Aug 22 2009
Sheffield’s Ego Breaks Away, Forms Own Website
Aug 22nd, 2009-Never thought I’d EVER say this, but God help the New York Mets.
After everything they’ve had to cope with this year, the myriad injuries and the embarrassment of yet another missed postseason-to-be, the diva that is Gary Sheffield heaps on a little more misery. After the Mets placed him on waivers earlier in the month, only to pull him back after the Giants claimed him, then denying him a contract extension, Sheffield has threatened to leave the team, altogether. Makes you wonder if anyone would actually stop him if he did? Mets pitcher Tim Redding even said that he heard Sheffield had been released, a claim which the team denies. Regardless of what is really going on, at the moment, Sheff has most assuredly punched his ticket for a one-way trip to anywhere but the Big Apple.
Unless the Yankees are interested? He thinks he’s not playing much NOW, wait ‘til he’s relegated to pinch-hitting duty there.
More likely still, the Mets will hold on to him until the season ends, since he’s still (somehow) draws the fans, and that means far more ticket revenue than they’d see without him. At least they’ll get that out of him; they sure don’t have much else. This is not Sheffield, circa 2000, when he was about to go on an unholy tear which would culminate in 2005 when he went .291, 34, 123 at age 36. Nope, this is Sheffield, circa right-freakin’-now, and he’s not a starter, anymore. Run him out there for about 120 games a year, maybe 80 starts at the most, and pray he doesn’t fly apart. Sadly, his massive ego would never allow that, and he’s probably whined, bitched and moaned his way out of the league, completely. It’s a lot easier to deal with a player’s petulance when he’s putting up 40 jacks and not too far from an RBI per game, but those days are gone.
Someone ought to tell Gary, because he’s not gonna figure it out himself.
