The Oakland Athletics have signed starting pitcher Ben Sheets to a one-year contract worth $10 million.
The Athletics watched Sheets throw in a bullpen session, and came away impressed enough to offer a contract.
The oft-injured Sheets didn’t pitch last year after undergoing elbow surgery, and it’s only been 11 months since the operation.
The deal is one that limits the risk for the Athletics, who were the only team willing to take a chance on Sheets.
Sheets is a four-time All-Star but has befuddled scouts with his inconsistency and injury history.
Friday, January 29, 2010 at 5:36 pm by steve
ESPN’s Buster Olney is reporting that the Oakland Athletics have signed free-agent pitcher Ben Sheets to a one-year deal worth something in the range of $8 million.
Sheets didn’t throw a single pitch in 2009 while recovering from a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow. But prior to last season, he was one of baseball’s best pitchers, making four All-Star teams with the Milwaukee Brewers.
When healthy, he’s a dominant pitcher with a knee-buckling 12-to-6 curveball to complement a good fastball, but it remains to be seen how effective both pitches will be this season. He’s only thrown for scouts once and while he was impressive, he’s also a pitcher with a history of injuries coming off a serious elbow injury.
Oakland has a good, young pitching staff and probably didn’t need to add Sheets, but the team had found itself with money to spend after striking out in free agency trying to add a bat. And with the AL West looking as wide-open as it has in years, the Athletics might have felt a little pressure to spend and make a push in 2010.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 1:47 pm by Raj Sethi
The Oakland Athletics have re-signed outfielder Jack Cust to a one-year contract worth $2.75 million.
Cust has been a quality addition to the Athletics ever since he was released by the Baltimore Orioles.
While his batting average and strikeout rates are alarming, he fits in perfect with Oakland’s moneyball philosophy.
He has an outstanding batting eye and walks a lot, and he also has plenty of pop in his bat.
The team desperately need a big bopper in the middle of their lineup after trading away Matt Holliday during the middle of last season.
Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 9:37 am by steve
