Grady Sizemore

This time last year, Grady Sizemore was considered Cleveland's Iron Horse.

The speedy center fielder missed just seven games from 2005-08. He played every day in 2006 and 2007; a sprained ankle in April 2008 snapped his consecutive games-played streak at 382.

That all changed in 2009 when a groin injury, elbow problems, and a hernia limited Sizemore to just 106 games.

Welcome to Tribe Talk, where Bleacher Report's Tribe fans weigh in on the ups and downs of the Indians each week throughout the season and here in our annual season preview.
 

As the spring games roll on, the focus is going to shift greatly to the pitchers, where there are quite a few interesting battles brewing.  Let’s take a look at how things played out in today’s games:

If you're anything like me, you were kicking yourself last year for drafting Grady Sizemore in the first round of your fantasy draft.

The three-time All-Star was coming off of a 30-30 season in which he drove in 90 runs and scored over 100 times.

The sky was the limit—or so we thought.

Enter 2009. 

Sizemore suffered through injuries throughout the summer, eventually being shut down in September.

36 hours into Manny Acta’s first spring training as manager of the Indians, and he’s already nestled himself a nice, warm place in the back corner of Cleveland’s media doghouse.

That didn’t take long, did it?

On one of the youngest teams in the majors with question marks for most of the team, Acta has curiously already ended all speculation and named Russell Branyan the starting first basemen.

“He’ll get a majority of the time at first base,” said Acta. “We didn’t sign him to be a backup guy.”

The Cleveland Indians may be rebuilding again, but it's hard not to be optimistic when CHONE predicts the team to win at least 81 games and finish second in the division.

Let's take a closer look at those projections, using WAR—Wins Above Replacement.

It's the quiet ones that you never suspect.

If you asked who is the least likely on the Cleveland Indians to be involved in any sort of public situation unrelated to baseball, Grady Sizemore would probably the last person I'd think of.

Here is a superstar that seeks not to be a superstar. He strives for greatness on the field, but could do without the accolades and attention that comes with it. He doesn't seek out endorsements and if he does have any, they aren't big time sponsors.

Folgers Coffee is suing Grady Sizemore for taking racy photos with the product under no contract with the company.  

"If he's going to take pictures, nude or not, with our product then we want to make some marketing points with that," a Folgers CEO said.  "We want his sweet ass to make us some money...wait, don't quote that."

Cleveland Indians mascot Slider has done a lot for his favorite team over the years. 

He's boogied to the radio hits of the day on the roof of the team's bullpen while wearing crutches.

He's sent foil-wrapped hot-dogs from slingshots into the stands.

He's cheered through unbearable heat, torrential rain, and yes, in this Rustbelt town, even swirling snow.

But one thing he hasn't done for this proud franchise is bring home a winner. And some of the teams' players and management are starting to take notice.