Has Sheets Thrown Last Pitch as a Brewer?

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Ben Sheets took a few steps off the back of the mound and got a pat on the backside from Prince Fielder.

The right-hander’s day, and probably his career as a Milwaukee Brewer, was finished. But the job wasn’t even close to being completed.

Sheets gave the ball to interim manager Dale Sveum and made the trek from the rubber to the first-base dugout. He was booed loudly, then cheered softly.

Sheets was yanked in the third inning of the most important start of his career, the one where he had the opportunity to be the hero of Milwaukee – the city, not just the franchise.

But his sore right elbow and the Chicago Cubs’ “B” team wouldn’t allow it, as Sheets was ripped for four runs in 2 1/3 innings, leading to the Cubs smacking the Brewers, 7-3, Saturday afternoon at Miller Park.

A victory would have clinched at least a tie for the wild card and put the Brewers one step closer to their first playoff berth in 26 seasons, sending this town into a weekend utopia of tastier adult beverages and post-season anticipation with Sheets forever the man who sent them there.

Instead, the defeat dropped the Brewers back into a tie for the wild-card berth with the New York Mets, who needed a complete game from ace Johan Santana on short rest to beat Florida, 2-0.

“I felt pretty good at the beginning, but that didn’t last long,” Sheets said. “The third inning jumped on me pretty good. It was pain.

“That’s it. That’s all I had. . . . It was all I had. . . for the year.”

Sheets left no murkiness on that front. Unless he has a remarkable healing, he will be a cheerleader for whatever remains of this season.

Full Story: Journal-Sentinel