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Mets add a big bat, agree to sign veteran slugger Gary Sheffield
Surly slugger Gary Sheffield is back in the Big Apple.
The Mets agreed Friday afternoon to sign Sheffield after he was unexpectedly released on Tuesday by the Tigers.
Detroit still owes Sheffield $14 million for this season, so the Mets are only obligated to pay him the major-league minimum of $400,000. Other teams reportedly interested in Sheffield included the Phillies and Reds.
The Daily News first reported in Friday's editions that the Mets were going to "discuss" adding the 40-year-old slugger with 499 career home runs to their roster.
Now that those discussions have turned into reality, Sheffield will likely take playing time away from either Dan Murphy or Ryan Church.
Jerry Manuel said Friday that he wants to get Sheffield "in shape to play an outfield position."
"Once he does that and gets the at-bats .... If the performance is there, he'll continue to play," Manuel added.
Neither corner outfielder seemed upset over Sheffield's arrival.
"He's more than welcome," Church said. "He's a great player and he's just another piece for us.
"I can't control what they do," the right fielder added in regards to potential at-bats he'd surrender to Sheffield, who played exclusively at DH last year in Detroit. "I just have to always be ready to play every day."
Murphy, who Manuel penciled in as the starting left fielder coming out of spring training, added: "We're here to win a World Series. If the organization and Omar (Minaya) think he's going to help, let's go get him."
Both Manuel and Minaya indicated that Sheffield is more likely to play right field than left and said the righty slugger can balance the Mets' lineup, which has been dominated by lefthanded hitters in recent seasons.
Sheffield's agent, Rufus Williams, said the slugger would sign with a team that offered him ample playing time, so he can audition himself for another contract in 2010.
"You don't show much when you're sitting on the bench," Williams said on Thursday. ".... It's important for him to get an opportunity to play."
"Jerry was very clear to Gary what his role was going to be coming in and Gary is excited," Minaya said. The addition of Sheffield may mean the end of Marlon Anderson's Mets tenure. The team would likely have to eat Anderson's $1.5 million contract in order to clear room for Sheffield.
Sheffield - the nephew of former Met and Yankee hurler Dwight Gooden - clashed with manager Joe Torre during his three-year run (2004-2006) in The Bronx, going as far as to claim that Torre treated black and white players differently in the Yankees clubhouse in a 2007 interview.
His impact on the Mets clubhouse and the laid-back Jerry Manuel remains to be seen.
"As for the clubhouse thing, I don't recollect teammates ever having an issue with Gary Sheffield," said Manuel, who coached Sheffield on the 1997 World Series-winning Marlins team.
Slugger Carlos Delgado said a healthy Sheffield can "definitely" help the Mets.
"This is a guy who's had a great career," Delgado said. "He's one home run away from 500. If he's healthy he's going to be an asset."
Sheffield hit just .225 with 19 homers and 57 RBI in 418 at-bats for Detroit last season, but Mets fifth-starter Livan Hernandez said the slugger is still a threat at the plate - and not just because of his always-intimidating scowl.
"I faced him last year and when he's at home plate you still have to respect him," said Hernandez, who was a teammate of Sheffield's on the World Champion 1997 Marlins.
The Mets will be Sheffield's eighth team in his 21-year career. He is a nine-time All-Star, and a .292 career hitter with 1,633 RBI.
Last season the Mets found a gem in Fernando Tatis, who won comeback player of the year honors after hitting .297 with 11 homers. Minaya hopes that Sheffield can keep the award in Queens.
"Hopefully we can put a plan in place to have another comeback player of the year this year," the GM said.
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) and has a big comeback year to show he still belongs in the majors, then this whole deal is fantastic.