Ben Sheets signs deal with Atlanta

[Goober]

Righty Ben Sheets threw for scouts today in Monroe, Louisiana, MLBTR has learned. Scouts from the Phillies, Braves, Yankees, and Angels were in attendance.

Sheets, 33, signed a one-year, $10MM deal with the Athletics in January 2010 despite missing all of the '09 season due to a partial tear in the flexor tendon near his right elbow. He made 20 middling starts for the A's in 2010 before going down for a second flexor tendon procedure in August. At the time, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Sheets actually had three procedures done on his elbow, including Tommy John surgery.

Word is that Sheets didn't want to return to baseball unless he felt 100%, and he'd like to help a team down the stretch. Assuming he flashes his old form in throwing sessions, Sheets will be a popular free agent this summer.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/06/ben-sheets-throws-for-teams.html

This is pretty fucking awesome. I've been asking reporters what happened to Ben for over a year now, and everyone assumed he was done. I'll be cheering for whatever team he ends up on this fall.

[MVPete]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/0...for-teams.html

This is pretty fucking awesome. I've been asking reporters what happened to Ben for over a year now, and everyone assumed he was done. I'll be cheering for whatever team he ends up on this fall.

[Warner2BruceTD]

gob is a twitter nag

[Slateman]

I wish him the best of luck

But maybe we should wait till he actually throws in a game before declaring him "back." Three surgeries is a lot to come back from.

[SuperKevin]

Seems like someone the Yankees would take a chance on

[Leftwich]

Gob you'll look forward to him playing for like his first 2 starts, realize he's a piece of shit pitcher and then forget about him.

Don't BS us and tell us you are looking forward to his 5.00+ ERA and his WHIP that will break the WHIP scale.

LIAR!

[Goober]

Gob you'll look forward to him playing for like his first 2 starts, realize he's a piece of shit pitcher and then forget about him.

Don't BS us and tell us you are looking forward to his 5.00+ ERA and his WHIP that will break the WHIP scale.

LIAR!

Ben Sheets has a career 3.79 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP. Please shut the fuck up.

[MVPete]

Ben Sheets has a career 3.79 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP. Please shut the fuck up.

You should report his post.

[Guest]

Ben Sheets has a career 3.79 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP. Please shut the fuck up.

Three elbow procedures, including TJ surgery, and he's 33. And when was the last time he pitched in a major league game?

There is about as much hope for Sheets having a successful return as the Brewers have for retaining Grienke, which is almost nil. I'll give anything the benefit of the doubt, of course, but there isn't much here.

[Leftwich]

Ben Sheets has a career 3.79 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP. Please shut the fuck up.

Taken out of context you fucking whiner.

I'm talking about what it will be this year. Hey emo-skinny faggot, where did i once say career? Please tell me you fucking pussy.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Sheets 2004 is one of my favorite pitching seasons ever.

[ZAN]

Is he going to changeup on his changeup? Because there is no way his fastball still has the zip to make his circle change effective.

I guess he could go the R.A. Dickey route and start learning a knuckeball....

[Goober]

Umm what? Sheets was hitting low 90's in Oakland, and that was coming directly off of surgery. He has waited two years since his last surgery to rehab and get his velocity back. Article notes that Sheets would only throw for scouts if he thought he was 100%. I'm sure he can still bring it.

Groaned for general lack of knowledge about the player. Sheets doesn't throw a circle change. His curveball has always been his best pitch.

[ZAN]

Point remains...too many surgeries, and his offspeed stuff won't work without his fastball being in the lower-middle 90s like it used to be.

And yes, he does throw a circle change. In fact, it's his most effective pitch in terms of "thrown for strikes %" which sits at nearly 73, according to pitch f/x.

Groaned for thinking groaning is punishment; as well as believing that the extra "umph" he puts into velocity for scouts at a workout to prove he still has it is how hard he'll actually throw in a game....

[Goober]

Three elbow procedures, including TJ surgery, and he's 33. And when was the last time he pitched in a major league game?

There is about as much hope for Sheets having a successful return as the Brewers have for retaining Grienke, which is almost nil. I'll give anything the benefit of the doubt, of course, but there isn't much here.

2010. I laugh how you guys blew your load when Jamie Moyer started for the Colorado "worst pitching staff in baseball" Rockies this year after coming back from arm surgery, but when Ben Sheets, a far better player, starts a comeback it's nothing but failure remarks. Sheets isn't the last option on the table for the Rockies, he has contenders calling his name.

I'm sure his curveball is still nasty. Ben will be a difference maker this fall for a lucky team. Also nice troll attempt. Bringing up Greinke is about as relevant to this conversation as "Zan's" made up circle change pitch. It's silly and quite frankly stupid to write off Milwaukee as a long term home for Greinke. The shoe fits every way you look at the situation.