Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer says that Cleveland Indians will probably trade Grady Sizemore in 2011 or 2012. Sizemore’s next contract is expected to be in the neighborhood of $50-100 million – a figure that the Indians cannot afford.

History has dictated that the Indians will deal their players two seasons before their contract expires such as C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Teams will trade a player this early in order to fetch a bigger prospect bounty since the team acquiring the star player will have the player for two playoff runs rather than a short-term end-of-the-season rental.

“If Sizemore is traded before 2012,” Hoynsie writes, “the club option becomes a player option and he could turn it down and become a free agent. Should the Indians pick up the option at the end of the 2011 season and trade Sizemore before Jan. 1, 2012, he can void the option and become a free agent.”

Sizemore signed a six-year $23.45 million contract in 2006. You can see Sizemore’s contract history and statistics here.