Buy low on Ben Sheets?

[JonnyRed]

As the days go by, the price tag for Ben Sheets continues to drop. Why not try to buy low on a guy who has loads of NL Central experience and who is an ace pitcher when healthy? Sign him to a lucrative one-year deal with performance options and let him prove himself. Our pitch should be that few teams can provide Sheets with better long-term security than the Cubs can if he has a solid season (not to mention some nice payback options against the Brew Crew).

[Post Count Padder]

This has been discussed before. He has an extensive injury history and it would put us back if both he and Harden end up on the DL for a long time. Prior and Wood all over again. Also, he could probably still command a good amount of money. If we want him cheap, we should wait a few more weeks. At that point, I don't think he'll be around. Redding is off the market, and Lowe will be soon too. Some team will jump on Sheets and give him a contract.

 

That said, I'd definitely prefer him over Randy Wolf.

[bcl412]

IMO, Sheets and Harden wouldn't be as bad as Prior and Wood because we had so much of the future invested in both those two arms. We were a good team last year without Harden, Harden just made us even better and the same is the case with Sheets. I just don't see how it would be that bad if we had Sheets and Harden and then they both proceded to be injured. At worst it would hurt us through this season as opposed to Prior and Wood whose injuries killed us, not only for one season, but for a couble subsequent seasons afterward.

 

I wouldn't mind taking the risk on getting Sheets though I would much rather have Peavy.

[mdwilla]

My bet for Sheets is Atlanta. If there's any chance Sheets can be had on a one year deal it's a gamble worth taking. This isn't Prior/Wood all over again. The Cubs are a much deeper team than in previous years. Hendry gets to keep his best trade chips.

[RedFlash]

My bet for Sheets is Atlanta. If there's any chance Sheets can be had on a one year deal it's a gamble worth taking. This isn't Prior/Wood all over again. The Cubs are a much deeper team than in previous years. Hendry gets to keep his best trade chips.

 

I see Lowe to Atl, and Sheets perhaps replacing RJ in Arizona.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Harden and Sheets in one rotation spells trouble, however, if managed right, it could work out. If they were both kept on short leashes, it would work out, especially since we have some relieversd capable of long innings in Marshall, Gudin, and maybe Guzman and Vizcino.

 

Remember, Sheets was coming along very well last season until Yost started going nuts on him. You cant expect a guy with his injury history to be able to go 9 innings no matter how well he seems to be doing on that day.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I've asked everyone I know around here if they've heard anything about the offers Sheets is getting and no one seems to know anything.

 

My guess is Sheets is looking for a 3-4 year deal making around 12-13 million per year. In most years, even with his injury history, he would get it. With the economy the way it is, this offseason, he isn't getting bites at that.

 

I wonder if he's not getting the annual dollar amount he wants, the number of years he wants, or both. Also, whoever signs Sheets will surrender their first (or second round if they pick in the top half) round pick for signing him. That could also be decreasing the number of offers he's getting.

 

Sheets, even with his health history, looks to be the bargain of this free agent period. He started 31 games last season, 24 in 2007, and 17 in 2006. Unless his medical information is revealing something we don't know about, he's worth a 3/36 deal. If he signed on a one year deal at anything less than 12 million, he's a bargain.

 

Is it risky? Surely. When healthy, Sheets is as good as any pitcher in the game. He isn't the Prior-esque or even Harden-esque injury risk everyone makes him out to be. He's probably no more of a risk than Burnett.

 

Last season he posted an ERA+ of 139, with a 158/47 K/BB ration. In 2007, he had 117 ERA+ with 106/37 K/BB ratio, and in 2006 he had a 119 ERA+ with 116/11 :shock: K/BB ratio. He'll be 30 years old next season, so he's not too old.

 

If Sheets would come to Chicago on a one year make good deal, we should sign him in a heartbeat. It would add significantly to our rotation and wouldn't cost us depth that a trade could. I'd even be willing to go as much as 3/36 on him.

 

My guess is that if Sheets has to take a one year deal, he'll end up with Texas. He has an offseason home here in Monroe and also still owns a home in the Highland Park area of Dallas. If he's only going to get one year, I think he'd prefer to stay close to home, but that's only speculation on my part (though some of it is from talking to people who are more familiar with him than I am.)

 

Let me just say that if the Cubs signed Sheets, I'd be absolutely giddy!

[Butterscup1679666578]

Injury history doesn't bother me.

 

The fact that he is a Type A who got offered arby does.

[JeffH]

Injury history doesn't bother me.

 

The fact that he is a Type A who got offered arby does.

 

You should feel just the opposite.

[Bruce Miles]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

[CUBZ99]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

 

:( Any internal discussions going on that Cub fans can be excited about? From the way things have gone so far this off season, it appears that Hendry is really restricted as to what he is able to do.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Injury history doesn't bother me.

 

The fact that he is a Type A who got offered arby does.

 

You should feel just the opposite.

 

Well, the injury history in general doesn't bother me, but I guess it does bother me because he's a Type A. If he was healthy and a Type A it'd be different of course, or if he had injury history and wasn't a Type A it'd be ok, but I guess a combination of both makes it a bad idea to sign him.

[Bruce Miles]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

 

:( Any internal discussions going on that Cub fans can be excited about? From the way things have gone so far this off season, it appears that Hendry is really restricted as to what he is able to do.

 

They continue to talk about Peavy.

[JWCUB]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

 

:( Any internal discussions going on that Cub fans can be excited about? From the way things have gone so far this off season, it appears that Hendry is really restricted as to what he is able to do.

 

They continue to talk about Peavy.

 

Bruce, do you feel a deal will get done for Peavy, or is this just a pipedream?

[CUBZ99]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

 

:( Any internal discussions going on that Cub fans can be excited about? From the way things have gone so far this off season, it appears that Hendry is really restricted as to what he is able to do.

 

They continue to talk about Peavy.

 

:yahoo:

[Bruce Miles]

The Cubs have not had serious internal discussions about Ben Sheets. They see too much risk on a long-term deal. The loss of a draft pick if Sheets would somehow agree to a one-year deal doesn't seem attractive to the Cubs, either.

 

:( Any internal discussions going on that Cub fans can be excited about? From the way things have gone so far this off season, it appears that Hendry is really restricted as to what he is able to do.

 

They continue to talk about Peavy.

 

Bruce, do you feel a deal will get done for Peavy, or is this just a pipedream?

 

 

The Cubs' front office is just one part of the equation on this, so the answer depends on what the other parts do. Those other parts are the Padres' front office, Cubs ownership and Padres ownership. A deal was close during the winter meetings, so no, it's hardly a pipedream. Give the complexities, a lot is going to have to happen for this to get done.

[abuck1220]

the cubs suck at drafting anyway. i say if he wants a one year deal to attempt to cash in after this season, give it to him.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

the cubs suck at drafting anyway. i say if he wants a one year deal to attempt to cash in after this season, give it to him.

 

I agree. While we might get an impact player in the first, we're drafting low enough that we're not going to be getting the very best. If we're truly in a win-now mode, signing Sheets to a one-year deal is a very good decision.

 

Now, if the Peavy trade happens, I'll be just as happy as I would be with getting Sheets. But Sheets really looks to be the bargain of the offseason at this point.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

the cubs suck at drafting anyway. i say if he wants a one year deal to attempt to cash in after this season, give it to him.

 

It's an exchange of draft picks anyway. Give up this year's first to get a pick in the 20's plus a sandwich pick next year.

[Guest]

Signing Sheets to a one year deal loses a 2009 draft pick, but likely gives you two extras in 2010.

[Guest]

the cubs suck at drafting anyway. i say if he wants a one year deal to attempt to cash in after this season, give it to him.

 

It's an exchange of draft picks anyway. Give up this year's first to get a pick in the 20's plus a sandwich pick next year.

curse you for being faster.

[Keeper]

Sheets is a poor consolation prize for not getting Peavy. That said, I'd still take him in a heartbeat. Provided they don't sign him to a long-term deal.

[ELCABALLO45]

Sheets started 31 games last year, and threw 198 innings (200 if you include the all star game).

 

Yes he is a injury risk but whatever team gets him is going to get a good deal.

 

And if for some reason the Cubs get him (please no)

 

Zambrano

Harden

Sheets

Dempster

Lilly

 

That rotation makes me go like this ---> :(

[Ski]

Sheets started 31 games last year, and threw 198 innings (200 if you include the all star game).

 

Yes he is a injury risk but whatever team gets him is going to get a good deal.

 

And if for some reason the Cubs get him (please no)

 

Zambrano

Harden

Sheets

Dempster

Lilly

 

That rotation makes me go like this ---> :(

Lilly as a #5 starter is absolutely insane.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I never even thought about the 2010 draft. My mind is changed.