What are your thoughts on Gary Sheffield?

[fbc_fan]

i'm not sure if this is in the right forum, so feel free to move it if it belongs elsewhere. i was just curious what everyone's thoughts were on gary sheffield. he will be coming back from his injury relatively soon, but how good will he be? is this the type of injury that will linger, or will he get right back into the upper tier of outfielders? his numbers before the injury suggest that he hasn't lost a step yet, but i don't know baseball as well as many of the posters here. thanks in advance.

[Lordrevolution]

From what I've read the injury seems to be hurting him still, which doesn't bode well.

[Dan Lambskin]

it's hard to tell. it seems to be more of a discomfort for him than anything, so his swing could be off when he returns. best advice is give him a week and see how he's doing.

[Hotlanta]

Begins with 'de', ends with 'cline'.

[Krunk City King$]

Sheffield declares himself fit
After one rehab game, slugger making his way to Boston
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

BOSTON -- Apparently, four plate appearances was enough for Gary Sheffield to decide he was ready to return to the Yankees.
Sheffield started as the designated hitter for Double-A Trenton at New Britain on Monday, going 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI sacrifice fly.

After the game, he declared himself ready to return from the disabled list, where he has been since May 6 with a bruised left wrist.

"I feel great," Sheffield said through a team spokesman. "I'm headed to Boston."

Sheffield should be in the Yankees' lineup on Tuesday night against the Red Sox, though a roster move won't officially be made until he arrives at Fenway Park on Tuesday.

"If he's coming here, I'm assuming he's planning on playing," said Joe Torre after the Yankees' 9-5 loss to the Red Sox on Monday. "I don't see why [he wouldn't start], but we have to make sure when he wakes up that he feels pretty good. I left this to Sheff, so when he feels well enough to go, he will."

Batting third for Trenton, Sheffield singled up the middle in his first at-bat. In the second inning, Sheffield hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left field.

Sheffield struck out against Tristan Crawford in the fourth, then grounded out into a fielder's choice in the fifth, which turned out to be his final at-bat. Sheffield was pinch-hit for in the eighth.

"When you're sitting on the bench and not contributing to the team and you see guys going out there day in and day out trying to pick your whole team up, you want to be out there," Sheffield said before the rehab game. "But at the same time you want to do what's best for the team and not go out there if you can't contribute."

Sheffield's recovery came quickly, thanks in part to an anti-inflammatory injection he received a week ago in his wrist.

"I feel like I'm at the point I can go out there and do something and I'm willing to do it," Sheffield said.

The news of his return brought smiles to the faces of Sheffield's teammates.

"He definitely brings a lot of balance to our lineup," said Alex Rodriguez. "He's a force, a presence. Gary is such a great offensive player, that even when he's not swinging the bat extremely well, he walks, he moves guys over and gets guys in from third. There's an intimidation factor that he brings."

"It will be big," said Jason Giambi. "As long as he's healthy, he'll make an impact being in the lineup. He'll be a big bat in the middle of our lineup. It will be nice to have him back."

Torre was not sure whether Sheffield would play right field or serve as the designated hitter, but as long as his bat is back in the lineup, that's what matters most.

"He's certainly one of the main parts," Torre said. "He's a threat. I'd hate to be the pitcher that takes for granted that he's not going to hit this pitch. He's going to give a lift to everyone else in the middle of that lineup."

Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/arti ... p&c_id=mlb

[acsguitar]

Sheff is a stud and always will be until the day he retires

[TheYanks04]

Sheff is a stud and always will be until the day he retires

Agreed. If you own him you have to play him. It makes no sense not to.

[garf112]

he's definitely going back into my lineup right away. Eric Byrnes was a great fill in for him, but he is no Gary Sheffield. He does not take long to start killing the ball again after injuries. He is almost freak showish in this nature, as most guys need to get their timing back and whatnot, but he just usually starts right back hitting again.

[mkultra]

Sheffield is a WARRIOR. In 2004, when he played pretty much the entire season with an injured shoulder, he still hit 36 HR, 117 R, and 121 RBI. He'll probably DH for a week or so when he comes back, but he'll still out-hit most fantasy players

[BronXBombers51]

Sheff is a stud and always will be until the day he retires

Agreed. If you own him you have to play him. It makes no sense not to.

Yeah, Sheff will remain a stud until he stops getting those unidentified packages from Barry and Victor Conte.