The New York Post is reporting that the Mets are "keeping an eye" on free agent pitcher Ben Sheets.
At first, I wasn't sure what level of interest that implied, but it turns out the Mets are, indeed considering Sheets as a viable option for 2010.
A major-league source confirmed that Sheets, 31, would be among a group of second-tier, relatively low-cost starting pitchers the Mets will consider this offseason while continuing their pursuit of top free-agent starter John Lackey.
The story says the Mets are also considering Joel Pineiro, Jason Marquis and Randy Wolf, all safer, healthier, but less-sexy options.
On the positive side of things, Sheets didn't give up a single run in 2009 (maybe that's what the Mets noticed). On the negative side, he wasn't able to pitch a single inning either after having surgery in February on a tendon in his forearm.
We all know about Ben Sheets (stats). When he's healthy, he's very good. But he is known for his struggles in that department. Since entering the league in 2001, he has thrown more than 200 innings four times, but not once since 2004.
Sheets, a four-time All-Star, looks like a good gamble on a short-term contract. But given the injury problems the Mets had in 2009, this seems like a matchup made for the doctor's waiting room. Then again, I can't blame the Mets too much for imagining what a nice addition Sheets would make to their disabled list next season. After all, an injured Sheets is still better than Oliver Perez.
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Bob, you are a hack. Plus you are not funny.
Actually, I think it is pretty damn funny. And true too!
And as Joe Bologna so perspicaciously noted in My Favorite Year, in this business you don't cut funny.
And let's face it - some of the decisions the Mets' front office has made lately were no less ridiculous than trading to fill a slot on the disabled list. I think they ought to start trafficking in retirees as well. Sure, they'll inadvertently bring in a player who's been dead for a while without them knowing it. Eric Show would fit beautifully into the Mets bullpen, bottle of Woolite and all. But then there are guys on their bench right now about whom you could say the same thing.
And even if Bob is a hack, so what? Without hacks where would all our pulp fiction, Jon and Kate coverage, television scripts and daily sports coverage come from? They're as necessary to our culture as are coliform bacteria to your descending colon.
I must say, Old Gator, that I do enjoy reading your posts. I mean where else could you get an Eric Show/Woolite reference in the same place that you get a coliform bacteria in a descending colon reference?
If you remember in Monty Python's Holy Grail, the scene where Eric Idle was pulling the cart, proclaimimg "bring out your dead", the same could be said for a large part of the Met's current roster. And when the almost dead carcas replies " Im not dead yet", simply hit them over the head and throw them on the heap. It seems to me that if ever a team was in need of a complete makeover, this is it. But as usual, I am sure they will prefer the usual, I can fix it with duct tape approach, and sign some has beens, walking wounded , and over priced veterans instead of rebulding this roster and farm system. Why fix it when you can patch it up?
They're as necessary to our culture as are coliform bacteria to your descending colon.
Ahh Gator. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me. I just about teared up.
Do I remember Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Is Godzilla radioactive? I remember it almost as well as I remember those idiotic fundamentalist sphincters picketing Life of Brian at my local cinema, and I also remember exactly what Mr. Creosote ordered for dinner. But more to the point, and sorry if I have to cast this in local (Miami) terms for you: I remember the scene where Jeffrey Loria rides by the Rule 5 draft picks taking batting practice and one of them says, "Hey, that was the owner!" And another one says, "How do you know he's the owner?" And the first one replies, "'Cause he ain't got shit all over him."
Bob: glad to vector a little cheer as we approach the holiday season, what with that annual spike in suicide attempts that usually accompanies it.
Hello there, cheers for a excellent blog, a really great opening to the 2010, keep up the excellent work, Sue.