January 26, 201016 yr According to CBSSports.com, the A's have agreed to terms with right-hander Ben Sheets on a one-year contract worth around $8 million. CBS' Danny Knobler hears that Sheets has already passed his physical and a deal will be announced Tuesday afternoon. The 31-year-old righty missed all of 2009 due to elbow surgery but he was impressive in a throwing session last week and carries a 3.72 career ERA. Job well done by Oakland GM Billy Beane.
January 26, 201016 yr God, this A's rotation is going to be damn good if Cahill improves and Sheets' arm stays on.
January 26, 201016 yr He actually got 10 million plus performance bonuses... Beane has made some bonehead moves the past few years (Except the Swisher trade)...... My guess is if he's 'lucky' and Sheets has a good, healthy year, they will trade him at deadline for prospects... a big IF though.
January 26, 201016 yr If Sheets stays healthy all year and pitches like hes able to, $8 million is a good deal. However, thats very, very, very, very big IF.
January 26, 201016 yr $10 million guaranteed for Ben Sheets. Wow. Basically, it means the A's will pay $4 or 5 million for half a season, then ship him off for prospects in July. Is there really any other way this could go down? Matt Holliday v.2. (Orlando Cabrera too.) Is it worth it to pay $4 or $5 million to get a few prospects? Considering draft hassles, signing bonuses and bust rates, maybe Beane thinks it is. ...of course all of that is dependent on Sheets keeping it together for the first half of the season.
January 26, 201016 yr QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 01:57 PM) $10 million guaranteed for Ben Sheets. Wow. Basically, it means the A's will pay $4 or 5 million for half a season, then ship him off for prospects in July. Is there really any other way this could go down? Matt Holliday v.2. (Orlando Cabrera too.) Yeah, he could get hurt or struggle and the A's pay for the whole thing.
January 26, 201016 yr I love rotoworld's line. If the Mets had guaranteed him $10 million, everyone would call them desperate, but Billy Beane does it and he keeps his genius hat. It's the way of the world. I'm as big of a Beane fan as there is around here, but this is the straight truth. It's sort of like he just resigned Rich Harden, except he's paying him more than Rich Harden is actually going to get.
January 26, 201016 yr Author QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 01:06 PM) I love rotoworld's line. I'm as big of a Beane fan as there is around here, but this is the straight truth. It's sort of like he just resigned Rich Harden, except he's paying him more than Rich Harden is actually going to get. Add to that Sheets is older. Much older. Beane is lucky a book was written about him... I'll cue Hawk Harrelson and point out that he hasn't done s*** since the trio of Hudson, Zito, and Mulder were dealt/walked/started sucking.
January 26, 201016 yr You figure if it wasn't going to prevent the A's from signing anyone else (which it doesn't look like it would), then there's nothing lost here. Would anyone see a scenario where the A's are in contention midseason and would use extra money to acquire someone? That doesn't sound like something they'd do. I wouldn't see the Sox doing it, ever, but if I'm the A's there's nothing to lose. And Rotoworld was right, Beane can do no wrong. Edited January 26, 201016 yr by Flash Tizzle
January 26, 201016 yr QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 03:15 PM) Add to that Sheets is older. Much older. Beane is lucky a book was written about him... I'll cue Hawk Harrelson and point out that he hasn't done s*** since the trio of Hudson, Zito, and Mulder were dealt/walked/started sucking. And he gets no credit for getting all three of those guys, right? Also, have you seen Brett Anderson pitch? Some of the arms in that system are nothing to scoff at. They have a hell of a future ahead of them, and nobody said Beane was perfect. He used to be ahead of the game, now he's just in the middle of the pack.
January 26, 201016 yr When is the "Moneyball" movie supposed to come out? I can't wait until the A's are in last place at that time and maybe KW will finally get some credit.... It will be interesting to see who plays KW and how he's made to look in the film, or if that gets cut out/edited. Brad Pitt ... Billy Beane Demetri Martin ... Paul De Podesta David Justice ... Himself Rick Yudt ... JP Ricciardi???? Darryl Strawberry ... Himself Lenny Dykstra ... Himself Scott Hatteberg ... Himself Frankie Ingrassia ... Tara Beane (uncredited) Wonder who will play Grady Fuson, he was a big part of that book, too. Does Miguel Olivo get to be in the movie? Chad Bradford? Keith Foulke? Cotts? Koch? Swisher? Blanton? Dotel?
January 26, 201016 yr QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 03:26 PM) When is the "Moneyball" movie supposed to come out? I think they canned it. I heard something about concern over how marketable the movie would be.
January 26, 201016 yr Aww crap. Looks like I'm gonna have to actually keep reading the book. I've been holding out for the movie for the past few years instead of reading the second half of the book.
January 26, 201016 yr QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 26, 2010 -> 07:14 PM) That is insane guaranteed money for Sheets. Pure insanity
January 27, 201016 yr Moneyball the movie is in the process of casting at the moment. Bennett miller, the director of capote, is the director.
January 27, 201016 yr I think with the success of "The Blind Side" by the same author (surely they'll use that Michael Lewis connection in trailers) and Mr. Hollywood Brad Pitt attached to the project, it will end up getting made. I'm actually curious if Kenny Williams would agree to play himself in that role. Since it's basically denigrating his performance as GM, I wouldn't think so. On the other hand, Kenny's ego is big enough that he fancies himself capable of portraying his own persona much more accurately than any Hollywood actor. Edited January 27, 201016 yr by caulfield12
January 27, 201016 yr I wouldn't scoff at the A's ability to compete in the West. If Sheets/Duchscherer (or just one of them) come back healthy w/ Anderson and Cahill, their rotation is legit. And a foursome of Bailey, Zeigler, Wuertz, and Devine can be lights out. They definitely need a bat, or a couple breakout seasons, but that pitching staff can be fantastic.
January 27, 201016 yr QUOTE (sircaffey @ Jan 27, 2010 -> 12:09 AM) I wouldn't scoff at the A's ability to compete in the West. If Sheets/Duchscherer (or just one of them) come back healthy w/ Anderson and Cahill, their rotation is legit. And a foursome of Bailey, Zeigler, Wuertz, and Devine can be lights out. They definitely need a bat, or a couple breakout seasons, but that pitching staff can be fantastic. You are far too kind, that rotation definitely has some promise but their offense makes the sox offense look potent.
January 27, 201016 yr Love the deal for the A's. Little bit of a Risk, but if anything goes well with sheets, they make out big
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