Gary Sheffield

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:30 am

He needs to learn from Rogers, not to try to keep up with the young-uns. Work smart, not hard.

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:30 am

just 'cause he's got a new baby! Big Smile

_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:36 pm

03/16/2008 7:01 PM ET
Healthy Sheff's swing coming around
No longer dealing with leg cramps, slugger thriving at plate
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- After a rough start to Spring Training, Gary Sheffield's swing is rounding into shape.

Since starting the spring with leg cramps and a related 0-for-14 slump, Sheffield is 4-for-13 with two doubles, a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. That includes a line-drive double that he laced off of the left-field fence at Al Lang Field in Sunday's 7-2 loss to the Rays.

"I'm feeling better, now that I know that I don't have to worry about my legs cramping up," Sheffield said afterward. "When that's the thing that you worry about when you go up there, you're already defeated. Now I can go up there with confidence, where I can just wait on my pitch."

The bad habit where he would try to get out in front of a pitch, the habit he developed when he was dealing with his torn labrum, is long since gone. Now his quick, balanced swing is bolstered by his legs at full strength.

He realized that when he turned on a pitch and homered against the Braves on Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium.

"You can probably ask most guys, especially guys that hit the ball out of the park," he said. "Once you square one up, that's where you want to be. The rest, you just put that in your back pocket and you start working on things as far as weaknesses are concerned -- spreading the ball all over the field, taking pitches and swinging at strikes."

Sheffield will have plenty of at-bats over the final two weeks of camp in which to work on those matters.

"I'm encouraged because he's getting some consistent at-bats," manager Jim Leyland said. "I haven't been able to get him consistent at-bats because of some slight nagging stuff. He's getting those now. He's coming around, which is a real good sign."

Sheffield is not scheduled to be on Monday's trip to face the Reds in Sarasota, Fla., but he'll be at home the next day when the Tigers host the Nationals in an ESPN telecast. After Wednesday's club off-day, the regular lineup will be playing consistently.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:42 pm

that homer he hit while we were there felt like payback time!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:05 pm

I wonder if he is thinking of hitting this ball?

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:47 pm

_________________

LO! (:

"You can give your all. That's all you can do. Play as hard as you can and represent the team in the best manner that you can. If you win, you win. If you don't, well, you can sleep well, because you left it all out there."

- Brandon♥Inge -

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:29 am

Gary Sheffield sits; Clay Rapada in pen, Yorman Bazardo out
FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES • April 12, 2008

CHICAGO -- When Gary Sheffield bats, there is reason to believe something big is about to happen. He has 438 doubles, 480 home runs and 1,577 RBIs.

The Tigers would have loved for those totals to roll forward in the eighth inning Thursday night in Boston, when Sheffield batted with the bases loaded. He represented the go-ahead run.

"I was feeling good," manager Jim Leyland said. "I thought Sheffield was going to hit a home run, to be honest."

Instead, he grounded into a double play. Roughly two weeks and 21 at-bats into his season, Sheffield has yet to collect his first extra-base hit.

Sheffield, the 39-year-old designated hitter, was not in the starting lineup Friday in Chicago. His injured finger swelled on the plane ride from Boston, but Leyland had thought about resting Sheffield even before that.

For Sheffield, though, the break may have been most meaningful from a mental standpoint. He acknowledged Friday that it has been difficult to deal with the torn tendon in his left ring finger, following a 2007 season in which he played with a torn labrum through most of the second half.

"That's what's hard for people to understand," Sheffield said. "When you get to this point in your career, these things agitate you more. You constantly tell yourself, 'Why go through it?' But you have to stay positive.

"I dealt with this when I was younger, but I had more of a purpose of playing then. My purpose is lesser now."

Sheffield, who entered Friday batting .190 (4-for-21), said his right shoulder is not 100% after off-season surgery. Each new setback, he said, is more frustrating than the one before.

"Things build up," he said. "I'm human."

Still, the Tigers believe he will be swinging like himself soon. "He'll be fine," Leyland said. "He'll start hitting -- for sure."
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:59 am

Struggling Tigers, injured Sheffield slumping together
BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • April 14, 2008

CHICAGO -- Early last August, about the time Gary Sheffield's shoulder injury coincided with the Tigers' late-summer swoon, he was asked to describe how he felt at the plate.

"When I want to fire, it's not firing," he said then.

Sheffield suffered an injured shoulder July 21. From the next day through the end of the season, he batted .172 with two home runs. The Tigers were under .500 over that span.

Sheffield had shoulder surgery after the season, rehabilitated through the winter and said he was able to swing pain-free in spring training.

Two weeks into the season, though, he is batting .179 with no home runs. When asked if the shoulder is not "firing" again, Sheffield replied, "That's exactly what's happening."

"I just have to keep putting in my work," he said. "I can't get discouraged."

Sheffield said the shoulder has bothered him more than he expected, but the past two days have included two encouraging developments:

• On Saturday, some scar tissue in the shoulder tore -- which he believes will improve his range of motion.

• On Sunday, he doubled to leftfield for his first extra-base hit this season.

Manager Jim Leyland talked before the game about how some of the team's veterans might benefit from the warmer weather to come. Sheffield, 39, is the Tigers' oldest regular.

After the game, Leyland said, "I thought Gary Sheffield swung the bat very well. He let the bat fly pretty good."

Besides the shoulder, Sheffield has played with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, suffered on a headfirst slide April 3 against the Royals.
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:22 am

Iron Sheff beginning to cook?

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:40 am

I think so! DH will definitely wear his Sheff hat to the game on 4/25!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:50 am

Have fun and bring us back a victory!! Yay2

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Fri Apr 18, 2008 7:25 am

I even put a scoreboard message up for our 10th wedding anniversary! He has no clue!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:44 pm

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:59 pm

nope...we have nice seats section 218...up from first base...should be able to see it nicely! Smile

_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:45 pm

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue May 20, 2008 5:30 am

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue May 20, 2008 8:49 pm

Oh man Gary! 0 for 5! I'm sorry for you, but man, you are done!
_________________
"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue May 20, 2008 9:47 pm

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon May 26, 2008 8:29 pm

Sheffield leaves with oblique spasms
Designated hitter injures himself while grounding out
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

NAHEIM -- Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield's injury-plagued season hit another obstacle. This time, however, it wasn't his shoulder. Sheffield left Monday's game against the Angels with what the team called left oblique spasms.

The injury occurred in his second at-bat, when he grounded out to short to end the top of the third inning. Sheffield slowed up coming out of the batter's box and stopped about midway up the base line. He was clutching at his left side as he headed into the dugout with the attention of head athletic trainer Kevin Rand.

Sheffield has dealt with shoulder issues for much of the year following offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum. While that has garnered no shortage of attention behind his cold start at the plate, he's still dealing with a partially torn tendon at the top of his right ring finger from an injury in early April. He has to wear a brace for that whenever he isn't hitting.

In short, it has been a trying season for Sheffield, and not just at the plate. He has been making improvements there, though, having gone 8-for-19 with a double, home run and four RBIs over four games leading into Monday.

Ryan Raburn replaced Sheffield at designated hitter when his spot came back up in the sixth inning. Sheffield's average for the season stood at .216 entering Monday with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 38 games.
_________________
"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon May 26, 2008 8:30 pm

Poor Sheff

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon May 26, 2008 9:02 pm

What a season he had. I'm sorry for him. He's a good guy. But maybe his time is over now.
_________________
"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Mon May 26, 2008 11:28 pm

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue May 27, 2008 1:55 am

Nicely said Lap. Let's hope he is listening!
_________________
"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:46 am

TIGERS CORNER

Sheffield may return to roster tonight

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 24, 2008

The Tigers might activate Gary Sheffield from the disabled list as early as today.

President and general manager Dave Dombrowski said Sheffield was scheduled to fly to Detroit for a meeting with team officials today. Sheffield has been on a minor league rehabilitation assignment with Class A Lakeland since the start of last week.

A left oblique strain forced Sheffield to the disabled list May 27. He batted .154 (2-for-13) and hit two home runs in five games with Lakeland.

As long as Sheffield does not experience any more setbacks with the injury, it's probable he will rejoin the active roster soon. In an interview nine days ago, Sheffield said he believed he was only "days" away from rejoining the team.

When healthy, Sheffield, 39, has been the team's primary designated hitter. He has not started in leftfield since May 16; his shoulder trouble and the emergence of Marcus Thames make it unlikely he will play in the field again soon.

Sheffield's return could impact the playing time of rookie Jeff Larish, who has recently served as the designated hitter against right-handers. Larish has a .200 batting average in 15 games but is hitting .500 with runners in scoring position.

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:47 am

I was reading that too ashamed

_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:51 am

He better play well, or retire!!!

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:32 am

Why is he coming back, just when we're getting hot?!!?!?
Brass had better make a decision, and QUICKLY
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:51 am

Hopefully when he meets with them, they will tell him he has one month to be productive, and if he's not, they want him to retire. LMAO

_________________
"I'm glad we're in the other division," Terry Francona, manager of the East-winning Boston Red Sox, told the Associated Press. "That lineup just got scary."

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:56 am

absolutely! He just has not shown himself to be
productive
consistent
healthy
all season long!!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Gary Sheffield Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:20 am

I say Sheff against the lefties, and keep Larish DHing against the righties?

I dont know though, Sheff I dont think will be productive when he returns.
_________________
"Contrary to what everybody else thinks, I still think I can come back and help this team."

Todd Jones on shoulder injury.