Gary Sheffield Signs With Mets, Seeks 500th HR
Career Biography of One of Major League Baseball's Best Hitters
Apr 5, 2009
Gary Sheffield is officially a New York Met. Cut by the Tigers just one week ago, the 40-year old, who had played mostly as a designated hitter during his two seasons in Detroit, is coming back to New York, where he played for the Yankees from 2004 through 2006.
During his very brief time on the free agent market, Sheffield also considered playing for the Phillies or the Reds, but New York promised him more playing time, and, more importantly, a chance to play at a regular position.
What Position Will Sheffield Play?
Without a designated hitter, Sheffield's best way to play every day is to unseat the Mets current starting right fielder, Ryan Church, which is something that may not be out of the realm of possibility. Church is popular, promising and fairly productive. But both GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel have said that Sheffield will primarily play in right field. Church will still be the starter initially, but if Sheffield adjusts to playing the outfield again, he'll get a serious opportunity at being a first stringer again.
Mets Only Required to Pay League Minimum to Sheffield
The Mets won't have to fork over much cash for the nine-time All Star, who will be paid $14,000,000 this season by Detroit. Because Sheffield had a three-year guaranteed contract with the Tigers, the team must pay him in full even though he will be playing for another team. That's great news for the the Mets, who will only need to pay Sheffield the league minimum salary of $400,000.
Sheffield's Career Loaded with Hitting Success
Gary Sheffield brings a new level of intensity and a potentially vicious right-handed bat to a team that has missed the playoffs on the last day of each of the past two seasons. Although Sheffield himself struggled during the past three seasons with injuries, and didn't play well this spring training, the Mets believe that he can still be a difference maker. After all, he has been one for most of his career.
Sheffield broke into the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers as an 18-year old kid. After a rather rough few years and a nasty breakup with the team, Sheffield moved on to the San Diego Padres, where he enjoyed a breakout season in 1992. For most of that season, Sheffield flirted with winning the Triple Crown but ultimately finished short with a National League-best .330 batting average, a second-best 33 home runs, and 100 RBI, just nine behind the league leader.
In 1996, playing for the Florida Marlins, Sheffield had another MVP-type season, hitting .314 with 42 home runs and 120 RBI. He placed sixth in the voting. The next season the Marlins achieved success beyond anyone's imagination. Just five years after they debuted in the big leagues, they won the World Series in seven games over the Cleveland Indians. Sheffield was a key to the team's playoff run: In 16 games, he hit .320 with 3 home runs, 7 RBI and 13 runs scored. He also had a Ted Williams-like OBP of .510.
The Big Offensive Years
For a seven-year period between 1999 and 2005, Gary Sheffield was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. During those seven years, he hit .307 with a .409 on-base percentage. He averaged 35 home runs, 110 RBI and 105 runs scored.
In 2003, while playing for the Atlanta Braves, he finished third in MVP voting. In 2004, his first season in the Bronx, Sheffield hit .290 with 36 home runs and 121 RBI. This time, he finished second in the MVP race. After another great year in 2005, Sheffield missed most of the 2006 season because of an wrist injury that required surgery. When he came back to the team in September, he had lost his job to Bobby Abreu.
The Yankees then traded Abreu to the Tigers before the 2007 season. Now he's back in New York. He's looking for a full-time spot, he's looking for his 500th home run, and he's looking for another World Series ring.
Will he be a boon or a bust for the Mets? Only time will tell.
