Because of shoulder woes, 39 year-old DH Gary Sheffield hasn’t hit well since July of last year. He’s an elite slugger when he’s on but terrible when he’s off. In the midst of a third cortisone shot, Sheffield suggested that retirement is not out of the question. He’s dealing with all kinds of pain and won’t undergo another surgery. Retirement sounds like a worst-case scenario though. After all, he is set to earn $14MM in ’09.
If Sheff retires or hits the 60-day DL, talk of Barry Bonds or Mike Piazza could heighten. The Tigers, however, have consistently denied interest in Bonds. They could simply shift Carlos Guillen to DH and Brandon Inge to third if Sheffield is out of the picture.
