In a winter with Chien-Ming Wang, Erik Bedard, John Smoltz, Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, and Justin Duchscherer all on the market, there's been no shortage of high-risk/high-reward starter talent for teams looking to make a gamble. And today, the A's have landed their second member of the group, inking Sheets to a one-year contract. Sheets will join Brett Anderson at the top of a volatile but capable rotation as Oakland looks to turn the West into a four-team race.
Oakland Lands Potential Prize Ben Sheets On One-Year Deal
Sheets agreed to terms on a one-year deal for more than $8 million. He passed a physical today, and the deal is expected to be announced this afternoon.
Sheets worked out in front of a number of teams last week, throwing well enough to convince many that he was on the way back. As such, the A's were put in the unfamiliar position of having to beat out the competition by spending more money, which they did by making an aggressive offer. Several other teams were thought to be interested, including the Cubs, Mets, Rangers, and Mariners, but Oakland won out, bringing in an arm with ace-level ability who, given health, could end up making a significant difference in the division.
While the Angels are the perennial favorite, the Mariners are the offseason darlings, and the Rangers are overflowing with talented youth, the A's now have an argument that they, too, have a shot at the playoffs.
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