FanPost

Possible Sheets return

From brewers.com:

Yost said staff ace Ben Sheets will pitch a simulated game sometime between 1:30-2 p.m. Monday at Chase Field, before the Brewers take on the Diamondbacks later in the day.

Sheets will be facing hitters from the Brewers' Minor League camp at Maryvale Baseball Park.

The Brewers originally had planned on sending Sheets on a Minor League rehabilitation start after his simulated game, barring any setbacks. Yost acknowledged Sheets possibly could skip that step and make his return to the team in time for its weekend series against the Giants, but the skipper would not commit to any concrete plans.

"We'll just get him back first," Yost said. "There's a lot we have to see before we make that judgment."

If Sheets shows enough during this outing to jump right into the rotation and the Brewers give him his standard four days off that would put his next start Saturday against the Giants.  The regular scheduled starter that day? Chris Capuano.  It looks to be a perfect fit but wait it gets better.  The Brewers have another off day next Monday so they could push back Vargas' schedule start on Thursday and throw Ben that day on his regular four days of rest.  Our opponent that day? The Cubs.  Potentially, Sheets could throw on the following schedule:

Today simulated game
Aug 25 @ Giants
Aug 30 @ Cubs
Sept 4 v Astros
Sept 9 @ Reds
Sept 14 v Reds
Sept 19 @ Astros
Sept 24 v Cardinals
Sept 29 v Padres

So that would be eight more possible starts.  If they don't skip guys and sometimes pitch Sheets on five days rest then it would be seven more starts and he would miss both the Cubs and the Cardinals series.  Eight starts from Sheets might be enough to turn this thing around.  The only negative is this wouldn't set him up for postseason play well but at this point that is the last thing the team should be worrying about.

Edit. New info. From JSonline:

Phoenix - Ben Sheets cut short what was a promising "simulated" pitching session today when a small blister popped up on the middle finger of his pitching hand. The problem was not thought to be related to the tissue damage in that finger that landed the team ace on the disabled list on July 15. What effect the blister will have on attempts to get Sheets back on the active roster remains to be seen.

[editor's note, by Jeff] Thanks for posting this, dixieflatline.