(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...?