Whoa.
Gary Sheffield for Mike Cameron is the hot rumor, advanced here by Joel Sherman of the Post and here by Bob Klapisch in the Bergen Record.
The two accounts differ on other players: Klapisch says Cairo would be going back to the Bronx and that the Mets would want financial relief; Sherman just notes additional players. The money: Sheffield is due $13 million this year and next, much of it deferred, while Cammy makes $6 million this year and next with a $7 million option in 2007.
If it's Cameron and Cairo for Sheffield and some money back, I say do it. Sheffield's a Yankee and can be a jerk, but man, he's a monster — slide him in there between Beltran and Floyd and that is one scary order. He's 36, not a great defensive outfielder, and has a history of injuries, but he also has a history of playing through those injuries, and defensively it ain't like he's Victor Diaz. Plus I imagine with Sheff in the lineup Willie would have a reason to rearrange things, such as by finally moving Wright up to the #2 hole.
Cameron's a nice player and has looked good this year, but Sheffield's such a clear upgrade at the plate that I'd take the dropoff defensively. As for Cairo, he's a valuable reserve but not much more than that — I wouldn't scuttle a deal over him. This would give us a real chance to win now, without scuttling our long-term plans. Would it help the Yankees? Absolutely. But derailing a potential pennant-winning trade over Schadenfreude seems awfully self-destructive to me.
Thoughts?
None that you'd want to hear. Other than that this trade would make me very, very violent. And that if Gary Sheffield is the difference between us and a pennant, why are the Yankees as bad as we are?
I'm going to puke again.
Yeesh, I don't know. Not because Sheffield's a Yankee. He's also a Brave and a Dodger and a Marlin and a Padre and a Brewer. He's a merecenary. He's a ballplayer. That's fine.
There's no denying he's scary at the plate and not all that horrible in the field. But he's such a turnoff. I know, this is the sort of we're-too-good-for-his-kind talk that Robin and Todd (Zeile, not Pratt) espoused the off-season we were supposedly gonna get him. Teams have won with him, but there's something about his personality that gives me pause on a team that has gelled so appealingly.
And I've committed the fan mistake of falling in like, if not love, with a flawed player in Mike Cameron. The guy has played the best right field we've seen here since probably Joel Youngblood. He has sparked the lineup from the No. 2 spot. The guy has taken every move that's been made with him in stride. At his best he's not gonna produce like Sheffield but will we get Sheffield at his best?
Cairo's been not playing for so long that I almost forgot he was on the team though I sure liked him when he was playing. And, yeah, I have to admit I'm not in the mood to help those effers out. “Yeah, we thought we were dead,” said the captain as he rubbed champagne out of his eyes. “But then we got Cammy and he proved he was a real Yankee.” Sorry, I'm self-destructive a little. (Though how Cameron makes up for Sheffield on their end is a little mystifying. Sheffield can really hit.)
But Beltran-Floyd-Sheffield-Piazza is a step up from Cameron-Beltran-Floyd-Piazza. I can't deny that. Bat Wright No. 2 and suddenly our first six are transformed.
I don't think it will happen. But I'm glad it's not my call.
Anyone hear that bizarre, obnoxious interview with Gary Sheffield on the FAN? He hasn't changed one bit, despite all we'd been fed about his so-called-epiphany. He's still an egotistical, selfish and surly pain in the butt. We need that kind of baggage and attitude like we need the proverbial hole in the head.
No thanks.
…i'm sorry, i can't endorse this trade.
1) chances sheffield blows out a knee or otherwise endures year-ending (not to say career-ending) injury: 80 percent.
2) chances he disrupts what is a seemingly well disposed clubhouse: 90 percent.
3) chances cameron gives the skanks what they need: 99 percent.
still, i don't think the mets will do this deal. there's enough bad karma there and ill will that they don't want to be involved in improving the crosstown baddies. on the skank front, what i'm more worried about is the prospect of them picking up ken griffey.
Why doesn't anyone ever talk about old Rickey anymore? I'm over here in San Diego playing for the goddamn Surf Dawgs. The SURF DAWGS! You hear what I'm saying, Omar? Give me a call. I promise to even keep the cards stashed away until AFTER the game. —Rickey
That goes for you too, Mr. Cashman. Hell, I'll even go to KC Mr. Baird.
There's only room in this town (well, this side of town) for one Monster.
Meanwhile, Sheffield's as big a jerk as they come. Don't want him. Don't need him. The thought is tantalizing, if the 5 at the end of this year had “199” in front of it, and if he didn't brag about making errors on purpose or threaten potential suitors that he won't be giving his all, despite having signed a contract and collecting a paycheck. Honestly, this team can fail just fine without him.
Also, Cammy would just look too good in a Yankee uniform to do this. The idea that the Yankmes need a good defensive centerfielder while the Mets have two great ones is also very rich and tasty. When was the last time the Mets had a surplus of anything the Yankees needed? There's too much positive karma around the Mets right now to muck it up with a very good, but aging and roidless, walking grouse of a player. Did anyone see any Yankme's over the weekend that looked like they even wanted to be on the field? Tell them they can keep their sour pusses to themselves.