GRANDERSON

Team will make Curtis see eye specialist

the source of his problems at the plate.

The Yankees conduct standard physicals on their players each spring, including an eye test. The source said Granderson did not have his eyes checked again during the season, prompting some inside the organization to speculate that his vision could be at the root of his struggles.

This isn’t the first time Granderson's eyes have been an issue. In February of 2010, Granderson told the Daily News that he had been diagnosed with 20/30 vision shortly after being traded to the Yankees, prompting him to try wearing contact lenses for the first time in his career.

“They said, ‘Your vision is 20/30, so let’s see if we can improve it,’ ” Granderson said at the time. “For most people, they’d let it go, but since we can possibly make me see better to hit, who knows? We’ll see.”

Granderson, who turns 32 in March, struck out 116 times in 2010, his first season with the lenses. That number rose to 169 last season, then ballooned to a career-high 195 this year. He also was 3-for-30 with 16 whiffs in 30 postseason at-bats.

It’s unclear whether Granderson continued wearing the lenses during the past two seasons. Matt Brown, Granderson’s agent, was unavailable for comment Friday.

The Yankees are expected to pick up Granderson’s option for 2013, which jumped from $13 million to $15 million thanks to his fourth-place finish in the 2011 American League MVP vote. The Yankees are also expected to pick up the $15 million option on Robinson Cano.

Picking up Granderson’s option is a no-brainer, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be a part of the lineup in 2013. Granderson does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, making him one of the few movable parts for the Yankees if they choose to make any major deals this winter.

Granderson has hit .247/.337/.506 during his three seasons i n New York, belting 84 home runs over the past two seasons, 10 more than any other player in the majors. His 364 strikeouts during that stretch are the third-highest in the majors, trailing only Adam Dunn (399) and Drew Stubbs (371).

Although his home run numbers have swelled considerably — Granderson hit 30 in 2009, but had never topped 24 homers in any other season prior to 2011 — his all-around game has suffered as a result.

Granderson’s best overall season was 2007, when he hit .302/.361/.552 with 23 homers, 74 RBI, 38 doubles, a leaguehigh 23 triples and 26 stolen bases. His 338 total bases that season remain his career-high despite his two 40-homer campaigns the past two years.