Destinations for Sheffield
By Blake VandeBunte • Apr 2nd, 2009 • Category: 2009 Season, Gary SheffieldHere are some of the possible landing spots for former-Tiger (man, does that feel good to write) Gary Sheffield. Sheffield should clear waivers at 1:00pm today and is then free to sign with any team he chooses.
- Phillies: The Phillies currently have Matt Stairs as a 40+ lefty power bat and they want to add Sheffield so that they have a 40+ right power bat as a bookend. Stairs and Sheffield are both brutal fielders, so it’s at least a little bit puzzling that the Phillies would want both guys in the National League. I suppose the thinking is that the club plays half of their games in a terrific hitters park and that Sheffield and Stairs would hit enough pinch-hit home runs to make it worth their while. Probably a 75% chance he heads here.
- Reds: If there is one park in the National League that his better for hitters than the Phillies home park, it’s the Reds home ballpark. The Reds have a young outfield and could probably use a bit more depth there. However, I’d be hesitant to let Gary Sheffield anywhere near Jay Bruce or any of the other talented young players in Cincinnati. I’ll give the Reds a 20% chance to sign Sheff, leaving the rest of the field a 5% chance of signing him. The fact is quite simple, in his 20 plus years in the big leagues the man has burned a lot of bridges. It’s not surprising that he is not exactly in high demand.
- The Baseball Hall of Fame: His numbers say he belong in the Hall. He was one of the most feared hitters of the 1990s and unlike a lot of power hitters, he almost always hit for a high average. However, he bounced from team to team for a variety of reasons. In addition to his personality “quirks” there is the small issue of steroids. Sheffield’s name has been mentioned a time or two in that discussion and it appears that will be enough to keep him out of the Hall. I give him a 15% chances of making it in. Just don’t expect it to happen in the next 10-15 years.
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Maybe I’m parsing words, but with 3-5 teams interested, and Sheff perhaps signing as soon as he clears waivers, doesn’t that constitute pretty high demand? I mean, here we are, writing about it.
I dont understand why a national league team would want him.
I guess I mean he’s not in high demand as a major piece. Not only is he not being pursued as a major piece, he’s not even being considered a full time player. I think that could curb the demand in the end. Sure teams are willing to think about it, but is he willing to take what they are offering him?
If someone picks him up, do we still have to pay the full $14,000,000?
Yes indeed. Full payment.