Don't ask me how, but Sheets' strike outs are climbing after recovering that arm slot that was used earlier in his career; and, there's a correlation between ground ball out% and K/9 IP for Sheets...

GO/AO

2004: 216 GO, 223 AO; 49%

2005: 137 GO, 190 AO; 42%

2006: 91 GO, 108 AO; 46%

2007: 131 GO, 184 AO; 42%

2008: 24 GO, 25 AO; 49%

K/9 IP

2004: 10.02

2005: 8.09

2006: 9.85

2007: 6.75

2008: 7.83

Sheets is striking more than one batter per game out in 2008 than in 2007, which is a good sign to go along with his arm angle recovery and "comfortable" GO/AO ratio. He's nowhere near his 2004-2006 ratios, but getting over that threshold of 7.00 K/9 IP is a good start, and he's getting closer to 8.00 K/9 IP....