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Warm With Money Between The Sheets

Sports agent Casey Close of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) had to love the small window between when Ben Sheets first hit the mound for a throwing session last week and when the CAA client signed with the Oakland A’s this past Tuesday. Not only was it a quick turnaround, but Close had Sheets sign a contract that many are saying is more than favorable for Sheets, and the deal is with a team that is notorious for not making these types of moves.

$10 million is quite a lot to pay any player over the span of a year, but is especially a large gamble when it is based on one throwing session on a guy who was sidelined for an entire year after going through elbow surgery and a rehabilitation process. With 1,428, will Sheets’ arm be able to handle the starting pitcher load for the entire season? A’s fan’s will demand it, considering that Sheets is now the second highest player on Oakland’s squad (behind Eric Chavez).

Not only was Sheets not fit to play last year, but in his past, he has suffered from right rotator cuff tendinitis which may require might require shoulder rotator cuff surgery, later had right rotator cuff inflammation, a back injury that has sidelined him four different times in his career, a bad shoulder injury, and a rough right finger injury. I’m probably missing something. You have to give props to a player who can keep coming back from injury and perform very well at the highest level of his profession; however, you also have to ask how long that will last. When I think of durable, I think of the late Steve McNair…but how many McNairs exist?

Billy Beane knows that he has taken a risk. Was it a calculated risk? Whether Sheets performs well on the field or not, he knows that his client will be getting paid handsomely. And if Sheets does perform the way that the A’s hope, he can earn another $2 million in bonuses before all is said and done ($500,000 more for reaching each 165, 175, 185, 195 IP).

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

One reply on “Warm With Money Between The Sheets”

I think this deal is seen more as a “flip” than a deal to help the A’s rotation. Just as they did with Matt Holliday, I think the A’s are planning on showcasing Sheets for the first few months of the season, and then promptly dealing him for some much lower priced young talent.

Lets check back on this theory around the trade-deadline.

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