Sheffield Says He Just Wants Out

Gary Sheffield changed his stance Tuesday, saying he would not rescind his trade request even if the Dodgers extend his contract.

The disgruntled left fielder previously said he would want to remain with the club if Chairman Bob Daly “makes me a lifetime Dodger,” but things have changed.

Sheffield, who did not play Tuesday in an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, said even money cannot salvage the situation.

“I don’t want [an extension], I don’t want it at all,” he said. “It just ain’t worth it.”

Sheffield is believed to have sought a four-year, $80-million package, which would have been added to the remaining three years of the six-year, $61-million deal he signed while with the Florida Marlins in 1997.

The six-time all-star wanted the Dodgers to decline an $11-million 2004 club option, and include a signing bonus in the extension that would have made him one of the majors’ highest-paid players until his new deal took effect.

Daly repeatedly rejected the requests of Sheffield and his agent, Jim Neader.

“We were never going to consider that,” said Derrick Hall, senior vice president. “That’s why we are where we are now because we originally said we would not give him an extension.”

Sheffield will only waive his right to demand a trade after next season and agree to play under the terms of his current deal if traded to the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets or New York Yankees.

He has criticized Daly almost daily, hinted he might struggle if the club keeps him and said he would not be happy in Los Angeles under any circumstances.

Those factors have seemingly reduced the Dodgers’ options, but General Manager Kevin Malone maintains that Sheffield will be in the opening-day lineup unless the club receives a satisfactory offer.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, other general managers do not believe Malone, and the pressure to trade Sheffield increases as the season approaches.

The Dodgers have not received overwhelming offers for Sheffield, so Malone is still exploring three-way trades.

The Braves have offered either oft-injured outfielder Brian Jordan, owed $26 million and coming off shoulder surgery, or left fielder B.J. Surhoff, who will be paid $3.5 million this season and has a $4.5-million 2002 option, which can be bought out for $1 million.

The Dodgers want either center fielder Andruw Jones, third baseman Chipper Jones or catcher Javy Lopez, and the Braves are not interested in trading them.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are interested in Sheffield, who was born in Tampa and resides there in the off-season.

Outfielder Greg Vaughn is available, but he is owed $26.25 million, of which $11.25 million is deferred.

Last season, Vaughn batted .254, with 128 strikeouts and only 74 runs batted in.

The Mets have pursued Sheffield, but Malone is not pleased with General Manager Steve Phillips, having strongly intimated Phillips is trying to take advantage of the Dodgers’ predicament.

Center fielder Jay Payton was believed to be the centerpiece of the Mets’ offer, but sources said Phillips might be able to exclude him from a deal because the Dodgers are playing a bad hand.

The Dodgers want Sheffield to help them, having asked him to stop criticizing Daly and reducing his trade value, sources said.

Sheffield would not comment on the request, but he does not plan to say much more until he is traded.

“Really, I don’t want to comment on what’s in store, what they’re talking to me about,” he said. “It’s just a matter of letting this thing play out.

“Nothing’s changed, and I just have to let it go, let it be. That’s going to be the same story tomorrow, the next day and the next day. I don’t want to make it harder to trade me at this point.”

Sheffield said he regrets how the situation has affected his teammates.

“It gets harder for the team,” he said. “From my standpoint, it’s not different for me. It’s different for them.

“It’s not fair to them, but it is what it is. We just have to be professional about it.”

Dodger Notes

Darren Dreifort (1-0) started and pitched two scoreless innings against the Braves, striking out one and walking one. . . . Chan Ho Park struck out six and walked three in three innings. “They were pretty good,” Manager Jim Tracy said of Dreifort and Park. “I saw growth from both of them.” . . . The Braves’ John Smoltz pitched for the first time since ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow last March. He gave up a two-run homer to Chris Donnels and walked two in one inning, but felt no pain.