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Grady Sizemore reflects on Guardians tenure in return to Cleveland with Twins
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- Grady Sizemore reflects on Guardians tenure in return to Cleveland with Twins
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Grady Sizemore had one of the best four-year stretches in Cleveland Guardians history from 2005-2008. He established himself as a future star in 2005, and from 2006-2008 he made three consecutive All-Star teams, earned two Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger. Sizemore also led Cleveland to the American League Championship Series during the 2007 season. Unfortunately, Sizemore's career was decimated by injuries after his historic peak, but Guardians fans remember everything the former center fielder accomplished during his time with Cleveland .
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Sizemore, 43, is now a coach with the Minnesota Twins . With the Guardians currently hosting the Twins, Sizemore took some time for an interview to reflect on returning to the city where he became an MLB star during the 2000's decade, via the Cleveland Guardians on YouTube.
"You know, oddly familiar," Sizemore said of being back at Progressive Field in Cleveland. "I've been in this division now for a few years and everyone's always like, 'Does it feel weird?' And it is weird since I got a new uniform on, but still very familiar."
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Grady Sizemore remains one of MLB's biggest "what if" stories
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Sizemore featured legitimate superstar potential. He had a 30-30 season in 2008 when the feat was far more rare than it is today, as the Cleveland outfielder recorded 33 home runs and 38 stolen bases while playing stellar defense in center field as well. He somehow only finished 10th in American League MVP voting, but there was no denying the fact that Sizemore was one of the best players in the game. Grady could hit, play defense at a high level and steal bases.
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After playing in 157 or more games in each season from 2005-2008, Sizemore missed some time due to injury in 2009. That would unfortunately become a trend for the rest of his career, as Sizemore never appeared in more than 112 games in a single season for the rest of his time in MLB. He last appeared in an MLB game in 2015 with the Tampa Bay Rays .
Sizemore remains one of the biggest "what if" stories in Cleveland baseball history, but Guardians fans unquestionably appreciate everything he brought to the franchise during his tenure with the ball club.
So, what is Sizemore's greatest memory from his time in Cleveland?
"There's no bad ones," Sizemore said. "When I come back I really enjoy just seeing a lot of people I saw when I was still here… Those are the memories that stick with me. I had a lot of great memories on the field, so I couldn't pick one. I think it's really just the relationships that you build over the years and still coming back and still feeling a little bit like family."
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