Grady Sizemore is now a free agent. The Cleveland Indians declined to pick up Sizemore’s $9 million option for 2012. Meanwhile, they picked up the option for Fausto Carmona for $7 million.
It’s sad to see Sizemore go, as the kid had so much promise and was a 5-tool player before he got hurt. But he’s a shadow of his former self after all the injuries. He doesn’t steal bases and he still has issues with strikeouts and walks. He might be able to rekindle his career with another team, but the Indians just couldn’t afford to take the chance with that much salary.
The Indians need offense, and they can use this money to get some reliable bats and beef up the lineup. The pitching is very solid. They can use some depth with the rotation, but the pitching is the strength of this team. If they can add some consistency to the offense, they can contend in the central division.
