Tigers Release Gary Sheffield

It must be tough to be a Detroit Tigers fan these days. Only days after learning that pitcher Dontrelle Willis would be out indefinitely because of an anxiety disorder, we now learn that outfielder/designated hitter Gary Sheffield has been released. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Tigers have released designated hitter Gary Sheffield this morning, a startling development since the team had already guaranteed him $14 million this season. It's the second-highest amount owed to a released player in club history, behind Damion Easley's $14.3 million in 2003. Sheffield signed a two-year, $28-million contract extension with the Tigers after being acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees after the 2006 season. He was one of the team's top hitters for the first half of that initial season in Detroit, but he has struggled to produce since sustaining a shoulder injury in July 2007. I hope this doesn't lead to a few dozen blogs about how the Mets should pick h...