Sheffs back in New York

**daddeeo** · April-03-09, 07:29 PM

Boy are those guys going to regret this move. The New York Mets have signed Gary Sheffield even after he said he wanted to play full time. He'll cause them nothing but grief.
Oh sure, he'll be a company man for a few weeks but he won't like coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. They don't have the DH in the NL except in interleague play.
He might just get his 500th home run and then quit. I had to laugh when I heard his agent claim they wanted a long term contract. The guys a liability in the field and swings like a maniac no matter the situation at bat.
He'll be lucky to ever hit .250 again. He's just a has been now.

**rajdet** · April-04-09, 08:49 AM

I liked Sheff for the first half of his first season here. I agree he will not be happy or productive as a pinch hitter. It's amazing that a middle aged man would be unhappy making $14 million to pinch hit, or $20 million to come off the bench and fire away at will, as is the case with Allen Iverson!

**alsodave** · April-04-09, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by rajdet

I liked Sheff for the first half of his first season here. I agree he will not be happy or productive as a pinch hitter. It's amazing that a middle aged man would be unhappy making $14 million to pinch hit, or $20 million to come off the bench and fire away at will, as is the case with Allen Iverson!

You don't really have to wonder about their motivation. Both guys have never won a championship, but neither are willing to sacrifice "me-time" to win the big one. Maybe Hall of Fame entry[[looking doubtful for Sheff) and big money contracts are the new "championship ring".

**cloud_wall** · April-04-09, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by daddeeo

The guys a liability in the field and swings like a maniac no matter the situation at bat.

It's funny how an unpopular player brings out the naked ignorance among so-called sports fans. Gary Sheffield has a career on base percentage of .394. For someone who's hit for good power, that's just short of extraordinary. Sheff's always had an excellent eye at the plate. And as long as he can throw, he's a better all-around option than Ryan Church, the Mets' current right fielder.

As for not winning a championship, Sheff has always been one of 25 guys on a roster. Until 2008, he was always the best or one of the best players on his team. The idea that because you don't like a guy, he probably was a clubhouse cancer who managed to negatively influence his well-intentioned teammates is just dumb. It's baseball. Each guy has a job to do. Sheff is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who, until last year, always showed up and did his job well.

**daddeeo** · April-04-09, 08:54 PM

Problem with Sheff is he is over the hill.
He can't throw and he's a liability in the field.
He had half a season with the Tigers and nothing since.
Past stats don't count if you can't cut it now. Leland is
fighting for his job. If Sheffield had anything left, he wouldn't have been cut.