Maddux coached Sheets in Milwaukee from 20032008

He won 11 games in 25 starts while being named to the All-Star team. It was the first of four All-Star game appearances.Sheets won 11 games in each of his first three seasons before having a breakout year in 2004.Despite winning just 12 games that year, he finished with a 2.70 ERA and struck out a team record 264 batters while walking only 32. He finished eighth in Cy Young balloting and clearly established himself as one of the top starters in the league.Sheets was rewarded with a new contract at the start of 2005 season. Matters were made worse when Sheets needed offseason surgery on a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow. The Brewers were stuck picking up the tab on the surgery.Sheets became a free agent and would net the Brewers draft pick compensation due to his slotting as a type-A free agent. However, since he was injured and the timetable on his return was unknown, no team offered Sheets a contract although the Texas Rangers appeared close to a deal with him.Since he remained unsigned, the Brewers lost any possible compensation in the form of draft picks.

Sheets has made no comment since his departure on whether he would ever welcome a return to Milwaukee.Sheets would be a cheap option for the Brewers if the two could agree on a contract. The best Sheets could hope for after missing an entire season would be a one-year, incentive-laden deal with a base salary likely between $2-3 million.A low-risk, high-reward pitcher is worth taking a gamble on from the Brewers' point of view. Whether Sheets would take that gamble on the Brewers is a totally different story.Sheets seemed to become disenchanted with the Brewers and seemed on the verge of signing with the Rangers until his injury situation arose. He spent most of the year rehabbing his injury at a clinic owned and operated by the Rangers.

Maddux coached Sheets in Milwaukee from 2003-2008.As much as the Brewers need quality pitching, they would be best served to steer clear of Sheets. After a season which saw their entire staff struggle, the team can't pin their hopes on the arm of a pitcher that hasn't pitched an entire season since 2004.Sheets will find someone to give him a contract for the 2010 season, like the Texas Rangers. The New York Mets could also be in contention as the also are desperate for pitching help.Ben Sheets gave Brewers' fans many great memories while he played for the team, but fans have just as many memories of games that Sheets missed as games that he played in. Without a guarantee, the Brewers and their fans will be content to acquire a starter in a trade or two and maybe sign a starter with a better health history in free agency.. ) No 8 Cincinnati at No. 21 South Florida (2.5) This game is about as high-profile as a game can get for the Big East Conference: A national TV contest with two undefeated and ranked teams vying for first place and increased recognition. Cincinnati boasts the nations third-ranked scoring offense, led by Heisman dark horse Tony Pike.

South Florida is led by dual-threat QB BJ Daniels and a stout defense that allows fewer than 10 points per game. 3 Texas (-3.5, game is in Dallas) It says a lot about the Longhorns that they lead the nation in scoring offense (47.20 points per game) and many pundits are left unimpressed mainly due to the caliber of their opponents to this point. Oklahoma has Sam Bradford back in the mix and ready to take on the fourth-stingiest defense in FBS. I think the Horns are still salty about last years decision to send OU to the Big 12 title game Texas 38, Oklahoma 27 No. 11 Iowa at Wisconsin (2.5) Amazingly, Iowa will be looking for its 11th straight win when they travel to Madison this weekend, its longest winning streak in 86 years.