Sizemore example of what MLB should become

WILLIAM S. PAXTON Staff writer - Connecticut Post
Article Last Updated: 05/10/2008 10:50:01 PM EDT

The catch never appeared in the next day's box score, but it kept Johnny Damon out of there, too.

With two runners on and two outs in the fourth inning Tuesday night, Damon laced a shot to center field that looked like a sure-fire hit at Yankee Stadium. It had to be one. It would easily bring in one run, maybe two. The only problem for Damon was the Indians' Grady Sizemore happened to be patrolling the area that night where Joe D. used to roam. The Tribe center fielder locked the ball in his sights, put his glove out and then made a diving catch — crossing over the imaginary line into left field to safely secure the ball.

"He went a long way for it, too," said Tribe skipper Eric Wedge, who has grown accustomed to seeing Sizemore make spectacular catches the past four seasons. "We all know about left field here, so much room, so much area out there. When you have a guy like Grady who can cover that much ground — and that was big.

"It did get lost (in the overall game). It saved maybe one (run), maybe two. It ended the inning and got us back in (to the dugout)."

In a game that has been beaten down and dragged around the past few seasons by constant talk of steroids, human growth hormones, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, the kid who patrols center field for the Indians is a breath of fresh air.

He says little in the clubhouse, and when he does, the answers usually come out rapid-fire.

Cleveland Plain Dealer beat writer Paul Hoynes said Sizemore has gotten better with the media since arriving in town, but it's clear the 25-year-old would prefer to let his play speak for him.

Even when he's under the bright lights in the big city — the center stage of baseball — like he was in last week's three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

"It's exciting," Sizemore said about coming to New York. "There's nothing really like the atmosphere that they have in Yankee Stadium, so it's fun to be a part of it."

Since breaking camp with the Tribe in 2005, Sizemore has become a crucial part of the team's success, including a trip to American League Championship Series last fall.

He's turned in three straight 20-home run, 20-steal seasons, setting the table for the Indians in their leadoff spot. He has been to two consecutive All-Star games, and figures to be making a third trip this July when he'll have another chance to roam center field at the Stadium.

He also won his first Gold Glove last season, and there should be plenty more of those on the way with catches like Tuesday night's.

And while doing all of it, there's never even been a remote whisper about Sizemore taking anything funny to help his play.

He doesn't need to — the kid is already a star with his talent alone, and one of the best center fielders in the game to boot.

He has also turned out to be a real steal for the Indians, who acquired Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips and journeyman Lee Stevens from then-Montreal Expos GM Omar Minaya for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew, who now pitches for the Bridgeport Bluefish, on June 27, 2002.

Indians GM Mark Shapiro, who orchestrated the Expos heist, called Sizemore "without a doubt one of the greatest players of our generation" last May in Sports Illustrated.

He might be on to something.

But you would never know it from just talking to Sizemore. Much the way Cal Ripken Jr. carried himself off the field with class, Sizemore is cut from the same cloth, keeping it low key. He even had a mini-Iron Man streak going of his own, playing in 382 straight games before a sprained ankle knocked Sizemore out of the Indians' lineup on May 4.

When asked about the catch to rob Damon, Sizemore chalked it up to just doing his job.

"I was playing him that way, it just happened to be one of those balls that kept slicing away," he said. "I just got a good jump on it." Judging by the way he plays the game and what he has accomplished, Sizemore has a good jump on his career as well.

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