Tigers place Granderson on DL

Mar 23, 2008 - 3:02 PM DETROIT (Ticker) The Detroit Tigers will be without a key member of their lineup to begin the season.

The Tigers placed outfielder Curtis Granderson on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a broken finger in his right hand.

Granderson suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning of Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Philadelphia in Clearwater.

In 15 games this spring, Granderson hit .306 with three doubles, three triples, four home runs and eight RBI.

The Tigers signed the 26-year-old to a new five-year contract in February, with a team option for 2013.

In 2007, Granderson hit .302 with 23 home runs, 74 RBI and 122 runs scored. He also stole 26 bases from the leadoff spot in the Tigers' potent lineup.

He added 38 doubles and 23 triples, making him the only the second player in major league history to collect at least 30 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season.

In 373 career games - all for Detroit - Granderson has hit .280 with 50 home runs, 162 RBI and 232 runs scored.