If you’re going to keep Sheff in the lineup (which seems like it’s a foregone conclusion in his mind), where can he do the most damage? If he’s getting on base by walking, than you need guys immediately after him that can drive him home.

I just don’t think there’s a lot of guessing that needs to be done about Sheffield and whether or not he’s healthy. The guy’s pushing 40, has to get repeated Cortisone shots, and is batting below the Mendoza line. Occam’s Razor would suggest that the easiest explanation is that he’s not healthy, and that he’s going to have trouble staying healthy. Expecting a 40-year old who missed large portions of the last two years to magically get better and hit his stride just seems unreasonable to me. If he’s going to get better, let him do it on the shelf and come back when he can contribute. In the meantime, there are other guys on the team who can help and we don’t have room in the starting lineup for them.