Ben Sheets

[yankee7]

Is there an injury causing these nightmarish starts?

It's hard to believe our Moneyball GM would spend 10 million dollars for this.

Yes! I spent a few dollars for him.

Should I just cut him and lick my wounds?

[da_big_kid_94]

I don't know what your expectations for him were but I think being out of the game for an entire season may have something to do with it. As for Moneyball - look no further than last year's Matt Holiday case. Sheets is the same type of deal - only this one doesn't look like it's panned out. He conned someone into paying $10 mil for him ...more power to him - but until he shows some sort of pulse, drop him.

[Skin Blues]

A guy in one of my leagues started Sheets and Johan the other night... 19 ER in 7 IP. Ouch. I don't know what's wrong with him, but his velocity didn't seem so bad the other night, he was reaching the mid-90s as far as I can remember. He always looks so awkward with those long-sleeved undershirts throughout the summer. Maybe that's his problem.

[Captain Hook]

One of the problems with Sheets in his last few starts has been hitters being very successful against his curveball....don't know if he is tinkering with it or just out of sorts with his mechanics.

The $10 million dollar contract was TERRRIBLE....no idea what Oakland/Beane was thinking with that or whether in fact there was another club competing making them think they had to got that high to control him.

[Spread da wealth]

Mastersball felt pretty good about him before the season began, too, with a projected 3.685 ERA, 1.235 WHIP, and $15 AL 4x4 value. I got him for $4 and felt pretty good about it leaving the draft!

[Guest]

Agreed it looks like we swung and missed here. He just can't be healthy, or if he is, has just lost it. This is a pitcher who has never had a BB/9 over 3 in his entire career almost at 5,and getting tagged for HR in a pitchers park at a shocking rate.

It is likely a lesson that we need to adjust more for these pitchers coming off multi-year injuries- but then again Shaun Marcum comes back and looks very good.

I'd have been thrilled to roster him at $4 and unfortunately I'd have been completely wrong so far.

[Captain Hook]

Remember too that while he was absolutely TORCHED in spring training a few times, he had a few good starts at the beginning of the season as well.......for $4 or whatever low draft spot I used in an AL only league it was a good risk/reward spot but I would bench and watch for improvement or if necessary cut him and your losses - it didnt' cost you much

[Todd Zola]

I admit I have not seen Sheets throw a single pitch this season, so this is a completely anecdotal offering.

Sheets has more value to the A's as a trade chit than as a member of their rotation assuming they are not going to challenge for the division.

I wonder if they are "babying" him, in an effort to have him peak at the trade deadline. I could go to Fangraphs and look at his pitch selection to get an idea and I will, but I wonder if some of this is an attempt to keep him healthy, holding back come of the more stressful pitches or whatever.

Also, keep in mind, when he was last "healthy", he was beginning to show a downturn in peripherals. So maybe for Sheets, past performance was indeed by no means an indicator of future performance.

[lawr]

i have seen sheets a few times now, and i was not sold on him coming into the season, because....

he was off for so long, and any injury takes a while just to overcome the mental aspects (ie, fear he does not cut loose and his arm falls off).

that said, his control has not been good, nor his velocity, and his fastball does not have the zip it used to.

i do not know the source of this, but i am not remotely convinced that he is that hot (note too that he is barely a .500 pitcher over his career, and though sheets has had some nice moments, over the aggregate his career has been underwhelming).

[Rob Leibowitz]

I've seen a lot of his starts too, but not his last one. His fastball velocity was definitely off and more importantly, his location is off. He looks rusty. His curve still looks like a plus pitch and has some sharp downward action, but again the consistency of it hasn't bee there. I tend to agree with Lawr that he is either a) not the pitcher he once was or hopefully b) just needs to get some innings under his belt to build his arm strength back up. If he doesn't do his usual injury thing, there is the possibility that he will have a much better second half than first if it is the latter that is the issue.

[Spread da wealth]

Including last night's, 3 of his last 4 starts have been great, and the other was ok & better than his most of his first 5.