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On October 31, 2011, the Cleveland Indians officially parted ways with Grady Sizemore. Then second-year general manager Chris Antonetti opted for a $500k buyout of his contract instead of taking up the $9 million team option that would have kept the injured outfielder on the Indians through the 2012 season.
Grady Sizemore, in case you need this painful reminder, was once on pace to be a Hall of Fame player, and maybe one of the best to put on an Indians uniform. For three years straight, Sizemore was worth at least 5.6 fWAR, peaking at 7.9 fWAR in 2006. He was also instrumental in the 2007 season that saw the Tribe play for the American League pennant, but ultimately losing to the Boston Red Sox in seven games.
Luckily for the Indians, they signed Sizemore to a 6-year, $23.4 million deal before he took off in 2006. The contract included the option in 2012 that the team would eventually decline. Major knee issues sidelined hm for part of the 2009 season and the majority of his 2010 and 2011 seasons. The same player who took part in 639 games over four seasons at one point played in only 104 over his last two seasons as a member of the Indians.
Sizemore was not seen again in the Majors until inking a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014. He has since played for three different teams (Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays) in the past two seasons.
It has been four years since Grady's Ladies were in the seats at Progressive Field, and the Tribe still have not found a centerfielder. First-year general manager Mike Chernoff could be turning to free agency to try and fill the spot this year. Otherwise, it looks like Abraham Almonte will be getting the starting nod, with the Indians trading Michael Bourn midway through the 2015 season.
Also, on the same day, the Indians exercised their $7 million option on "Fausto Carmona" who, one year later, pulled off his face Scooby Doo style and revealed himself to actually be a much less talented pitcher named Roberto Hernandez.