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Ben Sheets News & Rumors

Ben Sheets has Stephen Strasburg beat on injuries
August 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist John Shea
"The day it was announced that Stephen Strasburg will probably need Tommy John surgery, Ben Sheets visited the A's clubhouse and said, "I wish that's all I had." Sheets, 32, actually had three procedures performed during his Aug. 9 surgery. Along with the Tommy John surgery - in which a tendon from his hamstring was inserted into his elbow to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament - he also had had the flexor and pronator tendons in his elbow repaired. Strasburg's surgery isn't expected to be so complex. "They fixed it all," Sheets said. "It doesn't add more time to the rehab. It makes it a little tougher to come back from, the more stuff you have." Oddly, Sheets has hamstring pain from"
Ben Sheets is philosophical about his pitching future
August 28
Contra Costa Times
 
"Veteran right-hander Ben Sheets has rejoined the A's for the remainder of their current trip, 2½ weeks removed from right elbow surgery that's put his pitching career in jeopardy. Sheets went into his Aug. 9 procedure believing he'd simply need the flexor tendon in his elbow repaired. It turned out he also required a ligament replacement (Tommy John surgery) and repair work to his pronator tendon. That was OK with Sheets, who said his triple procedure has no bearing on his time frame for recovery. He figures to be sidelined the entire 2011 season and knows there's no guarantee he'll pitch again. "If my arm heals and feels great, I'm going to give it a shot. But that's up in the air, it"
Ben Sheets faces long odds after undergoing Tommy John surgery
August 12
Oakland Tribune
 
"Ben Sheets will face longer odds than anticipated if the right-hander does indeed try to resume his baseball career. Sheets originally was scheduled to have surgery Monday to fix a tear in the flexor tendon of his right elbow. Instead, he underwent a three-part procedure that also included reconstruction of his ulnar collateral ligament, commonly known as Tommy John surgery. Sheets, 32, already was expecting to miss the rest of this season plus all of next season because of the flexor tendon surgery, a procedure he's already had once and which cost him the entire 2009 campaign. The general recovery period for Tommy John surgery is anywhere from 12 to 18 months. That could possibly have him"
Injured Sheets' question: To pitch or not to pitch?
August 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets said his flexor-tendon surgery will take place Monday in Dallas with Dr. Keith Meister, and Sheets believes the tendon will be anchored to the bone differently than it was the first time, when it was sutured. Sheets remains uncertain if he will pitch again. "My arm will tell me," he said. Here's one consideration when it comes to a possible comeback: Sheets will have nine years of service time after this season. For the full major-league pension, players need 10 years of service. In other A's surgery news, the team had thought that minor-league left-hander Lenny DiNardo might miss the rest of the season after surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow, but DiNardo is already"
Sheets to undergo surgery next week
August 3
MLB.com
 
"Although his season is a lost cause, Ben Sheets is still sticking around his teammates in the clubhouse. On Monday, Sheets told reporters he will undergo surgery next week to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow, before he went out to the field to stretch and shag balls during batting practice. Sheets was in good spirits and said he will approach the surgery "very cautiously," as he underwent similar elbow surgery prior to the 2009 season and it wiped out the whole campaign. "It won't be the same, it will be slightly different," Sheets said. "But I ain't medical enough to talk in terms.""
Injured pitcher Ben Sheets realizes elbow surgery offers no guarantees
July 30
Oakland Tribune
 
"Right-hander Ben Sheets knows that surgery offers the only possible route to continuing his major league career. But he acknowledged that even a second operation on his right elbow doesn't necessarily guarantee a return to the mound. Sheets, 32, held a conference call with reporters Thursday from his home in Louisiana, one day after the A's announced he had torn the flexor tendon in his elbow for the second time and will miss the rest of the season. Sheets said doctors found that the tear in his elbow is "a lot worse" than the first one, leading him to believe a more extensive procedure would have to be done this time. He's leaning heavily toward having the surgery, adding he'd prefer to"
Sheets done for the season with torn flexor tendon
July 29
Oakland Tribune
 
"A's right-hander Ben Sheets was diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow that will require surgery and sideline him the rest of the season, manager Bob Geren said before Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers. The veteran pitcher feared such a diagnosis when he was placed on the disabled list Saturday and revealed that his elbow has bothered him all season. This is a reoccurrence of the injury that sidelined Sheets for all of the 2009 season. He underwent surgery for a torn flexor tendon in February 2009, and the A's signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract this past January in the hopes he was recovered and would return to his All-Star form. Sheets, 32, went 4-9 with a"
Sheets awaits 2nd diagnosis; season in doubt
July 25
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Many thought Ben Sheets would be gone in a trade right about now, with the deadline fast approaching. Instead, the franchise's all-time most expensive pitcher is off the roster the more predictable way for Oakland: Sheets was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday before the A's 10-2 victory over the White Sox. Sheets, who missed all of last season after flexor-tendon surgery, said his elbow has swelled far more than usual his past few starts. When asked if the injury might be season-ending, he said, "It's possible. I don't know. I don't like the fact it's so swollen. It's been so up and down the last two weeks, so up and down all year." Sheets will visit his own orthopedist, Dr."
Snakebitten Oakland A's blow out Chicago White Sox but place Ben Sheets on disabled list
July 25
Contra Costa Times
 
"Just when it seems the A's disabled list reaches full capacity, there turns out to be room for another member. Right-hander Ben Sheets was placed on the 15-day DL on Saturday with a strained right elbow, not only robbing the A's of their most experienced starter but also taking away their best bargaining chip with the trade deadline approaching. And although the A's aren't jumping to conclusions about how much time Sheets could miss, the veteran pitcher expressed concern about whether he'll be able to return at all this season. That news put a damper on an otherwise encouraging afternoon as the A's walloped the Chicago White Sox 10-2 at the Oakland Coliseum. Sheets developed swelling in"
A's ready to move Sheets
July 22
ESPN.com
 columnist Jayson Stark
"Here's another fellow whose team (Oakland) would be delighted to move him. Heck, the A's pretty much signed him so they could move him in July. They'll even pick up much of the $4.5 million or so that's left on his contract this year. "If you call on him, you'd better be ready to make a deal, because they're ready," said an exec of one team. "If you're just kicking tires, don't call. And if you do call, you'd better know you want him, and you'd better know definitively what you're going to give up because they've done their homework, and they know exactly what they want." All that is conducive to deal-making. But here's what isn't: We're also talking about a fellow who is 4-9 with a 4.53"
Good audition, but no win for Sheets
July 20
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Many people believed that Monday night's start might be an audition of sorts for Ben Sheets, with the trade deadline approaching, though the A's have expressed little interest so far in moving him. Instead, the man gaining some notice in Oakland's 2-1 loss to Boston was Gabe Gross, in right field - a position temporarily unsettled with Ryan Sweeney going on the disabled list. (Rajai Davis is likely to move there when left fielder Conor Jackson returns from the DL.) There were mixed results for Gross, who made a terrific throw in the sixth to nail Kevin Youkilis trying to go from first to third on a single to right by Adrian Beltre. "I didn't even think we had a shot," Sheets said of the"
A's wonder if trade winds will take Ben Sheets, Coco Crisp
June 29
Oakland Tribune
 
"The hourglass has not emptied yet on the A's, but they're facing an uphill battle to climb back into contention for their first playoff berth in four seasons. They sit 10 games out in the American League West as they begin a six-game road trip today in Baltimore, and if they don't make up ground quickly, general manager Billy Beane will face a familiar decision: keep the team intact or trade off his marketable veteran players before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline. Right-hander Ben Sheets and center fielder Coco Crisp already are being mentioned as names that could generate interest. With the division-leading Texas Rangers and second-place Los Angeles Angels playing well — and the"
Stingy Sheets rounding into form
May 24
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets did not land a one-year, $10 million contract simply because he offered an experienced presence on Oakland's oh-so-young pitching staff. The A's also hoped he and his surgically repaired right elbow could unleash some howling fastballs along the way. That's exactly what happened Sunday, as Sheets launched another pitching gem against the run-starved Giants. He and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout, allowing the A's to sweep their cross-bay rivals with a 3-0 victory before 35,067 spectators at the Coliseum. It was the second consecutive day on which a sellout crowd in Oakland - yes, it's possible to string together those last four words - watched the A's hold the"
Manager Bob Geren insists Ben Sheets wasn't tipping pitches during two poor road starts
May 10
Oakland Tribune
 
"Manager Bob Geren denied a newspaper assertion that Ben Sheets may have been tipping his pitches over two poor starts before the right-hander straightened himself out with a victorious performance against Tampa Bay on Saturday. In a blog report by USA Today veteran baseball writer Bob Nightengale, an unnamed source from the A's told Nightengale that Sheets had tipped his pitches in his two prior starts and that he would demonstrate the difference when he pitched against the Rays. Sheets gave up four hits over 6?2/3 innings and got the victory in a 4-2 A's triumph. "I don't think there's anything to that," Geren said. "We watched the films when he's thrown good and bad, and the difference"
Sheets looks like his pre-injury self against tough team
May 9
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"After two horrendous outings, Ben Sheets spiffed up his act Saturday at the Coliseum. He made a slight change with his arm slot, and he was rewarded with his longest outing of the season and a season-high eight strikeouts in Oakland's 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. "I think I relaxed," Sheets said. "I hadn't relaxed all year, but I was comfortable with the adjustment I made and I could throw strikes. It's like I returned to who I was before. ... No doubt that's by far the most comfortable I've been out there." Sheets, signed to a $10 million one-year contract in January, missed all of last season after elbow surgery, and the A's expected he'd be a bit rusty at the outset. Sheets is"
A's win as sparkling Sheets looks like new pitcher
May 9
Oakland Tribune
 
"Ben Sheets delivered his best start in an A's uniform Saturday, an effort that was important for his team but even more so for his psyche. After getting hammered in his two previous outings, Sheets limited the Tampa Bay Rays to four hits over 6?1/3 innings in a 4-2 A's victory. It was just the Rays' second loss in 15 road games. Sheets spotted his fastball well. He snapped off several curves that appeared to fall through a trap door. In short, he was what the A's envisioned when they signed him to a one-year, $10 million deal over the winter. They hope it's a stepping stone for things to come. "I always have fun, but it's hard to have fun when you get your (butt) handed to you like I did"
Ben Sheets struggling to get in groove with A's
May 3
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets said he's healthy. He said that even though he's in a new league, he should be able to beat teams. And still, Sheets is struggling mightily after getting a one-year, $10 million deal from Oakland during the winter. On Sunday, the Blue Jays pounded Sheets in a 9-3 victory over the A's at Rogers Centre. Sheets allowed nine runs in 31/3 innings, and even many of the outs were rockets. Eight of Toronto's 10 extra-base hits were off him, including three homers. "I wouldn't say my location has been this bad since my rookie year," Sheets said. "My location is so terrible, it makes it tough on the team and on myself." In his previous start, at Tampa Bay, Sheets gave up eight runs in"
Ben Sheets roughed up again; A's trip comes to merciful end
May 3
Oakland Tribune
 
"Ben Sheets walked off the mound in the fourth inning Sunday, closing the book on one brutal road trip for the right-hander. It wasn't much prettier for his team. Sheets was rocked for the second straight outing, surrendering 10 hits and nine earned runs in just 3?1/3 innings as the Toronto Blue Jays handled the A's 9-3 before a crowd of 14,725 at the Rogers Centre. The A's finished 1-5 on the road and were outscored 46-21 by Tampa Bay and Toronto. They lost two of their most indispensable players - catcher Kurt Suzuki and starting pitcher Brett Anderson - to the disabled list, and another starter, Justin Duchscherer, may join them. But the question of the moment: What in the world is going"
A's welcome Ben Sheets' rambunctious nature
April 27
Oakland Tribune
 
"Ben Sheets often is heard before he's seen in the A's clubhouse. On a team where the veterans usually speak softly and lead by example, Sheets deviates from that pattern with his rambunctious personality. He'll greet teammates by belting out one of his favorite lines — "Good morning, champions!" — as he arrives for a game. He recently had two mini basketball hoops installed in the home clubhouse at the Oakland Coliseum. Now nerf basketballs are flying through the air before and after batting practice. "You never know when the Golden State Warriors coaching staff is going to walk through," Sheets said. "Somebody might have a great jumper." Sheets was signed to a one-year, $10 million"
Ben Sheets pays off for Athletics
April 16
Oakland Tribune
 
"Precisely one month from what was surely the ugliest outing of his pitching life, Ben Sheets not only recorded his first victory with the A's but also his first major league win since Sept. 6, 2008. On Thursday night, Sheets looked another step closer to his former four-time All-Star self in a 6-2 A's victory over the Baltimore Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum. Back on March 15, Sheets faced 10 Cincinnati Reds hitters in a spring training game, surrendered eight hits, didn't record an out and all 10 runners ultimately scored. At the time, some may have questioned the wisdom of the A's $10 million offseason investment. Consider that nightmare performance irrelevant history now. Sheets, who"
Sheets gets first notch in win column since '08
April 16
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets picked up his first victory in more than a year Thursday night at the Coliseum. As encouraged as Sheets and the A's must be after Oakland's 6-2 dusting of the Orioles, consider how discouraged Baltimore must be. The Orioles have to lead the American League in discouragement. Put it this way: Sheets has as many wins this season as do the Orioles. Baltimore's losing streak reached seven games and the Orioles fell to 1-9 after Sheets tossed six shutout innings. He allowed five hits, struck out four and walked three. Sheets missed all of the 2009 season after elbow surgery. There were moments last year when he thought he might not get another major-league win. "I'm sure there were"
Sheets can't wait to kick off season
April 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"This time last year, Ben Sheets was a free agent trying to come back from elbow surgery on Opening Day rather than toeing the rubber as he usually does to kick off the season. Tonight, though, the A's top offseason acquisition is back where he belongs. Sheets will be making his seventh opening start, his first for a team besides the Brewers, and the four-time All-Star will be facing Seattle ace Felix Hernandez at the Coliseum. "Everyone waits for Opening Night all offseason," Sheets said. "Well, I waited through one offseason, a regular season and another offseason. It's a different feeling. I'm excited. I'm ready to go." Sheets, 31, has spent his entire career in the National League,"
Sheets rebounds well from Monday's shelling
March 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Five days after facing 10 men and failing to record an out, Ben Sheets bounced back with a nice outing Saturday in the A's 7-4 win over the Cubs. "Sometimes, it only takes six days to get one out," Sheets said with a grin. After making an arm-angle adjustment, he was able to throw strikes with his fastball and told manager Bob Geren his curve was the best it's been. Sheets went four innings and allowed three hits and one run while walking three and striking out four. "If I didn't need spring training, I'd just show up on April 5," Sheets said."
Battered Ben Sheets can't get an out
March 16
Contra Costa Times
 
"The hits in the first inning of the Cincinnati Reds' 13-5 win over the A's on Monday came in all varieties against Ben Sheets — line drives, seeing-eye singles, even a towering homer mixed in for good measure. The A's Opening Night starter faced 10 hitters and left without recording an out. His final line: 0 innings pitched, eight hits, 10 runs (nine earned), one walk and an ERA that reads 31.15 after three Cactus League starts. "People have had bad springs before, but this is taking it to a whole new level," Sheets acknowledged. The A's are more concerned with how Sheets' surgically repaired right elbow is doing. And that's what made his afternoon an odd one. He said he felt better"
Sheets feels 'great,' but he can't get anyone out
March 16
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets could find a little humor in his hideous day, because it's not yet the regular season. After allowing 10 runs without recording an out in the A's 13-5 loss to the Reds on Monday, the A's new $10 million starter said, "I know people have had bad springs, but this is taking it to a whole new level." Because Sheets has missed much of the past three seasons with injuries, including all of last year after elbow surgery, the first concern after such a stumble would be his health. However, Sheets emphasized that he felt the best he has all spring, much better than he had in his previous start, when he had trouble getting loose. "I felt great," he said several times. According to an"
Sheets resumes career againsts Brewers after 17-month layoff
March 11
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 
"It was one of those days no Brewers fan would voluntarily commit to memory. Sept. 27, 2008. The 161st game of the season. Lasting just 2 1/3 innings, Ben Sheets gave up four runs in what had every appearance of a devastating loss to the Chicago Cubs. Afterward in the clubhouse, Sheets said, "That's it. That's all I have. I have a broke arm." And that was that for Sheets and the Brewers, the last in a mind-numbing litany of injuries that finally severed what could have been a beautiful relationship between the franchise and its all-time strikeout leader. Sometimes, though, things have a way of working out. The Brewers recovered in Game 162 to make the playoffs, and maybe, just maybe, Big"
Ben Sheets' tenacity is no joking matter
March 6
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Bruce Jenkins
"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"
Sheets returns to mound, Chavez tries first
March 6
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets made his first start in an A's uniform Friday in the team's Cactus League home opener, and Eric Chavez made his first-ever start at first base, with an assist from Brewers first-base coach Ed Sedar. Sheets got knocked around a bit in the A's 8-7 victory over his former club, the Brewers. He allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, in 12/3 innings, but said he felt good overall in his first appearance in a game since Sept. 27, 2008. Sheets spent 2009 recovering from elbow surgery. "I felt great, I really did," said Sheets, who threw 34 pitches and was hitting 92 mph on the radar gun. "I was a little nervous - it had been 17 months since I last faced a batter. But the batter"
A's pitcher Ben Sheets sees initial start as 'W'
March 6
Contra Costa Times
 
"It was a short day's work, but Ben Sheets considered it a big hurdle cleared. Sheets threw 1?2/3 innings in his A's spring debut Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) in an 8-7 A's victory. It marked Sheets' first start in 17-plus months after he missed all of last season recovering from right elbow surgery. His command was off on his fastball and curveball, but Sheets felt fine physically afterward. For that, he considered his day a "W." "Seventeen months since I last faced a batter," he said. "I ain't gonna lie, it's not like I wasn't nervous out there. Once I got (in the flow), I felt pretty good." Milwaukee, Sheets' former team, put good"
Sheets resumes career againsts Brewers after 17-month layoff
March 6
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 columnist Michael Hunt
"Phoenix - It was one of those days no Brewers fan would voluntarily commit to memory. Sept. 27, 2008. The 161st game of the season. Lasting just 2 1/3 innings, Ben Sheets gave up four runs in what had every appearance of a devastating loss to the Chicago Cubs. Afterward in the clubhouse, Sheets said, "That's it. That's all I have. I have a broke arm." And that was that for Sheets and the Brewers, the last in a mind-numbing litany of injuries that finally severed what could have been a beautiful relationship between the franchise and its all-time strikeout leader. Sometimes, though, things have a way of working out. The Brewers recovered in Game 162 to make the playoffs, and maybe, just"
Sheets Brings New Mind-Set to A's Team in Need of Change
March 6
New York Times
 
"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"
Sheets, A's can only imagine the possibilities
February 28
Oakland Tribune
 
"Ben Sheets isn't interested in playing the "what if" game. When healthy, he's proven to be one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. But the injuries that have sidetracked his career beg the question: What might the A's new ace have accomplished by now with some better luck? Sheets made five trips to the disabled list from 2005-2008 with the Milwaukee Brewers, then missed all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery. "I don't let it consume me," Sheets said of his health woes. "But I wonder what type of pitcher I'd have been in those years." The A's signed the right-hander to a one-year, $10 million contract in January, a high-risk, high-reward proposition for a team that"
Sheets' debut will seem familiar
February 24
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Ben Sheets' first start in an Oakland uniform will come against the only other major-league team for which he has pitched. Manager Bob Geren said Tuesday that the right-hander will start the A's second spring game, March 5 against the Brewers at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Asked about facing his longtime team, Sheets joked, "The fact is that the first game of every spring I pitch against Brewers - in an intrasquad game.""
Former All-Stars come back after missing '09
February 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When Ben Sheets got to Arizona earlier in the week, he made a wrong turn en route to the A's complex. Understandable: For the past 10 years, his entire pro career, Sheets had reported to the Brewers' camp in Maryvale. "It was kind of strange, I ain't going to lie, when I put the green on the first time," the A's top free-agent acquisition said. "Old habits die hard." Sheets was among the pitchers and catchers to report to the A's minor-league facility for physicals Saturday, and he will be among those - roughly half the pitchers in camp - who will throw bullpen sessions this morning at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Justin Duchscherer, who will be No. 2 in Oakland's rotation behind Sheets,"
Ben Sheets is in a hurry to get going with the A's
January 27
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Gary Peterson
"On his first night in the East Bay as a member of the A's, Ben Sheets enjoyed dinner and a show. The A's sprung for the former. He supplied the latter. "Before dinner, he said he wanted to throw," A's manager Bob Geren said Tuesday, shortly after Sheets had been introduced to the local media. "I asked him, 'Before or after dinner?' He said after." At some point between the appetizer and the dessert, it began to rain in Danville - hard enough to put a damper on the prospect of any kind of baseball activity. "I said, 'You all right throwing in the rain?' " Geren said. "He said, 'Heck yeah. Are you all right catching in the rain?' " If you happened to drive past Sycamore Valley Park on Monday"
Newest A(ce) Ben Sheets signs with Oakland
January 27
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's had cast their line in some high-priced free agent waters this winter, only to come up empty. They finally landed a big catch Tuesday, signing right-hander Ben Sheets to a one-year, $10 million contract that also could include up to $2 million in performance bonuses. A four-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheets missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing elbow surgery. But if he makes a healthy comeback, he'll join two-time All-Star Justin Duchscherer atop a promising rotation that was the major leagues' youngest last season. It's quite the high-priced gamble for the A's, who typically don't throw big money at free-agent pitchers and aren't viewed as strong contenders"
Texas Rangers' target Ben Sheets picks Oakland instead
January 26
Dallas Morning News
 
"Ben Sheets has apparently signed with Oakland for $10 million on a one-year deal. A press conference is forthcoming. Rangers saw Sheets throw last week, but weren't prepared to offer that kind of guarantee. Sheets and the Texas Rangers had been in negotiations on a two-year contract last winter but a physical on the 2008 All-Star Game starter revealed the elbow problem."
Oakland A's sign free-agent pitcher Ben Sheets
January 26
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's have agreed to terms with right-hander Ben Sheets on a one-year contract, with a press conference called for 1 p.m. today at the Oakland Coliseum to introduce the four-time All-Star. SI.com is reporting the deal is worth $10 million plus performance bonuses. That would be the largest one-year contract the A's have ever given a free agent they signed from outside their organization. That would also be a significant investment for a pitcher who missed all of last season because of elbow surgery, but the A's have been zeroed in on Sheets, 31, since he impressed scouts last week with a throwing session in Louisiana. Sheets reportedly hit the low-90's with his fastball and looked"
With Felix in fold, M's take look at Sheets
January 21
Tacoma News Tribune
 
"It appears the much-talked- about contract extension for Seattle Mariners star pitcher Felix Hernandez will be announced today. Hernandez flew from Venezuela to Seattle on Wednesday to take a physical and also to be present for the announcement of what is reported to be a five-year, $78 million extension. The yearly breakdowns of that $78 million also leaked out Tuesday evening. Hernandez will get a signing bonus of $3.5 million and a $6.5 million salary this season. It will be followed by $10 million in 2011, $18.5 million in 2012, $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in 2014. The deal reportedly has a limited no-trade clause and performance incentives, including progressive bonuses for"
A's agree to deals with Kouzmanoff, Davis; Among teams scouting Ben Sheets
January 20
Oakland Tribune
 
"The A's avoided arbitration with two players expected to play key roles this season, agreeing to one-year contracts with third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and outfielder Rajai Davis on Tuesday. Kouzmanoff, obtained Saturday in a trade from the San Diego Padres, will make $3.1 million. Davis will get $1.35 million but can earn more if he hits incentives based on plate appearances. The A's are left with one unsigned arbitration-eligible player - reliever Michael Wuertz, who made $1.1 million in 2009 and enjoyed a strong season as Oakland's setup man. Teams were required to exchange salary figures Tuesday with their arbitration-eligible players. According to AOL Fanhouse, Wuertz asked for $2.9"
Ben Sheets to audition for teams, including New York Mets
January 19
New York Daily News
 
"The Mets' search for additional starting pitching will take them down to the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where four-time All-Star Ben Sheets is throwing Tuesday in a showcase for potential suitors, according to a baseball executive with knowledge of the Mets' plans. If he wouldn't quite be The Franchise, at least he'd be a natural for the Mets - his 7-year-old son is named Seaver after, you guessed it, Tom Terrific. Sheets, 31, missed all of 2009 after having surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow. He started the 2008 All-Star Game for the National League and finished that season 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA and a league-leading three shutouts. Over his eight-year career,"
New York Yankees eye Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets to potentially fill in rotation
December 14
New York Daily News
 
"Even after bringing back Andy Pettitte and tendering contracts to Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, the Yankees are looking for more pitching. Brian Cashman is looking to add at least one more starter from outside the organization to a rotation that includes CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Such a move would allow him to move Hughes and/or Chamberlain to the bullpen. While Cashman continues to monitor the Roy Halladay situation in Toronto, the general manager is looking at a couple of pitchers coming back from arm surgery: Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets. Neither righthander pitched in 2009; Sheets has the longer track record. The Yankees have spoken"
Mets eyeing Sheets
November 23
New York Post
 
"Ben Sheets hasn't pitched in the majors in more than a year, but that will not keep the Mets from keeping an eye on the former All-Star right-hander this winter. The oft-injured Sheets, who last pitched with the Brewers in 2008, has been sidelined since February because of surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his forearm, but he expects to be healthy by spring training. 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."
Sheets' plan: 100 percent by spring
November 13
ESPN.com
 
"Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin caught reporters slightly off-guard at the GM meetings in Chicago this week when he observed that "no one has heard from" former Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets. More than one media outlet took the comment as a sign that Sheets might be backing off an attempted comeback in 2010. According to Sheets' agent, that interpretation couldn't be further from the truth. Agent Casey Close said that Sheets is doing "very well" in his rehab from flexor tendon surgery and plans to be 100 percent by the start of spring training. Close also anticipates no shortage of interest from clubs in the coming weeks. "We have already heard from a number of teams inquiring"
Rangers notebook: Sheets situation
March 11
Dallas Morning News
 
"Right-hander Scott Feldman put together another solid outing in a loss to San Francisco in Surprise, Ariz. Feldman, who pitched two scoreless innings in his last start, added three more Tuesday as he allowed one hit and walked two. Feldman even experimented with a slider, throwing it twice in the game. "I tried to keep the ball down and get some quick outs," Feldman said. "I was kind of frustrated with my breaking ball, but I went down to the bullpen when I was through and threw 10 to 15 good ones. I didn't really have command of it during the game.""
Sheets' surgery cuts twice
February 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 
"The Milwaukee Brewers were mum Friday on the subject of who will pay for free-agent right-hander Ben Sheets' elbow surgery. "The only resolution we have is that we're not going to comment on the situation," assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "We're referring everything to (Sheets' agent) Casey Close. It's up to him to say anything about it." Following his practice, Close did not return a telephone call from the Journal Sentinel seeking comment. Sheets was pitching for the Brewers when he tore the flexor tendon near his right elbow toward the end of the 2008 season. The medical opinion at the time was that the injury would heal with rest and rehabilitation. When Sheets decided to have"
Sheets' surgery cuts twice
February 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 
"The Milwaukee Brewers were mum Friday on the subject of who will pay for free-agent right-hander Ben Sheets' elbow surgery. "The only resolution we have is that we're not going to comment on the situation," assistant general manager Gord Ash said. "We're referring everything to (Sheets' agent) Casey Close. It's up to him to say anything about it." Following his practice, Close did not return a telephone call from the Journal Sentinel seeking comment. Sheets was pitching for the Brewers when he tore the flexor tendon near his right elbow toward the end of the 2008 season. The medical opinion at the time was that the injury would heal with rest and rehabilitation. When Sheets decided to have"
Sheets might need elbow surgery
February 5
MLB.com
 
"Finally, an answer to one of this winter's most puzzling questions: Why is the National League's All-Star Game starting pitcher still looking for a job? The answer is that free agent right-hander Ben Sheets may need surgery to repair the torn flexor tendon in his elbow, and his former employers may be asked to pick up the tab. Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said on Thursday that the team has been in discussions this week with Sheets' agent and officials from Major League Baseball about who would pay for the procedure. "We're working our way through all of the details and we don't know the answer yet," Ash said. "Major League Baseball has regulations related to workers comp and"
Pursuit of Sheets opens up for Texas
January 27
MLB.com
 
"The Yankees were believed to be one of the Rangers' potential competitors in the pursuit of free-agent pitcher Ben Sheets. But they seemed to drop out of the picture on Monday when they re-signed pitcher Andy Pettitte to fill the last spot in their rotation. The Rangers view that as a good sign as they continue to show interest in Sheets. "Anytime somebody signs another starting pitcher, that obviously lessens the competition," Rangers president Nolan Ryan said Monday afternoon. "Obviously, Andy and Ben are at two different points in their careers, but I don't think Andy signing hurts anything." The Rangers are the only team that has publicly stated interest in Sheets, but the process"
Texas Rangers must weigh pros and cons of signing Ben Sheets
January 26
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Spring training begins in fewer than three weeks, and the Texas Rangers still have a chance to drastically alter their outlook for the 2009 season. All they have to do is sign one free-agent pitcher who lives in Highland Park and wants to play for them. Of course, making the final call on adding Ben Sheets isn't that simple. Were there no health concerns, neither Sheets nor the Rangers would be in this position. Another team, one with deeper pockets, would have thrown Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett money at him weeks ago. A potentially balky elbow, though, has dropped his price into the Rangers' ballpark, and the club brain trust is trying to find the right deal that covers their back sides if"