"Every day he reports to work at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Ben Sheets greets his fellow Oakland Athletics this way: "Good morning, champions!" His teammates, who are coming off a last-place finish in the American League West, love him for it.

"That's the mind-set we need around here, and he reinforces it every day," said Dallas Braden, a pitcher with one full season in the majors. "Whether it's with a smile on his face or a scowl - which we haven't seen yet - every day it's upbeat and it's all positive. That's something we kind of missed."

The A's have missed the playoffs the last three seasons, and Sheets has never been. Before Friday, when he threw 32 pitches in an 8-7 victory over his old team, the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheets had not pitched in a game since Sept. 27, 2008."