Sheffield's implications on the roster

With Gary Sheffield joining the Mets, someone who spent all of spring training with the team is going to be the odd man out. Nick Evans likely will not make the Opening Day roster.

Here are two other the possibilities for Sheffield's effect on the roster: Marlon Anderson and his $1.5 million guaranteed contract land elsewhere or Jeremy Reed gets sent down to Triple-A Buffalo. He still has options.

From a fans standpoint, the Mets should hold on to Reed. He's a much better defender and with the expanse of Citi Field's outfield, the team is going to need all the defensive skills they can get.

The guaranteed money for Anderson is the main factor standing in the way here. If they do send him elsewhere, they'll still have to pay his contract, essentially making the Sheffield deal worth $1.9 million ($1.5 million from Anderson's contract plus the $400,000 from Sheffield's deal).

Sheffield will likely see most of his playing time in right field, which worries me considering that part of the field isn't fielder friendly (for photos, click here). Ryan Church started taking fly balls in left field, as he will probably see some time there with Sheffield on the roster.

Church has a great outlook on the situation, telling the Associated Press, "Early on in the big leagues I showed I could play all of the outfield spots, and I feel pretty good there. I'll do whatever. Whatever gets me in the lineup, I don't care."

Sheffield adds a right handed power bat off the bench, and possibly into a starting position. It's the model "low risk / high reward" move for the Mets. If it works, they look like geniuses. If it doesn't, they can jettison him with little to no harm done.