Sizemore's sad story

Remember when Grady Sizemore was a fantasy stud?

It wasn't that long ago. In fact, as recently as 2008 he became only the 14th American League player to put up a 30-30 season.

Then came the elbow/groin injuries and a subpar 2009 campaign (18 homers, 64 RBIs, .248 average). And we don't even need to remind you of those ill-advised, somewhat scandalous photos that ended up in the blogosphere.

Sizemore's stock fell along with his numbers, but there was speculation he might have a bounce-back season for the Indians this year. He was kept in my league this year by a leaguemate who boldly predicted Sizemore would be a top-20 player this year.

That leaguemate dropped Sizemore today.

A stat line of .211/0 HR/13 RBIs and the announcement of left knee surgery made the choice a lot easier for him. I'm not sure I'd drop Sizemore outright if I could afford to stash him on my bench - the timetable for his return is said to be 6-to-8 weeks - but it looks increasingly likely Sizemore won't come close to the lofty expectations many had for him in 2010.

Can he still be a useful fantasy commodity this year? Possibly. Will he ever return to being a fantasy stud with a rare blend of speed and power? That's an open question at this point.