OAKLAND'S BEN SHEETS ALLOWS TEN RUNS AGAINST THE REDS ON MONDAY

3.15.10
BY: MEH
BEN SHEETS TO THE WIND
OAKLAND'S BEN SHEETS ALLOWS TEN RUNS AGAINST THE REDS ON MONDAY

(AP photo)
Ben Sheets signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Oakland Athletics on January, 26th 2010 after missing all of the 2009 season due to elbow surgery. Playing all of his eight seasons with Milwaukee ('01-'08), Sheets went 86-83 posting a career 3.72 ERA. This year Sheets is attempting a comeback with the A's and so far, it's not looking good. "Not good" is actually putting it politely, the guy has been flat out terrible. In three Spring Training starts, the 31 year-old is 0-2. He has allowed 18 runs (15 earned) in only 4.1 innings of work and has a whopping 31.15 ERA. Sheets is the second highest paid Oakland Athletic.

The Reds were big contributors to Ben Sheets' poor spring statistics during his start against them on Monday. The Reds sent 13 men to the plate during the bottom of the first inning with ten of them reaching base. The Reds scored ten runs (9 earned) before Sheets was lifted, failing to record a single out. Fernando Hernandez relieved Sheets and went on to pitch two scoreless innings. Chris Dickerson went 4-4 scoring three times and driving in two, coming up a triple short of hitting for the cycle. In the sixth inning, Wladimir Balentien hit a two-run homer to right field. The Reds went on to beat Oakland by a final score of 13-5.

After Mike "Hot Rod" Lincoln had another bad outing (3IP, 5H, 4ER) rapidly diminishing his fifth-spot dreams, the rest of the Reds' staff pitched well. Cordero pitched a scoreless fourth, Travis Wood got three innings of work (1H, 1ER, 4SO), and Mike Leake finished the game going two innings (1H, 4SO).

Former Reds' utility man Adam Rosales went 3-3 with one RBI for Oakland. Rosales saw his old teammates for the first time since being traded to the A's with Willy Taveras for Aaron Miles. So far this spring, Rosales is hitting .450 and is in the mix to play shortstop for the A's on Opening Day. Rosales had this to say:

"It was a little odd. It was great to see all the guys. But it was like a weird dream, kind of surreal."

On Sunday, the Reds played two games. In their "B" game they defeated the Indians 4-3. Aaron Harang pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings (one out was added in the fourth inning to allow Harang to reach his pitch count). Throwing 62 pitches, Harang was hitting 90mph on the radar gun.



Sunday's "A" game resulted in a 5-5 tie against the White Sox. The Reds led the game 5-1 with two outs in the ninth when Jordan Smith gave up four runs. Both teams were out of pitchers after regulation and the game was called.

MORE NEWS:
-VIDEO: Phillips says "Watch out for the Reds." REDS.COM
-Cabrera brings vocal leaqdership to Reds REDS.COM
-Jordan Smith learns a closer's lesson HAL McCOY
-A nice Matt Maloney profile REDLEGS BASEBALL
-Francisco to get a shot at LF MARK SHELDON
-Must-watch Bench interview OMGREDS

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