Paging the New York Mets Front Office…Grady Sizemore is still available.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported that Grady Sizemore could be ready as soon as opening day (most likely mid-season), but he is likely to hold off signing until whenever he is fully recovered.

This could be bad news for the Mets fans who hope that Sizemore will once again regain his All-Star form in a New York Mets uniform.

If Sizemore is waiting until he is fully recovered to sign, it is telling the baseball clubs that he is not interested in being low-balled by teams looking to take advantage of his unfortunate situation. He’s trying to tell teams that he is still the player he once was, aside from all the injury issues.

This all but eliminates the Mets, since it sounds as if there is no chance that Sizemore agrees to a minor league deal, and it seems like that is all the Mets are willing to offer players these days.

All kidding aside, the Mets should definitely be keeping a very close eye on Sizemore’s recovery.

Sizemore may be holding off signing to try and build his market price, but the fact is he will still have to sign a team friendly deal and then prove he is still the player he once was. After a full season off, he should come back fully rested and recovered. That makes him a very tantalizing option for the Mets.

Original Post – 10/16/12

This is not breaking news – the Mets are in need of a lead off hitter and outfielders as we move towards the 2013 season. Some people may be ready to close the door on Grady Sizemore’s career, but there is still value there. We are still talking about a player that was on his way to super stardom before some injuries side tracked his career.

After missing the entire 2012 season, Sizemore should be fully healed, rested, and ready to finish what he started a few seasons ago. There isn’t a team in a better position to take a risk on Sizemore than the New York Mets.

Many people will scoff at my last statement and argue that the reward isn’t worth the risk in Sizemore’s case. They will argue he’s too injury prone. Seriously…who cares at this point? Beggars can’t be choosers. With the outlook of the Mets outfield in 2013, adding Sizemore would bring Mets fans a glimmer of hope, and add another player with superstar potential to help David Wright out (pending him re-upping with the team).

The bottom line is the Mets are going to have to take some risks if they want to be able to get competitive again, and fast. The Mets are a Moneyball team now, right? Well, if my memory serves me correctly, one of the main story lines in Moneyball was that they went after a player in Scott Hatteberg, who other teams were avoiding due to injury risk, because they saw value there. Even Billy Beane, lord Moneyball himself, understood that there has to be some sort of risk involved if you are ever going to achieve greatness.

Signing Sizemore on the cheap screams Moneyball.

When you think about it, how much risk is really involved with Sizemore anyway? Sign him to a one year deal for $1.5MM or $2.0MM, and there isn’t much risk involved. Get creative with incentives and bring him to Flushing. We aren’t talking a long-term investment here until he proves that he is worth a long-term investment. But at this point, it seems logical that the Mets would take a flier on Sizemore. If healthy, he solves two problems for the Mets – a lead off hitter, and a centerfielder. If not healthy, they cut ties with him at a minimal cost to the team.

Signing Sizemore is a no-brainer at this point.

It’s time for the Mets to start taking a some calculated risks. Sizemore may be a risk, but oh the reward the Mets would receive for taking that risk if Sizemore is even 2/3 the player he was in 2008. Cleveland seems ready to finally part ways with Sizemore who is a free-agent this off-season. MLBTradeRumors.com reported in August that two scouts said that Sizemore is worth signing if there isn’t much guaranteed money at stake. Hopefully one of those scouts was from the New York Mets.

Let’s Go Mets…sign Sizemore…play some Moneyball.

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• Colorado Rockies trading Ty Wigginton to the Philadelphia Phillies
• Texas Rangers signing free agent closer Joe Nathan to two-year deal
• Minnesota Twins sign free agent catcher Ryan Doumit
• Cleveland Indians re-sign free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore

It may be clear to see why some of these transactions are important, but maybe not so much for the others. Let me clear up any confusion…

Ruben Amaro Jr. has definitely pulled off one of the smartest trades of the winter by acquiring Wigginton from the Rockies. Wigginton has proved during his nine years in the MLB that he can play just about anywhere and can produce some power. With a .265 career average and 158 home runs, he will adjust just fine to Citizens Bank Park and will be a great insurance plan while Philadelphia waits for Ryan Howard to come back and to give Placido Polanco a break at 3rd base. Oh, and they’re only paying half of Wigginton’s 2012 salary of $4 million. Genius, Amaro.

The Texas Rangers were deathly close to moving Neftali Feliz to the starting rotation at the start of 2011, but they decided against it. Now, after inking longtime Twins closer Joe Nathan to a two-year deal with approximately $14 million, the organization feels comfortable making the move. After missing 2010 to rehab from Tommy John surgery, Nathan struggled with an ERA nearing 5.00. However, his velocity returned; with 261 saves and a 2.87 ERA during his career, this was worth the risk. It will allow Texas to not panic if they can’t resign CJ Wilson.

In Minnesota, the most coveted player on their roster is Twins catcher, Joe Mauer. However, he’s not Superman and like 2011, was on the DL for a considerable amount of time. While Mauer was on the shelf, both of their backup options hit under .170. so, GM Terry Ryan decided to go out and sign Ryan Doumit to a one-year/$3 million deal. This works in multiple different ways for the Twins because it not only gives them a viable offensive backup at the catcher position, but it will allow Ron Gardenhire to keep Mauer’s bat in the line-up, but at the DH position, or even First Base.

Even though Grady Sizemore has only played just over 200 games over the last three seasons and hasn’t been the same player from 2005-2008, mostly because of injuries, he was an intriguing option for many teams. Why? Well, he will come at a low price in the short term, and has the opportunity to “over produce” his contract rather easily. Sizemore agreed to a one-year/$5 million plus incentives deal with the Cleveland Indians to hopefully do what Adrian Beltre did in 2010 with Boston. If he can stay healthy and produce in 2012, teams will be drooling over him next winter, willing to give him a multi-year deal…and he most likely won’t stay in Cleveland. If he has a strong first half and the Indians are not in the playoff picture, they could dangle him in front of teams before the trading deadline.

Like I said, there hasn’t been much action yet on the open market, but with the Winter Meetings fast approaching, expect teams to start wheeling and dealing.

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported that the Tampa Bay Rays will “probably” trade B.J. Upton over the offseason. The Rays came close to dealing their center fielder to the Washington Nationals prior to the trade deadline, but weren’t able to agree on the pieces before time ran out.

Upton made $4.825 million in 2011 and is due for a raise in what will be his final year of arbitration. The Rays currently have Desmond Jennings waiting in the wings and they believe he is ready to take over in center field.

At 27 years old, Upton still has loads of potential and he did hit 23 home runs and drove in 81 runs, but also batted .243 and struck out 161 times in the process.

Another option that has emerged is Cleveland Indians’ center fielder Grady Sizemore. Yesterday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reported that the Indians are expected to decline Sizemore’s $8.5 million dollar option for 2012.

Sizemore, 28, had micro-fracture surgery on his left knee in 2010 which required him to miss half of the 2010 and 2011 season, and recently underwent more surgery on the same knee, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training. In 268 at-bats this season he batted .224 with ten home runs and 30 RBIs.

Both players certainly have their own unique issues, but might still prove to be an upgrade over Angel Pagan who could get almost $5 million dollars in arbitration this Winter.

Sizemore will cost the Mets only money, while of course Upton will cost both player and money. Would either of them be worth the risk?