The Cleveland Indians haven't said anything officially, but the club is expected to decline outfielder Grady Sizemore's $8.5 million club option for 2012 and exercise Fausto Carmona's $7 million club option for 2012, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.
Grady Sizemore was one of the game's best players from 2005 to 2008, a true five-tool talent that patrolled centerfield. Unfortunately for Sizemore, injuries derailed his career and has only managed to play 104 games combined in the past two years.
Despite the injury risks, many teams would be interested in Sizemore for a low base/high incentive contract. The 29-year-old Sizemore hit .224/.285/.422 with 10 homers in 295 plate appearances last season.
Unlike Sizemore, the club will exercise starting pitcher Fausto Carmona's $7 million club option for 2012. Carmona blasted onto the scene in 2007, finishing fourth in AL Cy Young balloting with a 3.06 ERA across 215 innings of work.
Since then, he's been a huge disappointment. The 27-year-old posted a 5.25 ERA, 5.2 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, ~55 GB% across 188 2/3 of work in 2011. Irrefutably his second best season since 2007; the other came in 2010 when Carmona posted a 3.77 ERA.