Sizemore signs new contract

[RockSports17]

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Winter Haven, Fla. - There is a scene from the movie "On The Waterfront" that takes place in the back seat of a New York city cab. Marlon Brando, a broken-down, mob-connected boxer named Terry Malloy, is telling Rod Steiger, his older brother Charley, that he shouldn't have made him take so many dives.

Charley, a lawyer for a corrupt union boss on New York's docks, is taking Terry for a ride because he's threatening to expose his boss to the Feds.

"You should've taken care of me - just a little bit - so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money," Brando told Steiger. "You don't understand! I could've had class. I could've been a contender . . ."

The Indians locker room felt a lot like the back seat of that cab Wednesday after a 6-4 exhibition victory over Houston at Chain of Lakes Park.

Grady Sizemore, the contender and future face of the franchise, signed a six-year, $23.45 million contract Wednesday morning.

Manager Eric Wedge made his final big roster cut several hours later, picking utility infielder Ramon Vazquez over Brandon Phillips. Reliever Danny Graves and catcher Kelly Shoppach were told before the game they'd made the team.

In 2002, when GM Mark Shapiro blew up the Indians, he traded Bartolo Colon to Montreal for Phillips, Sizemore and Cliff Lee. Phillips was supposedly the key to the deal. Sizemore was a kid outfielder who hadn't played above Class A. Lee was a talented left-hander with a checkered past.

Phillips was the real deal. Good glove, good bat.

The Indians gave him the second base job in 2003. He bombed and hasn't recovered.

They signed Ronnie Belliard to take his place at second base. Sizemore and Lee, meanwhile, raced past Phillips on the organizational depth chart.

Any thoughts Indian fans?

[CougarBaseball]

sweet we need him to.. especially cause Coco left, he is sweet to and deserves more $$ which he got