Take a Chance on Sheets

I'd like to see the Mets sign one more starting pitcher before the winter is over. Whether that pitcher is Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf, Jon Garland or some other entity is yet to be seen. But after they sign that starting pitcher they should look at Ben Sheets.

Ben Sheets is from the same bloodline as Moises Alou and Kerry Wood in the fact that they're all guaranteed to be injured at some point during the season. But Sheets has the potential to give you some really great starts and if (yes a big if) he stays healthy he could turn into a great offseason pickup.

Here's the catch. His contract has got to be incentive laden versus guaranteed money. Don't pay him $8-$10 for one season. Instead start him with a low base salary and start piling on the incentives if he makes 12 starts or strikes out 100 batters, or bats over .200.

Now who knows if he'd even go for a deal like that, but he's not getting a whole lot offers so far. My feeling is if the money is right, the Mets should see what Sheets can give them, just for a season. At the worst, he's the 2009 version of Pedro. At best, he's possibly the best 5th starter in the National League.