base to avoid a tag during action on opening day against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO on April 3, 2006. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images) /

Curtis Granderson

At age 36 and coming off a pretty ugly season, Granderson may not have much time left before he calls it quits. However, he still managed to blast 26 home runs last year. If he puts together two more solid seasons his Hall of Fame case will grow considerably.

Granderson spent his first six seasons in Detroit. He did not become a full-time player until the magical 2006 season, where he hit .260 with 19 home runs and 8 stolen bases.

In 2007, Granderson joined an incredibly exclusive club by posting a 20-20-20-20 season. He accrued 38 doubles, a league-leading 23 triples, 23 home runs and 26 stolen bases. He also hit .302 and finished 10th in MVP voting. Granderson led the league in triples again in 2008 and made his first All-Star team in 2009, when he blasted 30 home runs.

He was traded after the 2009 season to the Yankees in a three team trade that netted the Tigers Phil Coke, Austin Jackson, Daniel Schlereth and Max Scherzer.

Across his 14-year-career, Granderson has smacked 319 home runs and stole 151 bases. He’s hit 92 triples and 307 doubles while also scoring 1,113 runs.

Granderson has been an All-Star three times, won the 2011 Silver Slugger Award and has a career 115 OPS+ and 45.8 bWAR.

Similar to Hunter, Granderson will have to stack up favorably to Hall of Fame snubs like Kenny Lofton, Jim Edmonds, Chet Lemon and potentially Andruw Jones (who is currently only receiving 5.6% of votes).

Through the 2017 season, Granderson falls short of Hall consideration. However, two or three more seasons could get him around 400 career home runs, over 2000 hits and over 50 career WAR. That would put him in range of Torii Hunter and Jim Edmonds, offensively.

Defensively, while Granderson was very good, he is not on the level that Edmonds and Hunter were. So even if he catches them offensively, his odds of reaching the Hall of Fame seem slim.

Still, there is always a chance Granderson goes on a late-career surge and gets love from the Hall of Fame voters.

Next up is the only sure-fire, can’t miss Hall of Famer on this list:

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