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An original Ray returns

By JOHN ROMANO

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 16, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Andy Sheets, an original member of the Devil Rays expansion draft class, finally will get a chance to earn a job in Tampa Bay.

Sheets, who was traded the night of the expansion draft to San Diego with right-hander Brian Boehringer for catcher John Flaherty, signed a minor-league contract with the Rays on Wednesday.

Sheets, 28, who can play all four infield positions, has spent parts of five seasons in the majors with Seattle, San Diego, Anaheim and Boston. He is a career .213 hitter and spent most of last year with Triple-A Pawtucket.

The Rays also signed right-hander Jim Pittsley, a former Kansas City first-round draft pick. Pittsley, 26, has a 7-12 career record with a 6.02 ERA. He missed last season after having knee surgery.

Catcher Yohanny Valera was signed to a minor-league deal. Valera, 24, has spent the bulk of his career in the minors with the Mets and Expos.

Meanwhile, Rick Williams has interviewed with the Mets for their vacant pitching coach job.

Williams was Tampa Bay's first pitching coach before being replaced early last season by Bill Fischer. He took a scouting position with the Marlins and later was named Florida's director of player development.

SUBWAY SERIES EXHIBIT: The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., will open the exhibit "Underground Movement: A History of the Subway Series" on Friday. It will display memorabilia from the New York teams that squared off in this year's World Series, won 4-1 by the Yankees.

FOUR WANT NILSSON: Former Brewers catcher Dave Nilsson has received contract offers from the Red Sox, Yankees, Athletics and Indians and expects to decide this week where he'll play in 2001, agent Alan Nero said.

YANKEES: After meeting with pitcher Mike Mussina's agent, general manager Brian Cashman was convinced the right-hander would be willing to play in New York. "We're not being jerked around," Cashman said. ... The team exercised outfielder Glenallen Hill's contract option for 2001.

- Information from Times wires was used in this report.

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