Sheets Signs with A’s
The Oakland Athletics have reportedly inked free agent right-hander Ben Sheets to a one-year, $10 million contact. That pact might also include incentives.
The 31 year-old missed the entire 2009 season following February elbow surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon. Sheets easily topped the 200-inning mark in each season from 2002-2004, but has provided transient excellence since then. Courtesy of the Fantasy Pitch F/X DL Tool, here’s Sheets’ extensive injury history:
2001: right shoulder tendinitis (DL, missed 46 days)
2005: Vestibular Neuritis (DL, missed 37 days)
2005: upper back strain (DL, missed 36 days)
2006: right shoulder strain (DL, missed 23 days)
2006: right shoulder tendinitis (DL, missed 82 days)
2007: right middle finger injury (DL, missed 45 days)
Sheets recently auditioned for potential suitors, topping out at 91 MPH with his fastball and showcasing his signature curveball.
When healthy, the 10th overall pick in the 1999 draft shows a rare combination of power and precision. Sheets has punched out 7.97 batters per nine innings during his big league career, handing out just 1.97 BB/9. The 6-1 Louisiana native has a 63.2 first-pitch strike percentage since 2002, well north of the 58-59 percent MLB average over that time period. His career xFIP is 3.55.
Prior to the elbow injury, Sheets sat 92-93 MPH with his four-seam fastball. The pitch has a +0.61 run value per 100 tosses since 2002. His high-70′s curveball, thrown over 30 percent of the time, checks in at +0.58 runs/100 pitches. Sheets has rarely utilized a changeup, and for good reason (-1.59 runs/100).
Sheets should enjoy his new digs. According to the 2010 Bill James Handbook, The Oakland Coliseum sapped run-scoring by nine percent compared to a neutral ball park from 2007-2009, while suppressing home runs by 10 percent. Considering Sheets’ fly ball tendencies (career 41.8 GB%), he’ll like the extra breathing room.
Is there a bigger wild card out there than Ben Sheets? He’s superb when able to take the mound, but it’s unclear if he left any of his stuff on the operating table. CHONE projects Sheets to log 114 innings next year, with 7.1 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 3.86 FIP. If he were to reach those totals, Sheets would provide about 2.1 WAR in value.
If you can snag Sheets late in your draft, by all means do. He could provide upper-echelon production, but there are obviously many unknowns regarding his health. Still, gambling on a guy like Sheets beats settling for the Jeremy Guthries and Jon Garlands of the world.
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not to be outdone, Jon Garland signs with the Padres. take that Ben Sheets
?
My guess, he’s talking about the best ballpark to ressurect your career in?
Hellooooooooo, this year’s Chris Carpenter!
Only if Sheets pitches 190+ innings. You really think he’ll do that?
I’d still grab him as my #4 or #5 guy in a standard league. He’d look good in Round 20, not sure if I’d gamble on him earlier.
Granted, I’m in a keeper league, with Wandy and Scherzer — both injury risks — as my best pitchers, so I need an innings eater before I’d consider Sheets.
Do I think he’ll be as good as Carp was last year? No, probably not – we are talking about a guy who missed all of last season and is moving to the harder league.
I’m not talking about his actual production so much as his value, though – like Carp last year, Sheets is going to be way undervalued relative to his *possible* production come draft day. I was able to grab Carp in the last or second-to-last round of every draft last year; I don’t expect to be able to get lightning to strike twice, but Sheets is certainly the best rod on the market.
Granted his health is a big risk, but 1. like you mentioned, that ballpark is great for flyball pitchers, and 2. With their OF defense, I wouldn’t be surprised if they can make Sheets look really friggin’ good – look at how good Jarrod Washburn looked…
I’m stashing Sheets because he’ll be on a major contender after June. There isn’t even a team option here- this even makes the Holliday signing look credible.
I believe there’s a decent chance the A’s can compete in 2010. Call it 25% if you want a number to throw around. Of course things have to break right, but Duke + Sheets staying healthy is a real possibility. Bullpen and defense are solid. If any offense emerges this year from Oakland, any at all (could be Sweeney, Rajai showing he’s for real, Taylor?) then look out. Probably won’t happen, but there’s a much better chance this year than than the ’09 squad.
Also, because of the solid bullpen, any games Sheets has the lead in will likely be preserved, netting your squad the elusive W.
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