Grady Sizemore: A True Erie Warrior

Let me start this by saying I have an obsession with Grady Sizemore. I have done a pretty good job of masking that fact up until this point, but I cannot hold back anymore. I may not exactly be “Grady’s Ladies” material…but I love the guy. He is gritty, all out, and definitely a team first kind of guy from what I can see. So yes, I have an obsession for Grady Sizemore, quite even along the lines of UNhealthy.

With that out of the way, let’s discuss his style of play. He was a contact hitter who has since become somewhat of a power hitter. He is a true spark plug for the offense AND defense. He is a fan favorite, and female favorite, in Cleveland. He represents what the city is all about: hard work. He lays out when he needs to, crashes into walls on occasion, and legs out triples on the basepaths while not hesitating to dive headfirst into a bag.

Unfortunately, he has been doing all that and more with a hurt elbow this season. This hurt elbow has not stopped him from playing over 125 consecutive games without an error in centerfield. He leads the team in home runs with 18, thanks in part to the management’s decision to trade Victor Martinez. He manages to also lead the team in runs scored at 73, and has raised his batting average late to check in at a .248 clip. While that is not great, it is much better with a rested elbow.

The following numbers might be the most telling of the wear and tear Sizemore has gone through this year. The previous four years combined, Grady has stolen 115 bases, while being thrown out 31 times. That is a success rate of 78.78%. This season, Sizemore has only swiped 13 bases, but has been caught stealing on 8 tries. Those of you scoring at home know that is merely a 61.9% success rate.

These numbers are somewhat ominous of what could be to come. Stealing bases isn’t exactly an elbow issue, is it? So maybe the speedy boy is maturing into a power hitting man…which isn’t all THAT bad.

The fact is, Grady Sizemore actually enjoys Cleveland. And according to GM Mark Shapiro, the Indians and the City of Cleveland enjoy having him around as well. With the recent wheeling-and-dealing from the higher ups, it is apparent that Sizemore is the cornerstone for the new direction of this franchise, which is great as long as he is healthy.

So, why again is he playing right now? The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported that the Indians are considering shutting him down early to ensure that he is healthy by the start of next year, since surgery is definitely going to happen. Michael Brantley would likely take Sizemore’s spot in the lineup for the rest of what has been a disappointing 2009 season.

Grady Sizemore has laid himself, and his career, on the line for a mediocre (at best) team…for no good reason. I know that the guy has a love for the game, which I admire, but it still makes no sense. I’m sure that when Grady wants to play, he WILL play. So here is a big thank you to Grady for entertaining us this season, once again, and a wish for him to have a speedy recovery this offseason!

Also, thanks for representing this organization in the right manner. Next year looms large on the horizon, and with Sizemore, it could be a memorable season.