Rosenthal: Indians Close to Re-Signing Sizemore
by Ryan on Nov 19, 2011 1:09 AM EST
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Ken Rosenthal submitted this at 9 PM:
Grady Sizemore appears to be headed back to the Indians.
The free-agent outfielder is in serious discussions with his previous team, according to his agent, Joe Urbon.
Now this could just be posturing from his agent so that the other interested teams up their offers, or it could just mean that Sizemore wants to play in Cleveland next year. If the Indians bring back Sizemore, he's going to be their center fielder; I'm not sure how many of the other clubs are promising that.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweeted another quote from Urbon:
"The
#Indians came at us with an aggressive offer,'' said agent Joe Urbon. He says the two sides have "exchanged proposals.''
Obviously that doesn't mean the Indians are going to sign him, but it does hint that the Indians are at least close to any other offer.
Jordan Bastian also has chimed in, echoing Rosenthal but also including a quote from Chris Antonetti:
"I will refrain from specifically commenting on any speculation," Antonetti wrote in an e-mail to MLB.com. "But we remain interested in keeping Grady in an Indians' uniform and have expressed that sentiment to Grady and his representatives."
Bastian brought up a good point later in the article: because Sizemore can't work out for other clubs, the Indians are at an advantage because they are intimately aware of Sizemore's health.
More to come...
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Why not be aggressive up until the rule 5 since we have the medical report advantage. Not sure what the limits are on incentives but try this one for size: 2 mil base and up to 10 mil incentives plus a team option for 12 mill if he reaches 500 PAs with a 2.5 mil buyout.
Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic. - Robert S. Wieder
Wrong as it may be, I’m a happier fan with Grady on our DL than in someone else’s outfield and all the more for relative permutations in between.
by Brick. on Nov 19, 2011 3:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Seconded.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Nov 19, 2011 7:25 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Agreed. And he’ll instantly be my favorite Indian if he re-signs.
My watch is broken... it's stuck on Tribe Time
#suckitLaw
by Turkmenbashi on Nov 19, 2011 10:41 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Grady and his agent may also be smart enough to recognize the transition to a new ball club (especially with the injuries) carries big risks. They need a solid season on the field before they can go for the big payday. If the money is close (and they now have a gauge for what the market would pay), it’s better to stay with what you know for the time being.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Nov 19, 2011 7:35 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Thought of this after reading the news: Grady is exactly the type of free agent the Indians would ordinarily go after, hoping to strike gold on someone else’s damaged goods. Makes sense that they would get aggressive on a 1-2 year offer.
by tflannery on Nov 19, 2011 7:39 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions
As the person who wrote this:
Sizemore is the Indians best option for adding (keeping?) real talent to the outfield/first base mix.
Sign me up.
I dunno. If they give him Delucci money I guess I’m OK with this but I don’t expect much more outta Sizemore than I did Delucci.
Our best players wear suits.
Are what you expected out of Dellucci and what we received the same thing?
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
I’ve got to admit I’m a little less happy about this potential Grady signing than I expected. I mean, if it’s going to be a one-year deal, what do we get out of this besides the privilege of taking the risk on one year of Grady? (And, I know, the chance that he’ll have an amazing comeback year.)
Depending on the money, it’s easy to wonder if even someone like Kubel would be a better fit given their respective injury histories. What’s insurance going to cost on Grady? Would the team have the money to pick up someone else via trade if Grady goes down and the team is actually in the running for the central?
That said, bringing Delucci into this is unacceptable. Delucci posted an 80-something OPS+ over his 2.5 years in Cleveland and a NEGATIVE WAR every single year here, according to BR. Even last year, Grady had a 95 OPS+ and was good for a .5 WAR.
Delucci’s name should never being invoked in even a remotely positive way on this site, in my opinion. From his on-the-field performance to his ridiculous Night at the Roxbury-esque attire in the photos on his old website, Delucci was an abomination. Curse Buck Showalter. Curse Shapiro for listening to him. Curse Cleveland baseball free-agent signings in the 2000s.
Of course, had Delucci actually charged the mound and punched Joba, that would have been a lifetime positive WAR in my book.
Even last year, Grady had a 95 OPS+ and was good for a .5 WAR
Talk about a low bar. So you don’t like Deluch’ssense of style? OK, I’m good with that. You say Deluch can’t field his position? No argument here. And he’s not the second coming of Tris Speaker? Now there’s an absolute Truth. But here’s something Delucci did for which I am ever grateful. He hit a 3 run bomb in the eighth offa Joba to beat the Yankees in Yankee Stadium with me in the stands. It was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw and shut up every Yankee fan in attendance.
If Sizemore can do that once next year I’m all for giving Grady his 9mil and calling it good.
Our best players wear suits.
As long as he can walk he’s probably the best of the free agent outfielders. So whether this is a good deal or a bad one would seem to me to turn, at least until the season is well underway and we see if Grady can still play, on the contract. Go Antonetti!
by MTF on Nov 19, 2011 10:05 AM EST via mobile reply actions
From Olney’s ESPN Insider column today:
in all likelihood, a lot of teams were probably offering him a salary very similar to what the Indians had offered.
So it makes sense that Sizemore would go back to a team where he is well-known, where he has a good relationship and comfort level with what is regarded as arguably baseball’s best medical staff, where he knows he will get at-bats. He owns a condo in Cleveland, and he knows the Indians have a shot to win next year. Friends say Sizemore also feels a little like he owes the Indians something because of his recent physical problems.
That last part wouldn’t surprise me with a guy like Grady. I’m not counting on it, but it would be nice if it were true.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
by USSChoo on Nov 19, 2011 5:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Next move could be to try and sign good Choo to a one year deal as well.
by Brick. on Nov 19, 2011 6:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions
All for it. The incentives should be structured such that the deal well exceeds $9m if he stays on the field.
Can I personally throw in an incentive if he plays 81 games or more in CF? I really want to beat Chuck.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
I wonder what the new CBA will say about this. Previously, for example, you could tie an incentive to games finished—but not saves.
Would they allow “bases rounded without injury?”
by peter m on Nov 20, 2011 8:57 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Well, we should probably be hearing something today, I hope.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
Yeah, I want to be able to mention this on my turn Thursday at dinner.
by Brick. on Nov 21, 2011 9:25 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Nick Camino (wait… WHAT?) on twitter:
Hearing that OF Grady Sizemore officially coming back to the #Indians will happen by tonight or tomorrow.
Why is that name familiar to me? Apparently he is 1100’s beat reporter but that isn’t why it sounds familiar.
Matt LaPorta is the bane of my existence.
Just listening to Terry Pluto’s podcast from today, and he says “well the other teams must have looked at his medical reports and were scared.” Where the hell does he get that? I swear, every writer at the PD is a waste of air anymore.
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