an invitation to spring training and provided him with a $1.75 million salary if he made the major league roster, which he did - batting .189 in the first half of the season. For the 2019 season he batted .183/.281/.356 in 317 at bats, with his on base percentage and slugging percentages both career lows. He was the sixth-oldest player in the National League. Retirement and post-playing career Granderson announced his retirement from baseball on January 31, 2020. As of 2021, he serves as the president of the Players Alliance, an organization of active and former Major League players that works to increase opportunities for black athletes to participate in professional baseball. As of 2022, Granderson is a host for MLB on TBS. Personal life Granderson is an avid fan of WWE, and attended WrestleMania 23 in Detroit. He considers The Ultimate Warrior, The Undertaker, Junkyard Dog and "Macho Man" Randy Savage to be his favorite wrestlers. He is also an avid fan of college basketball and of the Kansas Jayhawks. Off the field, Granderson has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball International. He has traveled to England, Italy, the Netherlands, France, South Africa, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan to promote baseball. In appreciation for his efforts, Commissioner Bud Selig penned a thank you letter to Granderson which read in part, "There are so many fine young men playing Major League baseball today, but I can think of no one who is better suited to represent our national pastime than you." He has also served as something of an unofficial baseball ambassador to the African-American community, often participating in and initiating dialogue about the lack of Black players at all levels of the sport. When he endorsed Nike, Inc., Louisville Slugger and Rawlings, he asked them to donate money to his foundation or equipment to inner-city baseball programs rather than pay him. His foundation, Grand Kids Foundation, has raised money to benefit the educations of inner-city children around the country. Granderson wrote a children's book, All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It!, which was published in August 2009. The book is illustrated by students of the New York City public school system. In February 2010, Granderson represented MLB at a White House function announcing Let's Move!, a childhood anti-obesity effort sponsored by First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. Granderson donated $5