05/28: Sheffield Wants to Play Two More Years
Posted by: Patrick
Sheffield plans to play two more years:
Personally, I love Sheff. Love watching him. Great player. He has a certain swagger. As Seamus once said, "he's like somebody who will pummel someone into the ground for you." Plus, if Alex says you're the Yankee he'd want up when you are backed into a corner, that has to mean something. :)
He's getting up there in years, but I don't really have any problems with him being a full time player for the next two years with the Yankees. We could do a lot worse. That should be just about the time he needs to get to 500 homers, as well. He's a decent defender and I'd look for him to get more DH time in 2008. Not too much time, though, because we'll still have Giambi (what is likely to be the final year of his contract). But, in the end, I'm all for him finishing up his career with the Yankees. Plus, there will be less controversy around him if we all know when he's going to hang them up. i.e., in 2008, there won't be contract issues because everyone knows that it is his last year. Unless, of course, he changes his mind. Which is a possibility. :)
Veteran Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield said on Saturday he plans to play two more seasons after this one and then retire from baseball. ...
"I'm playing for the love of the game now and I need two years to do that. I feel like I never really looked around and paid attention to things on my right or my left. And now it's time to pay attention to things I never paid attention to." ...
"Getting closer to the fans, letting people in a little bit more," said Sheffield, who gave a big wave and wide smile to a small group of fans who had gathered outside Yankee Stadium at about noon on Saturday. "I can't sit there as Mr. Laugh on the field because I don't feel I can smile too much on the baseball field and get the job done. That's just not my personality."
"I'm playing for the love of the game now and I need two years to do that. I feel like I never really looked around and paid attention to things on my right or my left. And now it's time to pay attention to things I never paid attention to." ...
"Getting closer to the fans, letting people in a little bit more," said Sheffield, who gave a big wave and wide smile to a small group of fans who had gathered outside Yankee Stadium at about noon on Saturday. "I can't sit there as Mr. Laugh on the field because I don't feel I can smile too much on the baseball field and get the job done. That's just not my personality."
Personally, I love Sheff. Love watching him. Great player. He has a certain swagger. As Seamus once said, "he's like somebody who will pummel someone into the ground for you." Plus, if Alex says you're the Yankee he'd want up when you are backed into a corner, that has to mean something. :)
He's getting up there in years, but I don't really have any problems with him being a full time player for the next two years with the Yankees. We could do a lot worse. That should be just about the time he needs to get to 500 homers, as well. He's a decent defender and I'd look for him to get more DH time in 2008. Not too much time, though, because we'll still have Giambi (what is likely to be the final year of his contract). But, in the end, I'm all for him finishing up his career with the Yankees. Plus, there will be less controversy around him if we all know when he's going to hang them up. i.e., in 2008, there won't be contract issues because everyone knows that it is his last year. Unless, of course, he changes his mind. Which is a possibility. :)
