Cleveland Indians: Exploring Outfield Options After Grady Sizemore Injury

The Cleveland Indians front office spent most of their time and resources this offseason adding depth to the young and talented roster. Within a week of spring training that was put to the test when newly acquired Felix Pie and Grady Sizemore both went down with injuries.

Now, the Tribe is back where it started: having a two-to-three year window to compete for a championship and a hole in the outfield caused by injury—mostly what Tribe fans are used to with Grady Sizemore. 

The options on the bench to fill Sizemore's role are Shelley Duncan, Felix Pie (injured), Aaron Cunningham and Ezequiel Carrera. These players are nice as replacements in late innings, or for giving a starter a day or two off, but not to start opening day for a team trying to beat the Detroit Tigers.

This leads to another spring training hoping to find a player to fill the void of Sizemore, who may or may not be playing at all this season. His prognosis is only a month or two, but with Sizemore, it usually is more than what is seen on the outside.

Although teams are sorting out their roster as we speak, trades are still possible. With Michael Brantley able to fulfill the center field or left field duties, Cleveland can look to add either position in a trade. Here are some options the Tribe should explore.

Adam Jones (Baltimore Orioles)

Availability: 75 percent

Adam Jones is a player on the rise for a very bad and dysfunctional team. It has yet to be seen if the O's are willing to trade their best player, but he was available last season.

The O's are one of the few teams that already knows it is out of the playoff race and Jones could be available for the right price.

Ryan Ludwick (Cincinnati Reds)

Availability: 60 percent

Last season, the Tribe was in talks of acquiring Ludwick from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, but couldn't pull the trigger. In a surprise move, the in-state rival Reds signed him this offseason.

The Reds outfield is set and Ludwick is not in the starting lineup. Look for the Tribe to try to land Ludwick...again.

Alfonso Soriano (Chicago Cubs)

Availability: 70 percent

Soriano is a five-tool player who still produces, and he is one of the few players available that would be able to take over the everyday role.

The Cubs are in a rebuilding mode with new GM Theo Epstein and it appears that Soriano is not in their future plans. Larry Dolan, the owner of the Cleveland Indians, would have to increase the payroll to add Soriano, but to no surprise, the Tribe is lower in payroll than fans expected.

Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels)

Availability: 50 percent

Mike Trout appears to be the odd man out in a crowded Angels lineup. He is only 19 years old, but he's being hyped as a potential rookie of the year candidate. If he could be acquired from the Angels, the Indians would benefit greatly.

Trout would not be needed every day, with Shelly Duncan able to platoon with him until he fully develops, and Sizemore's return would be a welcome sight. An outfield consisting of Choo, Sizemore, Brantley, Trout and Duncan is as good as most in baseball.

Jesus Guzman (San Diego Padres)

Availability: 55 percent

He's probably not the first name that comes to mind, but Jesus Guzman would really benefit the Indians this season. In 76 games last season, Guzman batted .312 and drove in 72 runs. He is able to play first base, DH, and left field.

This range of skills is exactly what the Tribe could use in order to stay in the division race while players recover from injuries and get days off. 

Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Availability: 20 percent

The wild card of the bunch is Andrew McCutchen. He is a rising talent with star potential; however, the Pirates know this as well, and may not be willing to give up on him just yet. If he is available, the Indians should be willing to trade almost any of their prospects—McCutchen is that good.

Adding McCutchen to the outfield takes away the pressure of Sizemore's return and would allow him to platoon in the outfield, or even DH, while he regains his health.

B.J. Upton (Tampa Bay Rays)

Availability: 40 percent

Available last season at the trade deadline, B.J. Upton stayed put in Tampa and helped lead them to a fantastic September and into the postseason.

He appears to have a place in center for the Rays, but nothing has changed for them, and he may still be available. 

Carlos Lee (Houston Astros)

Availability: 65 percent

With a huge contract on a terrible rebuilding team, Lee himself must be ready for a change of scenery. He has produced his entire career and any contending team would be ecstatic to land him. He is able to play first base, DH, and outfield. 

If he were to come to Cleveland before opening day, he would start in left field, platooning with Shelly Duncan, and be available for duties at first base and DH should injuries or fatigue set in. The Indians front office looked into adding players through free agency with these skill sets but they were out of their price range.

A deal with the Astros,who are looking to shed payroll and start over with a new owner, would benefit both teams greatly.

Gerardo Parra (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Availability: 60 percent

Another name casual fans may not be aware of is Gerardo Parra. A defensive specialist last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, he came on strong with his contact hitting and speed on the base paths.

Parra is currently competing for a starting spot on the Diamondbacks, but with the offseason signing of Jason Kubel, Parra is the odd man out.

Jason Bay (New York Mets)

Availability: 55 percent

The Mets shockingly are another team that appears out of the postseason race before the season begins. This team is always able to surprise, but as of now it does not look pretty.

That brings us to Jason Bay. A prized free-agent signing a few years back, Bay has not provided the Mets with enough to compete for a World Series.

Now that the Mets are ready to rebuild, Bay's contract may be the first to go, and the Indians would welcome a talent like Jason Bay.

Eric Young Jr. (Colorado Rockies)

Availability: 75 percent

If the Indians are not happy with the platoon of Shelly Duncan and whoever makes the team, the Indians could reach out to Colorado and get the speedy Eric Young Jr.

He is a nice transition from Duncan and could complement him well. If the front office feels Sizemore can come back healthy and finish the season, a player like Young Jr. could be all the Indians need in order to stay in contention for the first month of the season.

Rick Ankiel (Washington Nationals)

Availability: 50 percent

Having an amazing career story, Rick Ankiel is now a platoon outfielder on a young rebuilding team in Washington. If the Nationals feel they can get a quality prospect in return, they may be willing to part with Ankiel. 

Although his numbers last season appear weak, Ankiel wore down towards the end of the season. With a limited role on the Tribe, Ankiel would be a veteran asset to have in the outfield.

Free Agent Options

In order of value to Indians:

1) Johnny Damon

2) Hideki Matsui

3) J.D. Drew

4) Magglio Ordonez

5) Vladimir Guerrero

6) Xavier Nady

Although most of these players are past their primes and would not be everyday outfielders, the Tribe would only need them to play perhaps 50 games in the field, and possibly DH at times when Hafner is injured or needs a few days off. 

Outlook

Although Grady Sizemore went down with an injury, the season is not lost. His expected return is in May, meaning he will likely miss about 30-40 games. 

The Tribe is set to put Shelly Duncan in left field, Micheal Brantley in center, and Shin-Soo Choo in right. This is a formidable outfield to sustain the Indians for a brief period of time, but it will not hold up against the Detroit Tigers.

Adding a player from this list will provide the Indians with added depth, which is especially needed after Pie and Sizemore went down. The ability of Brantley to play all three outfield positions helps tremendously. Only a few of these players would compete for a starting position when Sizemore returns, but all would be an upgrade over the current bench. 

The Tribe needs things to fall in line in order to beat the Tigers and make the postseason for the first time since 2009. The added depth provided by offseason signings helps, but the front office knows that adding talent is a full-time job.