Before the Mets traded him to the Dodgers on Friday, outfielder Curtis Granderson wasn't sure about his baseball future after 2017. He is a free agent and is expected to test the market.
But don't worry. If he doesn't sign with a team after the season, Granderson plans to go back to college and get his master's degree in education and continue to be involved in the Grand Kids Foundation, which he established 10 years ago.
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Granderson, 36, may want to stay involved in the Major League Baseball Players Association and continue to fight for players' rights.
"If there are teams that want me to continue to play, obviously, physically and mentally, I feel I can do that," said Granderson on the Newsmakers podacst. "But if there are no options for me to play, it has been a great run. I've enjoyed it. It has been a lot of fun. There are some other things I want to do when baseball finally comes to an end."
Forget about Granderson becoming a coach or manager. He wants to spend that time mentoring kids or conducting coaching clinics.
"I'll sit back and watch. I want to be a fan of the game," Granderson said. "When I have kids, I'm going to sit in the stands and watch."
If his playing career comes to an end, Granderson has plenty to be proud about. He is a three-time All-Star, who helped the Tigers reach the World Series in 2006. His best years were with the Yankees. Who can forget 2011 when he scored a career-high 136 runs, drove in 119 runs and had a WAR of 5.7? With the Mets, Granderson was a catalyst in helping them reach the World Series in 2015.
Granderson is proud of the fact that he was able to handle the city of New York. It helped that he grew up in Chicago.
"I just go about my business and play," Granderson said. "Chicago and New York are two very large markets. But once you step on the field, it's still the same game.
"There are obviously some things that changes it. New York being the largest sports market in the United States, possibly the world, adds some different challenges, but it could be fun. Continue to be yourself, go out there and play hard. Put the effort in, then everybody will respect you regardless."
Entering Saturday's action, Granderson was hitting .228 with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs. Take away April and half of May, he has a .278 batting average with a .400 on-base percentage.
"I've always been a slow starter. I'm not sure why," Granderson said. "I've been trying to figure that out. That's the frustrating part. But at the same time you understand with almost 500 to 600 at-bats over the course of the season, you can't lock into one month of the season and say, 'This is going to be it.' You are going to have a lot of at-bats that are going to get you where you need to be in the end."
Granderson hopes he can be productive and help the Dodgers win their first World Series since 1988.