According to MASN, the television home of the Washington Nationals, the nation’s capital ballclub is interested in adding Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore and starting pitcher Fausto Carmona to their rapidly changing roster.

First off, Tribe fans, don’t panic.  Who wouldn’t be interested in adding a front-of-the-rotation starter and a former All-Star whose injuries have derailed the last two seasons and dragged trade value down about two or three prospects?  Throughout the Hot Stove season, Fausto’s name has come up time and time again. The Indians have been happy to listen to offers, but they are in no hurry to deal their hurler. Carmona will play the final year of his contract for $6.1 million, then the Indians have three options- for $7, $9, and $12 million, a steal for a top starter.  If the Indians are blown away by and offer, they may pull the trigger, but short of Strasburg and Harper, the Nationals farm system does not have the kind of prospects that would tempt Cleveland.

While the Indians are in a great financial position with Carmona, Grady Sizemore’s contract has been an issue over the last two years.  Had Grady been healthy and producing, his deal would have been a steal.  However, $8 million is a tough amount for a small-market club to spend on a question mark coming off of microfracture surgery.  If there were a good offer on the table, I think the Tribe would like to get out from under the contract but if they were to do so, and Grady returned to his pre-injury form, this team would have a public relations nightmare the likes of which Bob DiBiasio has never seen!  Sizemore, even in pain, is the face of the franchise.  Grady jerseys, t-shirts, and signs fill the stands in Progressive Field and following the losses of CC, Lee, and Martinez, a Sizemore trade could send an already frustrated fanbase running for the Yankees, Red Sox, or even worse, leaving baseball altogether. In a year or two, Grady Sizemore will leave Cleveland.  If he struggles, he will be traded. If he succeeds, he will sign a hefty contract somewhere else. So Grady is on his way out, just not to the Nationals and not right now.