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Gary Sheffield

Odds & Ends: Sheffield, Morillo, Perdomo

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I think you would all agree that today should be a federal holiday.  Monday links to tide you over until games start…

Sheffield, Mets Agree To Deal

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SUNDAY, 2:40pm: Matthew Cerrone from MetsBlog tells us that Nick Evans was optioned to AAA in order to make room for Sheffield.

4:32pm: Mets GM Omar Minaya announced the signing, which is pending a physical.  Will he help?  A few projections:

Sheffield came up as a 20 year-old Brewers shortstop; he's now hanging on as a 40 year-old Mets platoon outfielder.  Sheffield was willing to waive his no-trade clause for the Mets way back in November of '97, when the Marlins had their fire sale (according to a Jon Heyman Newsday article).  He was eventually dealt to the Dodgers in May of '98.

2:33pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says Sheffield agreed to sign with the Mets.  An announcement is expected this afternoon.

12:08pm: Sherman adds that Mets GM Omar Minaya spoke to Sheffield directly recently to explain how he'd fit with the team.  Meanwhile, several Phillies players have contacted Sheffield to lobby him to sign.

11:23am: According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are close to signing Gary Sheffield.  The Mets plan to give him significant playing time.  They'd only have to pay $400K and would consider Sheffield an option in both outfield corners.  Sherman's source said:

"Unless something drastic happens, he is a Met.  Someone would have to offer him a second year, and I just don't see that happening."

David Lennon of Newsday believes Sheffield could sign with the Mets as soon as tonight.

Odds And Ends: Alvarez, DePodesta, Strasburg

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A few links for Saturday…

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Sheffield, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees

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On this date 43 years ago, Tom Seaver signed with the Mets for a $50K signing bonus. Seaver originally agreed to a deal with the Braves, but the contract was voided due to Seaver's status as an amateur at USC. After being ruled ineligible at USC, and the Braves were forbidden from signing Seaver, any team willing to match the original $50K signing bonus were included in a lottery for the rights to the future hall-of-famer. The Phillies, Indians and Mets literally had their names placed in a cap and the Mets were selected. The regular season is only days away and inevitably a former Mets pitcher will throw a no-hitter. Let's see what is being written in the Blogosphere…

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Gary Sheffield Rumors: Friday

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It seems that the Mets may join the Phillies and Reds in the Gary Sheffield sweepstakes.  According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, "Sheffield's availability intrigues team officials."  Rubin cautions that an internal meeting about the subject has yet to take place.  Rubin believes Sheffield would have to start with a bench role, and the Mets might have to release Marlon Anderson to clear that spot.  MetsBlog's Matthew Cerrone would like Anderson to be replaced with Frank Catalanotto instead.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post also thinks Sheffield is on the Mets' radar, and does believe they "have held some in-depth discussions on if they should sign the guy."

How about the Dodgers?  Ramona Shelburne of the L.A. Daily News talked to Joe Torre, who said it wouldn't make sense.

Click here to catch up on yesterday's Sheffield happenings.

Rosenthal On Sheffield, Repko, McPherson

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A look at Ken Rosenthal's column from yesterday afternoon…

  • The Marlins chose Ross Gload over Frank Catalanotto, but are still considering signing Cat for the minimum now that he's been released. 
  • The Braves are not interested in bringing back Gary Sheffield.  Meanwhile, Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Mets (as well as the Phillies and Reds) have an eye on Sheffield.
  • Sheffield is apparently the only right-handed hitter on the Phillies' radar.  Rosenthal learned that the Rockies' asking price for Jeff Baker is high.
  • The Braves almost made a deal for Dodgers outfielder Jason Repko, but backed off recently.
  • The Yankees will pass on Dallas McPherson, but the Giants may consider him.
  • The Yanks don't seem desperate to move Melky Cabrera.  They've received multiple calls on him but Rosenthal says "the team will only move him for the right price."

Gary Sheffield Rumors: Thursday

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9:13pm: John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer has an update.  Jocketty spoke to Sheffield's agent and Baker spoke to Sheffield, both over the phone.  The Reds can only offer platoon at-bats in left field.  Sheffield will play for the minimum and is talking to two or three other clubs.  

12:26pm: FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal spoke with Sheffield's agent Thursday, who said he and his client plan to "rush slowly" once Sheff clears waivers at 1pm EST.  In other words, they want to strike a deal quickly, but will take their time and explore all avenues.

"We're not challenged by the absolute need to be on an Opening Day roster," said the agent, Rufus Williams.  "We're challenged by whether it's the right fit for Gary."

11:05am: Baker and Jocketty are expected to meet face-to-face with Sheffield once he clears waivers.  "For now, it's just a conversation," writes MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.

9:23am: After speaking with Reds manager Dusty Baker, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer no longer thinks the club will land Sheffield.

“I’m sure he has some offers," Baker said Thursday.  "I called Walt (Jocketty) for permission to make the call. I made the call. Walt talked to Mr. Castellini. I talked to Jim Leyland because (Sheffield) hasn’t played outfield in a long time. His teammates liked him. He’s straightforward and says what he wants. That’s what he gets publicity for. But he told me he’s quiet and off to himself on the clubhouse… I don’t know if we’re in the running or not. He wants playing time.”

9:02am: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki believes the Phillies "very much want to sign" Gary Sheffield when he clears waivers at 1pm today.  They'll be bidding primarily against the Reds, it appears.

For a refresher on the Sheffield talks, check out the MLBTR archive.

Three Teams Interested In Sheffield

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8:52pm: Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News has another quote from Jocketty:

"Sheffield and (manager) Dusty Baker have a history and they talked yesterday.  He has to clear waivers today, but we'll talk. We have interest because he would be a legitimate big right-handed bat to add to our lineup."

McCoy believes a meeting between Reds officials and Sheffield might take place Thursday.

7:14pm: Fay continues with the updates:  Reds GM Walt Jocketty has confirmed his club's interest in Sheffield. "He's still a threat in the lineup… If the price is right," said the Cincinnati GM.  The Reds will also look at Geoff Jenkins, who was released by the Phillies on Tuesday.

6:54pm: John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Reds manager Dusty Baker is meeting with Sheffield.  It sounds like they're one of the "three interested teams" that Leyland alluded to this morning.

5:53pm: ESPN's Buster Olney has more from Sheffield's agent, Rufus Williams.  Williams says Sheffield will be able to play this season and "a couple more seasons, at least."  Olney adds that "some in baseball are speculating whether Sheffield would be a good fit with the Braves, where he had a good experience in 2002-03 and was liked by manager Bobby Cox."

Talking to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. again confirmed his interest in Sheffield.

1:30pm: David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Tigers manager Jim Leyland told Detroit reporters today that three teams are interested in Gary Sheffield.  The Phillies are presumed to be one; some reports have suggested a slim chance despite Sheff's agent calling the talks "productive."

Tigers Release Gary Sheffield

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7:36pm: MLB.com's Joe Frisaro says Sheffield has interest in the Marlins, but Frisaro believes Geoff Jenkins would be a better fit.

5:12pm: Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer learned from a team source that the chances of the Phillies signing Sheffield are "very slim."  Martino did learn from Sheffield's agent Rufus Williams that a part-time role is not off the table for his client.

SI.com's Jon Heyman looks at the situation, and has a hard time finding a match for Sheffield.

2:49pm: Zolecki learned from Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. that the team did contact Sheffield's agent.  The Reds haven't discussed it, says Walt Jocketty.

1:15pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Rangers and Blue Jays will pass on Sheffield.  In talking to J.P. Ricciardi, Jeff Blair confirms the Jays' lack of interest.

9:15am: More from Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press.  He says this isn't even a club record – the Tigers ate $14.3MM on Damion Easley back in '03.  Morosi says Sheffield said "it ain't close" to the end of his career, and he has a preference for the Rays.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wonders whether the Phillies could be a fit for Sheffield.

8:41am: According to Tom Gage of the Detroit News, the Tigers released DH Gary Sheffield.  They'll eat the $14MM owed to him for '09.  It's quite surprising to see the team assume all that money to make him go away, especially since he's healthy right now.  Plus he's just one home run shy of 500 for his career.

Let the speculation begin on where Sheff will end up.  Obviously his options will open up if he can play the outfield.  To kick off the discussion…would the Blue Jays make sense? 

Gammons On Sheffield, Tazawa, Kearns

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ESPN’s Peter Gammons posted a new blog entry last night.  Let’s take a look.

  • Gammons sees Gary Sheffield as a "serious comeback player of the year candidate."
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels told Gammons his team bid $7MM for Junichi Tazawa, but the Red Sox signed him for $3MM due to their presence in Japan.  According to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, the Rangers also offered more money to reliever Chad Cordero but he preferred the West Coast.
  • Kicking Jim Bowden while he’s down: Gammons says Nationals outfielder Austin Kearns was claimed on waivers last summer but the Nationals pulled him back.
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