Braves, Mets Temper Offers for Sheffield

The Atlanta Braves are still interested in Gary Sheffield--at the right price.

But the Dodgers’ price had not dropped as of Monday despite Sheffield’s almost daily criticism of Chairman Bob Daly and hints that he might struggle if the club keeps him.

General Manager Kevin Malone requested either third baseman Chipper Jones, center fielder Andruw Jones or catcher Javy Lopez for Sheffield, baseball sources said, but Atlanta General Manager John Schuerholz declined those trades.

Schuerholz and New York Met General Manager Steve Phillips, who each resumed talks with Malone on Monday, are content to wait, believing the Dodgers are desperate to move the disgruntled six-time all-star.

The Braves would trade either oft-injured right fielder Brian Jordan or left fielder B.J. Surhoff, along with a minor league pitcher.

Jordan, who turns 34 on March 29, is owed $26 million. The right-handed batter is coming off shoulder surgery and is still undergoing rehabilitation.

Surhoff, 36, will be paid $3.5 million this season and has a $4.5-million option in 2002, which can be bought out for $1 million. A left-handed batter, Surhoff is considered subpar defensively.

Atlanta had many highly regarded prospects in Class A last season, including right-handers Billy Sylvester and Christian Parra, and left-hander Horacio Ramirez.

Sylvester, a closer, was 3-0 with a 0.79 earned-run average and 16 saves. He had 48 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings. Ramirez, a starter, was 15-8 with a 3.22 ERA, and Parra was 17-4 with a 2.28 ERA.

Sheffield’s friends on the Braves have encouraged Schuerholz to remain in the race, and the Dodgers hope to ignite a bidding war between the Braves and Mets.

Phillips said the Mets do not plan to fight for Sheffield.

“We’re not going to do something we don’t think is appropriate just to stop someone else from getting a player,” said Phillips, believed to have offered center fielder Jay Payton as the centerpiece of the Mets’ package.

Meanwhile, Sheffield had little to say for the first time since he began blasting Daly two weeks ago.

“Same thing as [Sunday],” Sheffield said. “Write the same thing.”

But Sheffield clarified his stance on today’s supposed “trade deadline,” saying that he only hoped a deal would have been completed.

Sheffield had intimated he would reveal embarrassing information about the club in a TV interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons, but he only reiterated his stance during the segment televised Sunday.

“Just telling the truth,” Sheffield said. “They [Dodger officials] said what they had to say, and I’m saying what really happened.

“Now, we just have to wait and see. Like I said, Gary Sheffield is ready for anything.”

*

Carlos Perez, recovering faster than expected from arthroscopic shoulder surgery, pitched in a 12-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodgertown.

Perez (1-0) gave up three hits and two runs in his only inning, but the left-hander was pleased with his progress. “I feel good, man, that was great,” said Perez, who gave up a double and two singles in 11 pitches. “It felt kind of weird because I have not really pitched in a game since [before his Sept. 14 surgery].

“I used a lot of fastballs, and it was pretty good for my first start. I only threw one changeup and one splitter. I don’t want to throw the breaking ball too early.”

Perez has a salary of $7.5 million in the final year of a three-year, $15.6-million contract and is not expected to make the rotation. But Perez believes he is in the mix.

“I go to free agency next year, and I really want to be starting,” Perez said. “I want to put up some numbers.”

Notes

Catcher Paul LoDuca has agreed to a one-year, $230,000 contract. . . . Right-hander Mike Judd pitched two perfect innings against the Cardinals. Judd is out of options and expected to be traded.