| Brandon Contes. 3rd April, 2009 - 5:06 pm
 The Mets are paying Gary Sheffield, absolutely one of the most feared sluggers over the past 20 years, just $400,000 for the 2009 season. It is a low risk, high potential reward signing for the Mets, which will help them score runs and also keeps him from signing with the rivaled Phillies.
Sheffield has proved he can play in New York, putting up huge numbers his first two years with the Yankees, but was injured for the majority of his third season, 2006. In 2007, he put up solid numbers batting .265 with 25 homers and 75 RBIs in 133 games, but his season was certainly spotty. He batted a combined .186 with only four homers and 16 RBIs in the months April, August, and September.
However, he was a potent hitter from May through July, batting .320 with 21 homers and 59 RBIs during that stretch. Last season he was never able to have a stretch like that, but after a dreadful start to the year where he missed the bulk of June, he was able to at least show he still had some power having his best month in September when he hit six home runs for a total of 19 on the year.
Being that Sheffield struggled in Spring Training, batting .178 before he was released, and he hasn’t really been a full-time outfielder since 2005, it is more than likely he will begin the year as a platoon player with Ryan Church. The Mets are very high on Daniel Murphy and they are going to give him every opportunity to play everyday. Unless Church is red-hot through April, and Murphy is really struggling, then Sheffield’s at-bats will come at Church’s expense.
Manuel has dealt with Sheffield in the past, when he was the bench coach under Jim Leyland when the three of them had a hand in the 1997 Florida Marlin World Series team. Even though it was only one season, it is still good that they have some work experience together.
Besides the bullpen, the biggest issues for the Mets the last two years were not having enough guys talking to the media after the game, and not having a guy to give the team a spark when they needed it down the stretch. If there is one thing other then hitting that Sheffield has been good at in his career, its speaking out, and in some clubhouses it may cause problems, but in the Mets clubhouse it may actually prove to be beneficial. Even though he is 40-years-old, if he can give the Mets a much needed jolt, and be half as good as he can be offensively, then this signing will end up being one that could push the Mets into the playoffs. If he is struggling mightily, and complaining about playing time to the point where it is negatively affecting the clubhouse, then release him. It is $400,000 risk the Mets had to take.
Grade for the Mets: B+ |
