It’s no secret that Grady has barely seen the diamond since 2009, being bit by the injury bug several times over the last 3 to 4 years, but has a history of success early in his career.  Being a 3 time All-Star, 2006-2008, and 2 time Gold Glove winner, 2007 & 2008, Sizemore knows what it takes to produce at the major league level.   Sizemore carries a .269 career BA but that is not indicative of his true ability, hitting .281 from 2005-2008, his pre-injury years.  During the peak of his performance, 2005-2008, Sizemore averaged 27 HR, 81 RBI, and 29 SB all while playing well above average defense in center field (28.6 UZR/150).

Grady Sizemore’s injury concerns essentially began in the spring of 2009 with a groin injury, forcing him to pullout of the World Baseball Classic.  From there injury concerns seemed to spiral out of control derailing the career of the one of the most prominent center fielders in the game.  In September 2009 Sizemore elected to have elbow surgery, as the Cleveland Indians were already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, followed by surgery on his lower abdomen a week later to remove a hernia, related to the groin injury in early spring.  Hoping to come back healthy in 2010 he was again derailed after just 33 games, this time having microfracture surgery on his left knee. Sizemore showed some promise in 2011, slamming 21 doubles and 10 home runs in just 71 games, but more new issues and then a sports hernia problem derailed Sizemore for the third year in a row. Then in 2012, Sizemore began the season on the 60 day DL due to back surgery in spring training and suffered several setbacks throughout the season, not once playing in a major league game.

Sizemore just underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee in September, and does not want to commit to a team until he is ready to play again, according to his agent, Joe Urbon.  “It could be Opening Day. It could be midseason,” Urbon said. “Midseason is more likely.” But even if Sizemore isn’t even going to try to play for the next few months, he still might be able to help a major league team in the second half of the season, and the Rays could be that team willing to give him a chance.

Andrew Friedman and the Rays have a history of successes with low-risk, high-reward moves that always seem to pan out one way or another.  A one year deal to see what Grady Sizemore has left in the tank to give and could showcase his talents once again could make sense for Tampa Bay, especially if they’re in contention for the playoffs. The Rays have nothing to lose signing Sizemore at some point in the season and seeing if the player that electrified baseball fans with his incredible all-around game from 2005 to 2008 still has the ability to contribute in the major leagues.

John Jaso, who the Rays traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Josh Lueke, made his season debut as the Mariners’ DH on Wednesday night and came up huge in the Mariners’ 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers. Jaso was 0 for 2 to begin the game before coming to the plate against the Rangers’s Alexi Ogando to begin the 8th with the Rangers ahead 3-0. But Jaso drilled a triple into the right field corner to give the M’s some momentum and he later scored on a Dustin Ackley RBI single to pull the Mariners with 3-1. Jaso then came up in the 9th inning against Rangers closer Joe Nathan in a 3-3 game after the Mariners had put together a rally. But the rally was not over yet as there was the go-ahead run on third base with 2 outs. But Jaso came through with a big RBI single to give the M’s the lead, and Brandon League closed it out as the M’s came all the way back in the final two innings to win 4-3. We may have traded Jaso, but it’s hard not to root for him, especially against the Rangers, the team that has eliminated the Rays from the postseason the last two years.

On another front, the Rays’ DH in 2011, Johnny Damon, has finally appeared to find a home to continue his charge towards 3000 hits as Ken Rosenthal tweeted that Damon is close to agreeing to a deal with the Cleveland Indians, who are shorthanded in the outfield following Grady Sizemore undergoing back surgery which will sideline him until at least June. Damon posted a .261/.326/.418 line (110 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 7 triples, 16 homers, 73 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in 25 tries for the  Rays in 2011, pretty nice numbers, but the Rays let him go because they wanted more power from the DH slot, something they hope Luke Scott can provide them. Johnny is currently at 2723 hits, and good luck to him as he approaches 3000.

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(Cover image credit Steve Mitchell, US Presswire)