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Say It Aint Charboneau!—Indians Hope Grady Contract Won't Label Them 'You Big Dummy'
2006-03-29 22:11
by Mike Carminati

The Indians today locked up Grady Sizemore, a veteran of a season and a quarter, to a six year contract for a minimum of $23.45 M. The deal includes an option year at $8.5 M or a $500 K buyout (included in the $23.45 M). The Indians have essentially locked up the center fielder until he turns 30

This is the sort of strategy—signing up youngsters to long-term deals—that the Indians employed to perfection in the Nineties, becoming for a time perennial winners. I am surprised that Cleveland rushed to sign Sizemore so quickly, two years before he is arbitration eligible. But really the money that he would be getting each year would be relatively if he remains a serviceable starting position player (ergo the Joe Charboneau reference).

Here's a quick table for each of Sizemore's years until the contract expires with his age and salary (I'll be optimistic and use the non-buyout figure for 2012):

YrAgeSalary
200421NA
200522318,300
2006231,500,000
200724750,000
2008253,000,000
2009264,600,000
2010275,600,000
2011287,500,000
2012298,500,000
Total31,768,300

Thirty million or so by your thirtieth birthday? Sure, I'd take it.

It made me wonder what was the most any ballplayer made before turning 30. So I looked it up. It turns out that Sizemore won't even make the top ten:

PlayerSalary Under 30
Alex Rodriguez $126,027,000
Andruw Jones $ 60,206,500
Derek Jeter $ 59,230,000
Vladimir Guerrero $ 53,930,000
Ken Griffey $ 52,272,731
Pedro Martinez $ 48,220,000
Ivan Rodriguez $ 46,910,000
Gary Sheffield $ 41,886,667
Juan Gonzalez $ 40,937,500
Shawn Green $ 40,735,501
Edgar Renteria $ 36,864,500
Scott Rolen $ 35,109,000
Mike Hampton $ 34,196,543
Nomar Garciaparra $ 33,684,000
Javier Vazquez $ 33,410,000
Troy Glaus $ 32,052,500
Roberto Alomar $ 31,323,758
Carlos Beltran $ 31,046,429
Richard Hidalgo $ 30,910,000
Kerry Wood $ 30,185,000
Paul Konerko $ 29,790,000
Matt Morris $ 29,200,000
Johnny Damon $ 28,939,000
Raul Mondesi $ 28,820,000
Kevin Millwood $ 28,725,000
John Olerud $ 28,593,667
Carlos Delgado $ 28,499,000
Manny Ramirez $ 28,070,000

So, yes, it's a gamble, but at least the Indians haven't mortgaged the farm. Maybe a big gamble is what it takes to win. It worked for them before. At least it'll make things interesting.

By the way, I couldn't resist the Fred G. Sanford reference in the title.

Comments
2006-03-29 22:54:31
1.   joejoejoe
It's a great contract for the Indians. If they signed Desi Lamont Relaford or Bubba Crosby to that kind of deal they would be big dummies but not Grady Sizemore. Rocco Baldelli signed an extension with the D-Rays last winter coming off an injury for 6yrs/$32M contract but Cleveland has much smarter management than Tampa Bay.
2006-03-29 23:35:26
2.   Adam B
Just a question.. where is Alex Rodriguez on that salary before 30 list?
2006-03-30 00:02:11
3.   das411
My guess is that ARod caused this half of the charts to fall off in the first place!

1 - Was the Crawford deal (6 years for $31m) a bad one also? It seems pretty clear that the new ownership had a large part in working both of those out...

2006-03-30 00:43:56
4.   joejoejoe
3 das411
- On second look I think the D-Ray deals (Crawford, Baldelli) have a different number of years that would be free agent years so it's a bit like comparing apples and oranges. One of Sizemore's years is league minimum, one of Baldelli's is free agent, so the aprox. $8M difference is realistic.

I think all 3 deals are reasonable if the players perform as they have in the past - the Baldelli deal just seems like a bit higher risk.

2006-03-30 11:29:56
5.   Mike Carminati
Adam B, Fixed.

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