Sizemore agrees to $23.45 million deal
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, March 29, 2006
CLEVELAND – Grady Sizemore, an Everett native and a graduate of Cascade High School, signed a $23.45 million, six-year contract Wednesday with the Cleveland Indians, the most guaranteed money ever given to a player with less than two years of major league service.
The agreement includes an $8.5 million club option for 2012 with a $500,000 buyout. If the option is exercised, the deal would total $31.45 million over seven seasons, and the option price could increase to $10.5 million depending on whether Sizemore is an All-Star, Gold Glove or Silver Slugger or does well in MVP voting.
If traded, the option becomes Sizemore’s decision and the buyout is forfeited if he declines the option.
Previously, the largest deal for a player with less than two years in the major was the $23.25 million, five-year contract Boston gave to shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in March 1998.
Sizemore has played only one full season in the majors, but the 23-year-old center fielder did enough to impress the Indians. He batted .289 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 158 games last season. He also scored 111 runs, had 22 steals and became the second Indians player to record 20 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals in the same season. He was the only player in the majors to reach those numbers last season.
“We are committed to building and sustaining a championship team and Grady – as one of the most talented young players in the game today – is the kind of player and person that can help lead us to that goal,” general manager Mark Shapiro said.
