Yay? Sizemore's comeback progressing

Buster Olney offers some more details about Sizermore's rehab program, and then offers this less than enticing "what if" scenario if Sizemore does get healthy:

If Sizemore comes back and is a star again, a whole lot of logical questions will follow: Because Sizemore's current contract has a 2012 option for $8.5 million, would it make sense for the Indians to pick up the option? Would it make sense for them to trade him, in their effort to rebuild their pitching?

over 1 year ago TheDanimal 31 comments 0 recs |

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in their effort to rebuild their pitching?

The Tribe needs to rebuild its hitting, too, Buster.

by JulioBernazard on Jan 17, 2011 1:00 PM EST reply actions

Or could/should the Indians restructure the contract now to tack on a few more guaranteed years at a much lower annual rate? For example, make the 2012 and 2013 seasons worth 4.3 million each. Takes some pressure off Sizemore and the Indians don’t lose any trade possibilities (or even make them stronger).

by FranklinScott on Jan 17, 2011 1:39 PM EST reply actions

Moved from swan pool terrace (swan) to fresh restaurant (dolphin).

by westbrook on Jan 17, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions

Well, I guess you’re suggesting my numbers are wishful thinking for Sizemore to accept. But there’s at least some amount of risk in his present situation, right? Just like with multi-year arbitration deals, you want to work out with the player an optimal trade of risk for security. I would think that given the nature of his injury, he’s at at least as much risk of collapsing as he was in 2006.

This could be relevant, too.

The agreement includes an $8.5 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout. If the option is exercised, the deal would total $31.45 million over seven seasons, and the option price could increase to $10.5 million depending on whether Sizemore is an All-Star, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger or does well in MVP voting.

If traded, the option becomes Sizemore’s decision and the buyout is forfeited if he declines the option. He would alsod get a $500,000 payment if traded, and the salaries in the remaining years of the contract would increase by 10 percent.

by FranklinScott on Jan 17, 2011 3:21 PM EST up reply actions

it’s not out of the question that he takes maybe $2M less in 2012 and maybe 2013. But “Takes some pressure off Sizemore” is a ridiculous thing to say. If he takes less, it will be a business decision, as in “with my option declined, I’m worth 3/16 on the open market, why turn down 2/13?”

Moved from swan pool terrace (swan) to fresh restaurant (dolphin).

by westbrook on Jan 17, 2011 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

By “pressure,” I mostly meant risk, but is it really ridiculous to think a player might be rash coming off an injury in anticipation of free agency or that it could play games with his head?

by FranklinScott on Jan 17, 2011 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

I’ve written Sizemore off for at least the first 3 months of the season. The central tenet in re-habbing a player post-micrFx surgery is keeping pressure off the knee joint. So if Mr. Scott reference to pressure is the dynamic compression forces on his knee, I’m all for it. I just think that whoever Sizemore is playing for in 2012 will be the beneficiary of the Indians restraint.

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on Jan 17, 2011 10:51 PM EST up reply actions

I can’t imagine a reality in which both parties would agree to such a silly proposal. Can you give me an example where this has ever occurred before?

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on Jan 17, 2011 10:56 PM EST up reply actions

Does baseball allow restructuring in the way outlined? I know you can defer money but can you add years without signing a new extension all together?

by The Grimace on Jan 18, 2011 12:52 AM EST up reply actions

It’s not that unusual, I just think he has the dollars all wrong.

When Sabathia was at this exact point in his Indians career, he signed an extension which locked in his club option year and added two additional guaranteed years at around $10 million per.

I could see Sizemore doing the same type of deal in April.

by Jay on Jan 18, 2011 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

Having to watch the guys play, it’s just miserable.

I agree with you Grady. I know how you feel.

by JulioBernazard on Jan 17, 2011 2:52 PM EST reply actions 3 recs

surely if he becomes a ‘star’ again, $8.5 million for that production is affordable even for us, right?

by ASP on Jan 18, 2011 7:39 AM EST reply actions

But we don’t know if he will become a “star” again. That’s the point. Me, I think he’ll recover some – just some – of his “stardom” but not in 2011 and not with the Indians.

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on Jan 18, 2011 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

Depressing.

by Gradyforpresident on Jan 20, 2011 2:36 PM EST reply actions

Shield your eyes from this one:

If Brett Gardner were to start slowly and have a poor first half, the Yankees would be willing to look for an upgrade. If Sizemore has a decent first half, expect the Yankees to at least kick the tires. The Yankees and Indians have matched up as trade partners in the past (Hello, Kerry and Austin), so talks could progress.

by odradek on Jan 20, 2011 4:21 PM EST reply actions

I guess there is just no convincing baseball writers to read Sizemore’s contract terms, and then take a minute to figure out that there’s no way he’ll be traded this season. Not even the Yankees will pay the Indians as much for a half-season of Sizemore as he’s worth to the Indians for 1.5 seasons, which would include getting the equivalent trade value a year later. This is the main point. The smaller point would be that it’s hard to imagine the Indians punting on 2012, especially by trading their franchise player before they really have to.

by Jay on Jan 21, 2011 11:24 AM EST up reply actions

Sportwriters are dumm sometimes

by JulioBernazard on Jan 21, 2011 5:22 PM EST up reply actions

it’s hard to imagine the Indians punting on 2012

No, no it’s not.

Our best players wear suits.

by mauichuck on Jan 21, 2011 11:02 PM EST up reply actions

I failed to complete my thought. It’s hard to see them punting on 2012 before 2011 has even ended. And again, even if they do punt on 2012 during 2011, they still can’t trade Grady before the end of 2011 without screwing up his 2012 option.

by Jay on Jan 22, 2011 1:17 AM EST up reply actions

What’s an option to the New York Yankees? Just add $25 million to Grady’s contract, and he’s happy in the Bronx.

by odradek on Jan 22, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Except that it won’t work like that. As long as he’s on the Indians, he’s under control through the end of 2012. The minute he’s traded, he becomes a two-month rental.

The Yankees are not going to give Sizemore an extension in-season, after a trade, and the Indians aren’t going to give them a negotiating window with Sizemore’s agent during the trade negotiations. I really think that’s inconceivable, in a situation where the Indians don’t really have to make a move.

The Yankees, in turn, are not going to give THE INDIANS enough to trade our marquee player, whom we could keep for another year and THEN trade, when THEY only get to keep him for two months.

by Jay on Jan 22, 2011 3:00 PM EST up reply actions

Hypothetical 2011 deadline deal: Yankees offer to buy out Sizemore’s 2012 option for $14 million if he agrees to a trade. Sizemore’s 2012 choice is then to stay with the Indians for $8.5, or make $14 million with the Yankees. In either case, he’s going to be held to a contract in 2012 (because the Indians will surely activate the option otherwise). The issue for the Indians is if the Yankees offer enough…Jesus Montero plus?? Would Sizemore turn down $5.5 million just to stay with the Indians for another year.

by Bogalusa Bomber on Jan 23, 2011 5:32 AM EST up reply actions

Okay, good — now we’re getting warm.

This is relatively plausible as far as the piece in between Sizemore and the Yankees. Now the questions is, what would the Yankees be willing to give the Indians, on top of satisfying Sizemore in this way?

The Yankees would be getting ~1.4 years of Sizemore at market rate (about $17 million), but the Indians are giving up ~1.4 years of Sizemore at a BARGAIN rate and/or the right to trade Sizemore to another team later. What is that worth to the Indians?

Compare with the Victor Martinez situation, except that the team will be under even less pressure to make a deal.

by Jay on Jan 23, 2011 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

If Sizemore is worth $14 million then the Yankees would have to both blow us away with the talent they offer, ready-now-for-the-show talent, and the Indians would have to be convinced they’d be better off for contention, not just later but now. They only way that could happen is if Brantley explodes (in a good way), as does Weglarz or some other other new outfield candidate, or somebody comes in a trade. Myself, I don’t see it, but stranger things have happened.

If the Yankees feel they could sign a resurgent Sizemore longterm, they’d probably be willing to give up some serious talent. But also depends if their current outfielders don’t cut it. Lots of moving parts, but the Indians never thought they’d be out of contention in 2008, which sparked all sorts of moves.

by Bogalusa Bomber on Jan 23, 2011 8:56 PM EST up reply actions

Sorry we’re off the front page of the site. I just get so busy with work takes a while to respond.

I have to laugh at myself with the line “if the Yankees feel they could sign a resurgent Sizemore longterm”. Has that ever not happened?

by Bogalusa Bomber on Jan 23, 2011 9:20 PM EST up reply actions

I agree. As far as we can predict now, the Indians would have to feel that the return from the Yankees trade would put them in a superior position specifically for the 2012 season, not just long-term.

What we’re talking about here, simply, is a deal that Cashman would not do of his own accord, because it would surrender too much talent. It would have to come from a Steinbrenner.

by Jay on Jan 23, 2011 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

Mr. Sizemore is no longer the Indians’ franchise player. I don’t know how that designation works in the NFL, but if the Tribe had to protect one player, it would be Santana. Grady isn’t even in the top five.

by odradek on Jan 22, 2011 2:10 PM EST up reply actions