More on Sheets workout
"It was like the lobby at the Winter Meetings."
That was the scene in Monroe, LA yesterday as described by someone who was there. Roughly 50-60 people (some clubs had as many as four people there), including big league scouts, trainers, pitching coaches, and minor league pitching coordinators, watched Ben Sheets throw three separate 20-pitch sessions on the mound, with five minute breaks in between.
He was "loose and fluid," with a 90-91 fastball and a 69-71 curveball. He threw from a no-windup delivery, and commanded both sides of the plate.
"He never looked like he was extending himself," I was told. "It was vintage Ben Sheets."
Given the impressive nature of his workout, I'm thinking that Sheets will get a fairly large guarantee for 2010 from someone. Maybe not $8 million, but certainly in excess of $5 million, plus incentives based on starts. He's been rumored to be leaning toward the Texas Rangers, who were represented by pitching coach Mike Maddux, who had been his coach in Milwaukee, but another school of thought says he prefers the National League.
The next week or so should bring an offer - or six - and it's safe to say the odds are against the Nationals making the cut.
One other thing: Sheets told several of the club reps present that during his final season in Milwaukee he was unable to do any throwing between starts due to elbow pain. That he put up the numbers he did - 198.1 innings of work, a 3.09 ERA - is all the more impressive.
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Categories (click for archive)Phil Wood |
Do you know who the Orioles sent to scout. Was it Flo from Progressive, by chance or are they just relying on some cell phone pictures from a local high school friend? =========================== I did not hear of an Orioles' representative being present. About 10 clubs did not send anyone.
Do we know who the Nats sent to watch Sheets? Because for Chapman, Rizzo himself went and as it turned out they went all in on him. If Rizzo didn't go to see Sheets, it might be an indication of where their relative level of interest in him stands. ===================== I believe it was a regional scout and a cross-checker. That Rizzo wasn't there is not particularly significant. He looked at Chapman personally because he hadn't previously seen him in person.
Phil,
I just read that Doug Davis got a one year deal from Milwaukee for five million. Even after being gone a year I would assume that Sheets would get something in that neighborhood. I also read that the Nats are in play for Orlando Hudson. What a nice addition he would make to the infield defense. Still holding out hope for another solid veteran pitching addition though.
Greg
Hey Phil,
2 - 1/2 quick questions:
I just printed off the MASN TV schedule. It's great.
1. Will MASN put out a spring training TV schedule? (Bonus item: will WFED do so also?)
2. Did MASN ever commit to replaying all Nationals games immediately after Nationals games? In other words, will they stop the problem of having the replay of a big Nats win usurped by the replay of a desultory Orioles loss?
Many thanks,
KM