Here's how many players have finished their careers with exactly 499 home runs:None.
But that's where Gary Sheffield stands after being released today by the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers are eating $14 million in making this move (less the major league minimum if some other team picks up Sheffield). It's among the largest chunks ever; six years ago, Detroit ate $14.3 million on Damion Easley and the Angels $15.67 million on Kevin Appier.
Sheffield bragged about how, when the Yankees after the 2006 season picked up his 2007 option and traded him to the Tigers, he was able to negotiate two more years on top of that. Turns out he was brilliant.
But he won't be thinking about that. All pro athletes have tremendous pride and confidence, but very few are as proud -- and defensive -- as Sheffield. He has always thought he has not received his due as a player, and in some respects he is right.
Along with the 499 homers (25th all-time) he has a .909 OPS, nine All-Star appearances and 250 stolen bases.
Typical Sheff response here:
"The reason they gave me for doing this is versatility. They're going with versatility. But when I heard that word, I thought I'm probably the most athletic guy on the team. That's their opinion, though, and I have to respect it."He hit just .225 last year, with 83 strikeouts in 418 at-bats. This spring he is hitting .178 with three homers in 45 at-bats.
"Even in [batting practice] the ball just didn't sound right," one scout said. "He'd hit one solid and it would just be a ground ball. ... He never got loft."
With Detroit expected to have to tighten its belt because of the severity of the recession in Michigan, the Tigers must have had strong motivation for this move. GM Dave Dombrowski's explanation:
"We think it makes us a better club at this point. It was a situation, when he were looking at our roster, that it would be hard to keep (both) Marcus Thames and Sheffield. We believe Marcus can be a very productive hitter for us.
The early guess here is they Tigers will rotate the DH to keep some veterans healthy. And someone will probably pick up Sheffield, giving him a shot at the 500-homer milestone.
Latest Baseball Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 31: The new Yankee Stadium is shown on March 31, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-31-2009 @ 11:06AM
bigflyer said...
It is ok to release Mr Roid with 499 homers and his $14MM salary because Detroit is such a wealthy town with prospects to sell out each game in the coming season.......NOT!
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 10:41PM
sarteach said...
They are selling out. Do you live in Michigan???
3-31-2009 @ 12:40PM
divearnd said...
Detroit finished last in the AL Central Division in 2008. They certainly don't need Shefield to finish last in 2009!
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 12:43PM
rudilester said...
It's about time Obama got around to firing these overpaid, underachieving sports stars!
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 10:48PM
robek770 said...
he still gets paid
3-31-2009 @ 3:25PM
Mack said...
2 years ago detroit was cruising in 1st place in august. sheff was hitting close too 300 had 20 hr's. he got hurt, and tigers went in the tank. last year he wasnt recovered, and they ended up in last. maybe he's done, i do hope he gets the chance to play somewhere. he's a great competitor, and gives it his all when in the lineup. good luck gary.
tiger fan
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 3:28PM
mttnles said...
Sheffield is a bum and a cancer to every team he has gone. Good for Detroit to drop this guy and pay him to JUST GO AWAY. He took the same PEDs that Bonds took. I hope he gets shunned by the baseball writers for the Hall of Fame. Sheffield and Mike Vick in the news on the same day--I thought they were the same guy.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 3:36PM
mike said...
just another team cancer.......good riddance
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 4:31PM
Steve Miles said...
mybe NY WILL TAKE HIM BACK..............
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 10:38PM
riverstigers13 said...
Maybe NY or LA will take him.
GO DODGERS & YANKEEES
4-01-2009 @ 3:10AM
dwcherb said...
its really a shame for a man with sheffield's talent to have even more of an ego..he is a fierce competitor, but the yanks got tired of his moodiness and his sometimes disruptive clubhouse behavior...his chances of going back to new york is almost null, unless the mets pick him up...and i can tell ya this...mr. torre doesnt want him and manny...he doesnt have enough baby bottles for em both...and remember sheffield's comments after he left the yanks on torre, practically accusing the man of being racist in how he treated the white players compared to the rest....derek jeter who is biracial made the comment...."i guess i got the best of both then"...anyone who knows joe torre will tell ya one thing he isnt and thats prejudiced....a team like baltimore may do well to have sheffield on the their team...heck what else does baltimore have to lose....
3-31-2009 @ 6:36PM
nickstoli said...
GMs...it's called Moneyball. Read it.
Billy Beane's laughing his behind off.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 5:02PM
bntrimming said...
please come to the minnesota twins,,, we need a big hitter,, sign for min. with big production bonuses
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 5:10PM
Jim Schaaf said...
Such is life. BooHoo! I'm more concerned about the guy who is layed off from his $10.00 an hour job, then I am about Sheffield.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 5:38PM
Daniel Kimball said...
Maybe there is hope somewhere...why not for it to start in baseball? No team took a chance on steroid freak & clubhouse cancer, Barry Bonds, last year. Why not progress? Bond's steroid source also supplied Schef...so whaddaya think might happen while Greg was in the slammer...? Schef's #'s hit the skids...
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 5:38PM
clchan22 said...
For those old enough to remember when this IDIOT was in Milwaukee he "dogged it" by not leaving all he had on the field so he would be traded. Then he showed how ignorant he is by admitting it to the press. If he had tried and given his all, EVEN WHEN he was still being paid a Kings ransom, maybe he would already have 500 HRs. I hope he never hits another one.
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3-31-2009 @ 7:12PM
janandrick84 said...
Gary, no one cares. Take your money and just go away.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 11:47PM
Climber said...
Anyone....What does OPS mean? .909 OPS? I'm sooo out of touch with this sport.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 7:54PM
Nelson said...
What a bunch of stinking fans. You people suck. I'd like to know where all you fans get your information about these ballplayers. First you attack Alex, then you stinkers just can't wait to get on the bandwagon to attack someone else.You idiots let the media play in your heads. You clowns read the garbage then pass it on as truth. You people don't know your elbow from your ass. Get your head out of it and STOP buying into this stuff. As for salaries, hey it's not the ballplayers fault, they are just taking advantage of idiots like you who pay a fortune to watch a game, then complain about it. You FOOLS.
Reply
3-31-2009 @ 8:02PM
cljvedelman said...
Gary who ?
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