Sheffield was a prolific hitter. He hit for an average of .292 with an on base percentage of .393. And he actually walked 300 more times than he struck out…never striking out more than 83 times in a season. His career OPS was .907…not just good, not just All Star level, but elite.
Over his 22-season span, Sheffield played for 8 teams – the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Florida (now Miami) Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and the New York Mets. Everywhere he went, he did damage and he made the rest of the lineup better.
So why did a player so talented, such an offensive threat, with an elite statistical history, not get elected to the Hall of Fame…and why in the world did he end up playing for eight different teams over a 22-year career?
Sheffield was a first round draft pick (6th pick overall) of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1986 out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, the same school that produced his uncle, Doc Gooden. He came up to the Brewers in September of 1988 at the age of 19. Over the next three seasons, he would play a part-time role as the team’s shortstop and third baseman.
Sheffield had the opportunity to gain some wisdom from some very talented veterans while with the Brewers including Hall of Famers Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Dave Parker. Instead, he chose to act like a spoiled brat.
Gary Sheffield intentionally committed errors in the field while with the Milwaukee Brewers
Sheffield was miserable in Milwaukee…so much so that he actually admitted to intentionally committing errors. This is a quote from Sheffield himself to the LA Times reporter Bob Nightengale:
“The Brewers brought out the hate in me. I was a crazy man…I hated everything about the place. If the official scorer gave me an error, I didn’t think was an error, I’d say, ‘OK, here’s a real error,’ and I’d throw the next ball into the stands on purpose. I did it all.”
Gary Sheffield appears on multiple podcasts talking about players, managers, and the game of baseball itself. To listen to him preach, knowing what he said, what he did, is sickening. Who the hell is HE to question, critique, pass judgment on anyone else when he openly admitted to intentionally making errors, letting his team and teammates down, duping the fans, and pissing on the game that gave him the opportunity it presented to him?
Sheffield talks about watching his uncle pitch at Shea Stadium with such awe and excitement. If he didn’t take any lessons from Yount, Molitor, and Parker, did he learn anything from his own uncle? Well…if we know anything about Mets history, it was at this same time that his uncle was spiraling out of control. So it is likely that Doc didn’t have a remedy for what was ailing a young Gary Sheffield?
I watched Sheffield mature and perform everywhere he played. He was good. No…he was great. I have always had a list of opposing players who I wished would be acquired by the Mets. And Gary Sheffield WOULD HAVE BEEN at the top of that list. I could not bring myself to put him on my list…and I couldn’t believe any Major League team actually would either. Still…he came to the Mets and was given the chance to hang on and club his 500th career home run as a member of the Mets.
I was happy that he got it…the 500th home run…but resentful that he was given the chance. Because someone who does what he did…and fully admitted to it…doesn’t deserve that chance.
And he certainly doesn't deserve to enter the Hall of Fame.
