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Baseball briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 22, 2001

Sheffield's agent: It's misunderstanding

LOS ANGELES -- Gary Sheffield's agent says it's all a misunderstanding, that his client still wants a contract extension and to remain with the Dodgers.

It may be too late, especially considering what Sheffield is quoted as saying in this week's USA Today Baseball Weekly about the Dodgers and some teammates.

"If it is the truth, it would make it very difficult for him to come back," first-year manager Jim Tracy said Wednesday.

"Until I hear it from him, I don't give it much credence," general manager Kevin Malone said.

According to the story, Sheffield met with Dodgers chairman Bob Daly and team president Bob Graziano for 11/2 hours at his Los Angeles area home Feb. 12.

"His request earlier this month was to be a career Dodger. He asked for a contract extension," Neader said. "The result, indeed, was he may be traded, although there's always hope the contract extension will come."

According to Baseball Weekly, Daly told Sheffield the Dodgers lost $25-million last season and couldn't afford a contract extension. Sheffield reacted angrily to Daly's belief that risk was involved.

"A risk? Come on, they're paying (Kevin Brown) $15-million a year until he's 41," Sheffield was quoted as saying. "They just gave (Darren) Dreifort $55-million when he's only won 39 games in his career and had arm surgery. They gave Shawn Green $13-million a year. And how about Carlos Perez -- paying him $6-million a year? ... And you talk about risk, that I'm a risk? That's an insult."

ARBITRATION ROUNDUP: Cincinnati pitcher Osvaldo Fernandez lost in salary arbitration, giving owners a 7-6 lead over players with one case left to be decided. Fernandez, 4-3 with a 3.62 ERA last year in 14 starts and one relief appearance, was awarded $600,000 by a three-member panel rather than his $1.2-million request. The right-hander made $500,000 last season. Boston pitcher Rich Garces, scheduled for a hearing Wednesday, agreed to a one-year contract worth $1,375,000, nearly double his $695,000 salary last season.

RED SOX: Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said he is switching Manny Ramirez from rightfield to left, a position he never played in 967 games in seven-plus seasons with Cleveland. Said Ramirez: "It's no problem. I'm just going to go and try my best."

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