A’s make a splash, sign Sheets
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.
