Mets End Trade Talks With Marlins About Sheffield

The Mets are no longer interested in trading for Florida Marlin star outfielder Gary Sheffield, New York General Manager Steve Phillips said Sunday in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

“We have the utmost respect for Gary Sheffield, but we just don’t think that right now it’s a proper fit,” Phillips said.

Sheffield, 29, is starting a $61 million, six-year contract this season. The Mets and Marlins talked about a deal shortly after Florida won the World Series, but Sheffield’s contract and a no-trade clause were obstacles.

The Mets are looking to add power, especially since all-star catcher Todd Hundley may be sidelined the entire season after elbow surgery.

Sheffield hit 42 home runs with 120 RBIs for the Marlins in 1996, but dipped to 21 homers and 71 RBIs last season.

Phillips said he did not want lingering trade talk to disrupt the Mets’ camp. The Mets were concerned that such speculation might affect outfielder Bernard Gilkey and others.

In other news, the Mets signed Joe Orsulak, a veteran outfielder who played for New York from 1993-95.

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Marlin catcher Charles Johnson won the final salary arbitration case, getting an 1,040% increase from $290,000 to $3.3 million.

During a hearing Friday at Phoenix, the Marlins had argued he should be paid $2.25 million. But in a decision late Saturday night, arbitrators ruled for Johnson.

Johnson’s victory left owners with a 5-3 margin in the cases that went to hearings. Seventy-three players among the 81 who filed last month agreed to contracts with their teams before facing arbitrators.

Johnson, 26, hit .250 last season with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs.

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It will be another four or five days before second baseman Roberto Alomar is cleared to face live pitching, Baltimore Oriole Manager Ray Miller said in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Alomar, a switch-hitter, was unable to bat right-handed after May 31 because of a shoulder injury that required surgery over the winter. Miller expects Alomar to be ready by opening day, and perhaps as early as the first spring training game on Feb. 28.

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Hideki Irabu, who struggled last year, had a subpar batting practice stint in Tampa, but New York Yankee Manager Joe Torre said he is not concerned yet.

Irabu struggled with his control during a 36-pitch outing.

“I don’t put a lot into that,” Torre said. “The evaluation process begins when the games start. He didn’t throw many strikes. I think he was a little jumpy with me being behind the protective screen out there.”

Irabu is scheduled to work two innings in an intrasquad game Tuesday.

Irabu was 5-4 with a 7.09 earned-run average in 13 games after signing a $12.8 million, four-year contract last May.

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Outfielder Jacob Cruz, 25, who batted a league-leading .361 and had a 25-game hitting streak with Phoenix of the Pacific Coast League last year, seems likely to land a reserve role with the San Francisco Giants.

“We want to get him in there--we don’t want to stunt his growth,” Manager Dusty Baker said in Scottsdale, Ariz. “A lot depends on how he does against left-handers.”

Cruz, a left-handed batter, is seeking playing time in right field behind starter Stan Javier.

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Outfielder Karim Garcia, picked fifth by Arizona in the expansion draft despite surgically repaired ligaments in his left shoulder, is being brought along slowly by the Diamondbacks.

A trainer shadows Garcia, reminding him to take it easy and allow the ligaments to heal.

“Sometimes I get a little excited throwing-wise, but I always have a trainer over there, and I have the coaches,” said Garcia, a projected right fielder. “They remind me that I don’t have to make the team right now.”

In another month, it will be a different story.

“So far, so good,” Manager Buck Showalter said. “If anything, he’s ahead of schedule. We don’t want to go too fast with him, but at the same time he’s had no restrictions with that so far.”

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Th Boston Red Sox’s willingness to take chances on proven pitchers coming off major injuries is working out so far with Butch Henry, Bret Saberhagen and Chris Bosio.

“Good pitchers are hard to find and there are so many developments in the medical community,” General Manager Dan Duquette said in Fort Myers, Fla. “We’re willing to give them the time.”

Henry, 29, was one of the top left-handed starters in the National League before elbow surgery sidelined him for all of the 1996 season.

Saberhagen, 33, has two Cy Young awards and a shoulder that kept him out of the majors for most of two seasons after surgery. Bosio, 34, pitched a no-hitter for Seattle against Boston in 1993 but was out of the majors all last season afte his seventh knee operation.