Gary Sheffield

So Gary Sheffield was released by the Tigers. I've seen a number of people both speculate where he may end up (the Phillies seem to be the rumor leader) and I've also seen a number of people talk about Sheffield being a Hall of Fame player.

Let me state what seems to be obvious to me but somehow seems to elude many of the talking head experts; Gary Sheffield is cooked, nobody is going to pick him up and he is not going to get close to the votes to get elected to the Hall of Fame.

Nobody is going to pick up Sheffield for three reasons:

1. There are better options available just as cheap. Wily Mo Pena is available and so is Frank Thomas. Yes Pena is wildly erratic and Thomas is just as cooked as Sheffield but they are both still better options in my book.

2. Sheffield isn't a calming veteran presence like a Cliff Floyd - Sheffield is a time bomb.

3. Nobody is going to pick up Sheffield just so that he can be in uniform for his 500th HR. People are psyched for the early season games anyway so they don't need his circus act.

Sheffield won't make it into the Hall of Fame because he's a steroids tainted, quitting on his team, jerkface. Sheffield's no Fred McGriff and there will be a backlash against him from writers who loathe anyone even remotely associated with steroids. If McGriff doesn't get into the HoF then that backlash will be directed right at Sheffield and maybe Jeff Bagwell (based upon speculation).