Gaffe or a Gaff?

New Dodger outfielder Gary Sheffield came close to being without his clothes and equipment Saturday night, and it was his fault.

Bobby Bonilla threatened to leave Sheffield’s belongings at the Florida Marlins’ team hotel in St. Louis, because his friend took too long to waive a no-trade clause that finally completed the deal that brought them, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich and Manuel Barrios to Los Angeles. Sheffield believed Bonilla was only joking--but he wouldn’t put it past him.

That’s what happens when you put your friends in limbo.

“We should have kicked Gary’s [butt] for making us wait so long,” Bonilla said, smiling. “But that’s OK, because it’s Gary’s time. He was in the driver’s seat, and we all understood that.”

Dodger management included.

Persuading Sheffield to love L.A. was the key to the seven-player trade that sent all-star catcher Mike Piazza and third baseman Todd Zeile to the Marlins. Team officials feared that Sheffield’s agent, Jim Neader, would force them to exercise the $11-million option year in his contract as a prerequisite to the trade.

The deal was closed when they committed to paying Sheffield an additional $5 million, over the length of his contract, to compensate for the money he would lose because Florida doesn’t have state income tax.

And with that, a new chapter in Dodger history began. Sheffield and his fellow newcomers are hoping to make the story end well.

“This is a great situation, and I think we can all help the Dodgers accomplish a lot,” he said. “This is an organization that has won in the past, and it’s committed to winning now and in the future.

“We all bring different leadership qualities to the team with our personalities, but we all want to win. And that’s what we’re going to all work hard to do.”

Bonilla, Johnson and Eisenreich arrived Saturday afternoon--with Sheffield’s gear in tow--at Dodger Stadium. Bonilla started at third base, Johnson at catcher, obviously, and Sheffield in right in the Dodgers’ newly configured outfield during their 9-4 victory over the Montreal Expos. Eisenreich didn’t play, and Barrios will be pitching at triple-A Albuquerque.

Being traded together helped ease the transition, Bonilla said.

“I was telling C.J. that this is a real special feeling for me, because I’ve always been by myself when I’ve been traded before,” he said. “Being with these guys is great, and I think we will all enjoy our time here.”

The Dodgers are counting on that.

“This trade definitely improves our ballclub, and it gives us an opportunity to do a lot things,” Manager Bill Russell said. “We know what these guys can do, because we’ve seen them do it against us before.”

Sheffield was the man who could have killed the deal, but Johnson is considered the gem of the package by many within the organization.

If the three-time Gold Glove Award winner isn’t the top defensive catcher in the game, he’s not far behind Ivan Rodriguez.

“He improves our defense in the most important position--up the middle,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president. “He is one of the best in the game at calling games and blocking the plate, and those are things that have big impacts on the outcomes of games.”

Johnson will need time to get accustomed to the Dodger pitching staff. But not as long as some in his position.

“There is a lot of talent on this pitching staff, and I’m going to get a crash course in getting to know them,” he said. “But hopefully, we can win some games in the meantime.”

Johnson realizes that comparisons to his Dodger predecessor are inevitable, but he can only be himself.

“Mike Piazza has accomplished something as a catcher that’s almost unheard of, and I can’t come here to try to fill his shoes,” he said. “I can only do the job I can do behind the plate.”

The New Dodger Four are happy they were liberated from the Marlins’ depressing, cost-cutting situation. But leaving wasn’t easy either.

“It was a very difficult situation, the way things worked out,” Bonilla said. “We were able to win a World Series, and it was hard to leave [Manager Jim Leyland] and the coaching staff.”

But the memories endure.

“You can never take that away from us,” Eisenreich said. “This year has been a struggle, but we feel we’re in a situation now we’re we have a chance to win. At my age [39], there’s no better feeling than that.”

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New Blue Review

GARY SHEFFIELD

Two for four, one run, one run batted in and a walk.

BOBBY BONILLA

One for four, home run and a sacrifice fly.

CHARLES JOHNSON

One for three, one run, one RBI and a walk.

JIM EISENREICH

Did not play.