Sheets and His Ears

From Brewers.com. Makes me say huh? Thought that was taken care of?

On the cutting edge: Sheets revealed the unique way in which he controls the vertigo-like condition that has plagued him in recent seasons. Sheets has suffered from vestibular neuritis, an inner-ear condition that throws off his balance and awareness and left him hospitalized in Houston two years ago.

Sheets travels with an inch-by-inch square computer chip that is hooked up to a monitor. When he starts to feel symptoms, Sheets puts the chip in his mouth and it buzzes to help him regulate his balance and equilibrium.

"I don't even know what the call that thing, but I really think it helped me avoid [problems] last year," Sheets said.

Sheets, who tends to develop symptoms when he comes down with a cold, has not had any trouble since last season, but he still has the device. One problem: he says he has a bad gag reflex, and can only keep the chip in his mouth for minutes at a time.

"The doctor in Madison got real mad. He was like, 'You have to keep it in for 20 minutes!'" Sheets said. "My eyes were watering, and I told him that's fine if he wants me to be sick all over his office."