After being courted by 9-to-10 teams (according to reports), Grady Sizemore has decided to return to the only place he has called home in his Major League career — Cleveland.

Sizemore will return to Cleveland in 2012

As reported by Buster Olney, the Cleveland Indians have re-signed OF Grady Sizemore to a one-year, $5 million contract. Sizemore can earn another $4 million in incentives and another $500,000 if he wins the Comeback Player of the Year award.

This is a good deal for Sizemore for multiple reasons.

1. A one-year, Major League deal is the best Sizemore could have hoped for and is really a perfect deal for him. Sizemore, who hit .224/.285/.422 in 71 games last season, will have a chance to reestablish his value.

Having played in only 104 games the last two seasons, Sizemore at the age of 29 can still have one last big payday if he can prove he can stay healthy and produce over the course of a full season.

Will he ever be the guy who was a 30-30 and MVP candidate every year? No, he won’t. But I think he can return to the Sizemore of 2009 when he hit .248/.343/.445 with 18 HR’s. I think the Indians and Sizemore will certainly take that.

2. Not only will Sizemore be able to reestablish is value in Cleveland, but he will get to do it playing center field. We heard a lot of rumors about teams interested in Sizemore, but interested in Sizemore playing left or right field. Becoming a left or right fielder only would hurt Sizemore’s value.

Center field is a premium position and if Sizemore can prove he can play that position and play that position well in 2012 (-19.7 UZR/150 the last two seasons), he would get paid more in 2013 than he would as a left or right fielder.

For Cleveland, clearly they didn’t have any faith in Michael Brantley becoming their everyday center fielder in 2012 and if Sizemore does have a comeback year and they are out of contention, they can flip him for some younger talent.

Good deal for both teams.

You can follow The Baseball Index on Twitter @ baseballindex

By The Baseball Index