(This image of Grady Sizemore's rookie card is via Rake Blog)
Maybe Mike Rizzo isn't done afterall? MASN's Phil Wood wrote Monday night he's hearing the Nationals are still busy with trade talks, and may have talked to the Indians about a trade involving Fausto Carmona and Grady Sizemore. Carmona's name has popped up here and there this winter in trade rumors involving the Nationals, but nothing specific. Here, let's lovingly copy and paste from Wood's post:
Another big league scout tells me he'd heard some "conversations" had taken place between the Nats and the Indians about starter Fausto Carmona and outfielder Grady Sizemore. The Tribe is looking to move salary, and Sizemore, coming off of knee surgery, is eligible for free agency in 2012.
(via Phil Wood, MASNSports.com, 1/24/2011)
Some Nationals fans who care about Expos history will tell you that a deal for Sizemore would be a homecoming of sorts, since he's a former Expos prospect. Sizemore was infamously dealt to the Indians in 2002 (along with a couple of guys named Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips) for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew in what now ranks as one of the worst trades of all time (especially if you're a Nationals fan). Although, it might have made sense at the time: Here's some analysis of the deal from back in June 2002, via SI.com. Maybe. But...
Sizemore has apparently only recently resumed baseball activities in the last few weeks after microfracture surgery on his left knee last June (his season ended after injuring his knee 33 uninspiring games into the 2010 seasson), but is reportedly expected to be ready for Opening Day. We'd take Grady Sizemore patrolling CF at Nationals Park instead of Nyjer Morgan in a heartbeat. But...
And if you squint your eyes, Carmona could serve as the "top-of-the-rotation" starter Rizzo's been looking for all winter. He's no Lee or Greinke, of course, but a rotation headed up by Carmona, followed by Zimmermann, Gorzelanny, Livo, Lannan is...not too shabby. But...
The money part appears to make sense, especially considering the Nationals are still well below last year's payroll number, and struggled all winter to give away bags of Lerner cash. Sizemore will make $7,500,000 in 2011, the final year of 6 year contract. And the Indians hold an $8.5 million option for 2012. Carmona is due $6,100,000 in 2011, with team options loaded with incentives for 2012-2014 totalling $26 million. Nats would be looking at an increase of $13.6 million for 2011, with the option of bailing out if things didn't work out (especially important considering Sizemore the uncertainty around Sizemore's injury). But...
But... the key question is: who would the Nationals have to give up? Would Cleveland be interested in just taking only the crappy players, like Jason Marquis and Nyjer Morgan, straight up? No? Damn. Carmona and Sizemore to the Nationals? Hell yes -- if the price is right. If Zimmermann is involved: no. But, say, Ian Desmond and Drew Storen...?
The Indians do that deal in a heartbeat to dump those salaries but it has to take low level prospects or give them Nyjer Morgan or Justin Maxwell.
It really has to be a salary dump like when the Nats got Willingham and Olsen for Bonifacio.
The Nats can't give up anyone good so I would give them Nyjer or JMax and a pitcher like Garrett Mock.
Posted by: Michael L.G. | January 25, 2011 at 10:24 AM
If Sizemore is traded, that club option for 2012 becomes a player option. So if the Nats want to pay extra for a huge question mark, I think the Indians would do it.
Posted by: Ed M. | January 25, 2011 at 10:31 AM
I would be up for a trade bringing those two in. I wonder what it means that MLBTrade Rumors hasn't picked up on it at all.
+1/2St.
Posted by: Positively Half St. | January 25, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Sizemore may be SizeLESS. Have you seen his stats the last 3 years vs the 3 before that?
Something isn't right with this kid.
Posted by: Clint N. | January 25, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Clint - His numbers were still great during 2008 and he had injuries in 2009 and the microfacture in 2011.
The question is what value he has this year.
In the games he played in 2009 he had 13 steals and was caught stealing 8 times so something wasn't right in 2009 too.
Not worth getting if Sizemore is not healthy.
Posted by: Michael L.G. | January 25, 2011 at 11:09 AM
@EdM. Good point on the team option switching to a player option...
Posted by: The Nationals Enquirer | January 25, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Sorry, meant to say the microfacture in 2010 not 2011.
Posted by: Michael L.G. | January 25, 2011 at 11:10 AM
@Michael: It would take more than just saying "here, take our crappy players" to make this thing happen, you know? It's an intriguing rumor, probably won't amount to anything.
@Clint: Like Michael said: injuries. If healthy...
Posted by: The Nationals Enquirer | January 25, 2011 at 11:12 AM
His 2009 stats before his injury were not good and he played in over 100 games so the question is what was wrong with him in 2009 ?
Posted by: Clint N. | January 25, 2011 at 01:06 PM
@Clint: Sizemore only played 106 games in 2009 -- a huge drop off for a guy who averaged 160 games a season 2006-2008. hurt his elbow in spring of 2009, was on-again off-again on the DL, had surgery on the elbow at the end of the season. I guess production dropped off because the elbow was bothering him all year, combined with simply not being on the field?
Posted by: The Nationals Enquirer | January 25, 2011 at 06:42 PM