Ben Sheets To Throw For Teams Tuesday
11:49am: Ben Sheets will throw for teams Tuesday at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, reports ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian. Said Sheets: “They’re going to like what they see.” Kurkjian indicates six to ten teams have expressed interest, the Cubs included. Kurkjian believes a one-year deal with incentives is in order. He says to “keep an eye on Seattle,” given Jack Zduriencik’s familiarity with Sheets. The Mariners were first connected to Sheets on December 11th by Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
Kurkjian talked to Sheets about his year off from baseball, after the righty had flexor tendon surgery in February. Sheets feels “refreshed” and “fantastic,” and seems raring to go. He thinks he can regain his old form, adding “Watch, I’ll show ‘em.”
I wouldn’t expect him to say anything else, given the fact that he’s still on the open market and is selling his services to prospective bidders. But in this case, I believe him. His comments match up with his huge asking price (believed to be around 12 mil) and he’d better look great if he’s going to back up those kinds of salary demands in the current marketplace. The elbow surgery he had wasn’t Tommy John, it was the less serious Flexor Tendon variety, which is the kind that pitchers generally bounce back from well. Yankee fans may remember that top prospect Dellin Betances had the very same procedure last year and Mariano Rivera had it as well when he was in the minor leagues.
Unfortunately, I don’t see the Yanks getting involved in the bidding. They already have an excess of starting pitchers, to the point where Joba, Hughes, Mitre, Gaudin and Alfredo Aceves will all battle for ONE rotation spot this spring. They are said to only have 2 mil left to spend, and have a need to fill in Left Field. I’ve always been a big Ben Sheets fan, and while his injury history is long this is the first time it was anything arm related. I’ll venture a guess that he’s going to have a big season for someone next year. If the Mets were smart (ahem) they’d be very aggressive in pursuing him.
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7 Responses to Ben Sheets to throw for teams on Tuesday
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TIQ IQ
I’m a huge Sheets fan. Saw him at YS at the All Star game, and he was utterly phenomenal. I understand that has little to do with what he actually is, but seeing him pitch left me wishing he would one day grace the pinstripes.
That said, I agree with Steve. He isn’t coming here; the Yankees need a LF and SP is way down on their priority list. Obviously, I have no inside knowledge on that, but I think it’s fair to assume. However, if Sheets becomes one of the lucky few to become a Yankee, I would be utterly ecstatic.
can never have enough pitching…
I truly wish the yankees didnt make the vasquez trade and just signed sheets instead. They could have the melkman and gardner in left with sheets adding more upside than vasquez (though less certainty). Also wed still have the viz
I wanted Sheets badly. That said, Vasquez is Sheets in a lot of ways. The difference is that Sheets is a little more dominant, while Vasquez is a lot more healthy. And last year’s Vasquez was basically what Sheets was. Factor in the elbow surgery, which although not as serious as TJ surgery is still a major surgery. Also, Sheets wants the same amount of money, and would need to transition to the AL. Now I am by no means saying he cannot excel in the AL, but his numbers wouldn’t be AS GOOD in the AL as they were in the NL. Yeah, Viz could be a star. Will he? History says no, he won’t. He is very, very far away and a lot can happen in that time. He hasn’t even reached full season ball yet! What if you signed Sheets and within a month he had a setback while Viz blew out his shoulder. Now you don’t have Vasquez, who gives 200 innings, and instead you have Melky. Melky is not that great of a player. He’s just not. Especially not for 3.1 million, when you can sign someone with similar production for less then that, like a Reed Johnson, Hariston, etc…
“I wanted Sheets badly. That said, Vasquez is Sheets in a lot of ways. The difference is that Sheets is a little more dominant, while Vasquez is a lot more healthy.”
Right, in order to properly compare Sheets and Vasquez, you should really add Sheets’ numbers to whoever the replacement will be for the other innings he doesn’t throw (Mitre/Gaudin) and compare THOSE totals to Vasquez, who throws 200 innings per year.
It’s actually pretty easy. Sheets average about 150 per season, which is roughly 3/4 of a season. So take 3/4 his career avg WAR of 3.725 (2.79) and add 1/4 of the avg seasonal WAR of Chad Gaudin of .714 (0.178) and total them up. 2.79+0.178=2.968 for 2010 Ben Sheets. Vasquez’s career WAR is 4.7.
If you simply want to compare 2010 projected WAR, which is weighted more heavily to recent performance and is a better way to do it, Sheets is projected to have a 2.7 WAR for 2010 and Vasquez projects to 4.8. No matter how you crunch the numbers, Vasquez wins.
The only argument for Sheets over Vasquez would be upside and/or playoff match ups. Sheets may be better for that one game, assuming both pitchers are healthy. But in Sheets’ case, getting him to October in one piece is an unrealistic assumption.
Agreed. I think over the course of a season, Vasquez is the better fit on this team. The Yankees need the arm that will go out there every five days. And considering last year Joba was the four and Mitre/Gaudin/Wang was the five, you are basically replacing the Mitre/Gaudin/Wang with Vasquez. If the Yankees brought in Sheets, there is the unfortunate truth that the team could quite possible face the same situation as it was in last year. Vasquez (knock on wood) should be a solid innings eater. Anything over that (and there will be plenty to love) is just gravy.
In the post season, if you have the choice between a healthy Sheets and a healthy Vasquez, you would have a hard time convincing me to take Vasquez. That said, as Steve put it, “getting him to October in one piece is an unrealistic assumption.”
When these guys throw, are they allowed ot take blood and test for heavy doses of anti-inflamatories?