"The A's have a treasure in Ben Sheets, perhaps in more ways than they realize. They're going to need some humor, insight and old-fashioned courage as the season goes on, and Sheets loads all of that into a package that also includes four invitations to the All-Star Game.

As Sheets made his spring debut in Friday's exhibition against the Milwaukee Brewers, it wasn't so hard to flash-forward to the regular season at the Coliseum: just a few thousand fans, strident voices heard loud and clear, a lineup devoid of star power, costly mistakes putting runs on the scoreboard. But there also was Sheets, taking the mound against big-league competition for the first time in 17 months in the wake of major elbow surgery.

At times, in the A's company, it seemed he was all alone out there. He probably felt a bit forlorn as the Brewers took a 2-0 lead during his 30-pitch assignment, few of his storied curveballs finding the strike zone. ("None of them," he confirmed, "went over the plate.")

It's just that all of Sheets' postgame comments came with a smirk, a little something extra. He's a pretty good-natured guy to begin with, endearing with his southern-Louisiana accent and perhaps the baggiest uniform pants worn by any pitcher in baseball. At a time when interviews with professional athletes have become increasingly monotonous, Sheets knows the value of a lively exchange."