Sheffield waived

In a move that Tom Gage of the Detroit News calls "stunning", the Tigers today waived Gary Sheffield. I was not stunned by the move nor really even surprised.

There apparently have been indications over the last few years that Sheffield's bat had slowed and he obviously was not productive during his time with the Tigers. With Jim Leyland, who is in the last year of his contract and who was also denied an extension at the end of last year, managing for his job this year, he does need the flexibility to be able to go with his best players regardless of salary and it would probably be unfair to ask him to do otherwise.

I have heard more than one person complain today that the Tigers essentially wasted several million dollars on Sheffield's 3 year contract and that he never should have been signed. I think people forget that Sheffield was still very productive in 2005 and was injured in 2006 so I don't think it was unreasonable for the Tigers to bet that he could continue to be productive when he returned from the 2006 injury. Unfortunately it just did not happen and the Tigers simply signed him at the wrong time. I also do not recall any Tiger fans complaining when the Tigers signed Sheffield.

I guess that means Anderson and Thames platoon in left and Guillen is the primary dh. I mean Guillen is clearly the weakest outfielder of the 3, so there would be no sense playing him there when he could dh. Right?

That said, the Tigers do have Jim Leyland as manager and while with the Tigers, he has seemed incapable of maintaining a set lineup regardless of the personnel given to him. I do note that Mr. Leyland trotted out over 100 different lineups last year which incidentally led both leagues. If he was given the 1972 Reds, I seriously could see him giving Cesar Geronimo regular time and batting him 4th every now and then so who knows what he will do with this.