Sheffield Hooks Into $61-Million Deal

Gary Sheffield and the Florida Marlins on Wednesday finalized the largest contract package in baseball history, a $61-million, six-year extension.

“A deal like this, guys haven’t gotten it before,” the All-Star right fielder said. “I can’t believe it. I’m spaced out, basically.”

The contract runs from 1998 through 2003. In total money, it surpasses the $55-million, five-year contract Albert Belle signed with the Chicago White Sox. San Francisco’s Barry Bonds is third at $43.75 million over six years.

The Marlins committed nearly $100 million during the off-season to hire Manager Jim Leyland and sign six free agents.

“Based on what we did in the winter, we didn’t want to lose our franchise player,” General Manager Dave Dombrowski said. “The dollars are large, but if we wanted to keep him, those were the dollars we were going to have to pay.”

Sheffield, 28, had his best season in 1996, batting .314 with 42 homers and 120 RBIs. He will earn $6.1 million this year, and the new deal calls for $10 million per season from 1998-2002 and $11 million in 2003. Florida has an $11-million option for 2004.

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The Cincinnati Reds lost closer Jeff Brantley indefinitely when he tried to play catch and had to stop after one throw because of pain in his shoulder.

The Reds put Brantley on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27. They were trying to schedule a magnetic resonance imaging test Wednesday night to learn the severity of the problem.

“Something’s wrong. I can’t even play catch,” said Brantley, who saved 72 games the past two seasons, including 44 in 1996. “When I threw the first one, my whole arm went numb.”

Jeff Shaw, the setup man last season when he had four saves, an 8-6 record and 2.49 ERA, will move into the closer’s role.

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Hideki Irabu has no intention of apologizing for his remarks about his Japanese team and won’t sign a statement saying he’ll never become a free agent and play in the major leagues, his agent, Don Nomura, told a Japanese news agency.

The Chiba Lotte Marines, who assigned Irabu’s major league negotiating rights to the San Diego Padres in January, set those conditions Tuesday for taking the pitcher back.