Sheffield Rips Boras A New One

Looks like Alex Rodriguez isn't alone with his newfound disdain for super-agent Scott Boras. After Kenny Rogers recently fired Boras and completed a one year deal with the Tigers on his own, Gary Sheffield has come forward, calling the agent a "bad person" amongst other things.

Gary Sheffield and Boras have been in dispute for five years, since Sheffield fired Boras in 2003. Sheffield later negotiated his own contract with the New York Yankees, but Boras claimed he should get a portion of that deal because of the work he had done on Sheffield’s behalf.

“It’s probably personal, but when it gets done it’s going to be personal with me,’’ Sheffield said. Sheffield won’t mention Boras by name, but he left no doubt who he was talking about when he said this morning that he would tell other players to stay away from the super-agent.

“I’m going to warn everybody,’’ Sheffield said. “It’s going to be the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen. There’s certain people you don’t want to mess with—and I guarantee you I’m one of them.’’

Sheffield later said that his dealings with Boras were “total hell,’’ and he twice referred to the agent as a “bad person.’

..."Major league baseball is allowing it to happen,’’ Sheffield said. “They haven’t heard what I’m going to say when I’m done with all of this, And it’s not going to be pretty. And nobody’s going to shut me up.

“Ain’t no fine going to be big enough. Ain’t no suspension going to be long enough.’’

Good ol' Gary. That chip on his shoulder must be why the steroid suspicious slugger required surgery in the offseason.

A Year Later: Minnesota Master Plan II

About 11 months ago, following deals which sent Randy Johnson and Gary Sheffield packing in exchange for several young prospects, there was some media daydreaming discussing a potential Johan Santana megaswap.

Trading high profile, future hall of famers like Sheff and Unit was a vivid signal that times were changing in the Yankees universe. With their farm system improving exponentially, I allowed myself to ponder the prospect of a future swap involving Johan and numerous Yankee farmers.

Obviously there are no hard facts to the above excerpt, but the idea is certainly feasible. When a team knows they are unable to retain a superstar who's on the brink of free agency, the idea of trading him becomes inevitable. Why would the Twins not attempt to draw a bundle of high-end prospects (the Yankees have) for Santana? Otherwise Minnesota would get zero compensation for his services and then watch him go to the highest bidder.

If Cashman is able to flip some of the prospects he has in the bank for a Santana or Zambrano, Johnson's 205 innings will be accounted for, as will New York's quest for a true ace. These are questions to be answered far down the road, but the fact that they are not based in pure insanity is exciting in itself.

Well, it appears as though that time "far down the road" has become here and now. It's amazing to watch the progression of an organization and it would be naive to think that the gradual construction of the Yankees (now powerful) farm system just happened to coincide with the imminent availability of the best pitcher in baseball.

Now we'll see why Cashman gets paid the big bucks. It'll be an old fashioned gunfight, with Bill Smith waiting in the saloon, trying his best not to blink first.

Sheffield Hangin' Em Up?


Gary Sheffield will be mulling over a possible shoulder surgery this off-season. He has already had untold amounts of cortisone shot into his body, and any potential steroid use would also contribute to his 38 year-old body breaking down.

When it comes time to decide whether to have offseason right shoulder surgery, Sheffield has to think of himself.

Some think Sheffield won't walk away because he has $28 million left on the table for the next two seasons. Others believe the lure of 500 career home runs or another World Series ring is too great.

They are wrong.

This is not about glory or money. It's about pain.

That's why it would come as no surprise if Sheffield retires.

Wouldn't that just be a shame. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

_


In other news:

Cubs President John McDonough squashed any rumors of an A-Rod deal being in place. The Chicago Tribune agrees.

"I laughed when I heard it - it's outrageous," McDonough said.

Added Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who managed Rodriguez in Seattle when A-Rod broke into the league: "There's no truth to that story. Do you think his agent (Scott Boras) would fall into a trap like that? He wouldn't do that."

So now that that is settled, Alex Rodriguez can focus on hitting a homerun per playoff game played this October.