OK, I know what you’re thinking. Clubhouse cancer. Malcontent. Said bad things about Joe Torre (which may actually go in his “Plus” column with the Yankee front office these days). But think about it for a minute. He’s not a bad option as a platoon partner for Gardner. He has power, hits Lefties, you could use Gardner as a late inning defensive replacement for him and Gary as a bat off the bench as a Pinch Hitter late in games. If he’s ready to accept a limited role (and I think he is) it could work.
The idea would be he adds some pop to Gardner’s speed and defense, adding up to good overall production out of LF spot for 2010. Yes, he’s bad defensively. But so was Johnny Damon and if I’m not mistaken things worked out pretty well for us last year. Despite his advanced age he has a better arm than either Damon or Gardner. If I’m an opposing manager, even at 41 years old he would still scare me enough coming off the bench that I would game plan around him. Brian Cashman has often said that a key strength of the late 90s teams were guys like Chili Davis, Darryl Strawberry and Tim Raines coming off the bench. They were at a point in their careers where they willing to play bench roles and that he’s had enormous trouble finding veterans to play similar bench roles in recent years. Gary Sheffield could play a similar role for the 2010 Yankees.
The problem with Gary in recent years was he still thought he could play every day, was always banged up and tried to play through it. But I remember him saying last year when the Mets signed him that he knows he’s not an everyday player anymore. In respect to the ‘malcontent’ label, most of the problems he’s had with his various teams usually involved the front offices, and were almost always over contract disputes. In what may very well be his last contract, that’s no longer an issue. People forget that when he made the Torre comments, he was selling a book at the time. In the clubhouse, he’s generally well-liked wherever he’s been. Bobby Cox raved about him in his one season with the Braves and Jeter was good friends with him in his time with the Yankees, so he can’t be that bad.
For a few mil? Worst case scenario you cut him loose mid season.
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17 Responses to How about Gary Sheffield?
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TIQ IQ
Interesting idea, Steve. Found TYU recently as a result of a mention at RAB and have been enjoying the blog immensely ever since.
Didn’t he say Jeter isn’t black? Damon, Johnson, Nady, if that can’t be had I say go with Hoffman.
NO !!!..Please, NO !!!..he’s too old, too much of a clubhouse cancer, with no cure.
Let’s'go get Reed Johnson….if not, get Damon or Nady or Baldelli (in that order)
Once was enough.
I don’t know if he really could be had at around 2 mil, he would be a force off the bench like none of those other guys would, I would love to see damon back but does anyone think that damon will be a happy clubhouse guy after crawling back to the yankees for an 11 mil pay cut from last year? if you are worried about clubhouse cancer than staying away from johnny at this point may be the best call. Over the last few years we had role players coming off the bench, which dont get me wrong as worked out for us, but shef has always talked about what the history of the yankees meant to him and how he wanted his last contract to be with the yankees, i think if they took him back he would be upbeat, and if he is willing to accept that limited role of platoon/bench he would be frightening coming up to hit for say gardener with two on in the ninth, you can’t tell me he wouldn’t get opposing pitchers nervous. I’d be for it if it can happen i think it would be a great move.
you have to be kidding me, no way, no how!
yall zre some ignorant ppl sheffiled is the most powerfull free agent on the market u seem 2 4 get thrz a dh position he dnt have to play da field
This is an idea with merit and would help replace some the power lost from the departures of Matsui and Damon. I also like his ability to pull the ball toward the cozy confines of the left field corner. His arm is still strong and his bat remains quick. The downside of age, injury and attitude do exist, but he’s also a competitor who performs well in the clutch. He could provide some production at DH, but that imposing gap in death valley would become more lethal with scary Gary on defense as Granderson will log a lot of miles trying to cover Sheffiled and Swisher both.
The problem with Gary Sheffield is that he hate the Yankee organization and wants to see it burn to the ground, so no, I don’t think its a good match. Unless you want to bring Randy Johnson back from retirement too, that way we can put Joba and Hughes in the pen.
sheffield? u may want to take a timeout for a second there, champ
Pass!
I would love to see Sheff back in pinstripes. As a right-handed bench bat, it might work. It won’t happen, of course, but it would be nice (for me anyway). He still has some wheels, too, for a guy as old as he is.
[...] an interesting bench idea by Steve over at TYU. How about the 41-year old Gary [...]
Only problem with Sheffield is that this is not 2000 it is 2010.
He is breaking down due to mileage on the body.
Time for younger, less mileage, bodies on the Yankees.
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Wow BDC, you are just as retarded as ever. What are you high on bulldog treats?
Why not. Lets sign Nolan Ryan. We do need a 5th starter