Everybody loves a comeback story. Centerfielder Grady Sizemore, plagued with injuries, has been out of baseball since 2011. Jackie Bradley Jr may be starting opening day, but the excitement surrounding Sizemore makes it hard to leave him out of contention for the spot. While he may not be returning at leadoff this season, it is not unreasonable to expect to see Sizemore opening day.
One play of Sizemore’s that has had fans and the press excited is his 430-foot homer against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. It’s like fans have been on the edge of their seats waiting for the spark signaling Sizemore’s return. Bradley’s performance this pre-season seems a bit more lacking, batting .173 over 17 games. Sizemore seems a much stronger player, with his .303 average over 10 games.
But is Sizemore healthy enough after sitting out 2 seasons? Just by making the opening day roster, Sizemore’s pay will increase $250,000 from his guaranteed $750,000, putting his salary for the year at a meager $1,000,000. At 60, 90, 120, and 150 days on the active roster, Sizemore will earn an additional $250,000. Sizemore’s definitely got a lot to prove, and a lot to earn- additional performance and accolade based performances could get him a total $6 million this season.
Everybody loves a comeback story. Will 2014 be the year of Grady’s?
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