Gary Sheffield -- Hall of Famer?

Not if I'm manning the door, mister!

 

Having not read "Game of Shadows," my understanding of Sheffield's link to the steroids mess is a $400 check he wrote to Greg Anderson ... and that don't buy much in the way of PEDs. His explanation was that it was for his training sessions with Bonds. Dunno. I'm not going to spend much time defending the guy. He's so worried about people "treating him like a man" that he ends up behaving like a petulant little bitch, so for me he's a perfect example of Dave Chappelle's "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong."

That said, it's hard to deny he's one of the most feared sluggers of his generation ... a guy you hate to see coming to the plate when your team's lead is slim late in the game. Combine that with his numbers and he's got to be in the conversation.

 

How the hell is Sheffield going to get anywhere near 3,000 hits?
He has 2,582, he's going to be 40 years old in November, he's broken down and he's currently hitting .222 and he's doing is pissy asshole act again in Detroit.
He might not get 2,600 hits for his career.

 

Is that the best freelance gig you could muster?

 

Try to understand the context of stats. When McCovey hit 44 home runs in 1963 (with a .280 average), the 10th best ERA was 2.55.

It was a different time, which means that even if Sheffield and McCovey have similar numbers, it doesn't represent a similar level of accomplishment.

 

Sheffield's shameless pandering and ingratiating himself with selected media members (and freezing out everybody else) is always amusing too. As is their willingness to go along with it.

There are a couple of writers in Detroit who, it seemed, set up camp inside Sheffield's jockey shorts as soon as he arrived, breathlessly relaying his lengthy quotes on just about every conceivable subject in every notes column. With Sheffield's hand-picked bobos, you can't shut him up; with everybody else, it's "get the fuck out of my face."

Of course, Sheffield will probably want to write another book someday, and you never know when a handy ghost might be needed. : : :

 

he ain't. and thanks for pointing out the obvious again ... it's needed often around these parts.

 

Fair enough, though I'm sure Gooden's numbers have already spoken for that. But what could have been, you know?

 

Are those writers pissed because people are trying to Whab him of his post in the hall?

 

Actually, Parker isn't nearly the most blatant. Parker only visits Detroit about one day every two weeks anyway (he's got 'big-media' irons in the fire in NY).

 

Can't be too big... he's still drawing a paycheck in Detroit

 

I'll again assert it's an outside shot. He gets healthy and a couple of more 150-hit seasons aren't out of the question. Maybe he's all done. Again, not defending the guy, just not ready to say he's done.