Sheffield Plans Meeting With Whole Team

Gary Sheffield said Sunday he plans to address Dodger players and coaches in a closed-door meeting, hoping to “put all this in the past and let everyone know exactly where I’m coming from.”

The all-star left fielder said the meeting is necessary because his trade request resulted in three weeks of controversy and cast a shadow over the club.

Sheffield reaffirmed his commitment to the team, adding that he would not stir further frustration in the organization.

But Sheffield’s desire for closure has not swayed Dodger decision-makers, who are noncommittal about whether the six-time all-star is still in their plans.

“We are continuing our discussions with interested teams on a possible trade for Gary,” said Derrick Hall, senior vice president. “No decision has been made on what we will do with him.”

Chairman Bob Daly, scheduled to return to Dodgertown today, plans to consult with his senior advisors, and is expected to meet with Sheffield, before determining whether to keep him.

Sheffield is still in the spotlight as the Dodgers plan their next move in this dizzying situation.

“I’m going to address the whole team because I want them to hear everything straight from my mouth,” said Sheffield, who plans to conduct the meeting before Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodgertown.

“A lot of those guys have already talked to me, and they understand what happened, but this will give me a chance to let everyone know, and then hopefully move on. I want to close the door on all of this, put the uniform on and focus on playing the game.

“There’s a lot I have to say to those guys, there’s a lot of stuff that happened that I didn’t want to happen, and I can admit that like a man. I’m going to honor my contract and I’m going to give everything I have to this team. My teammates mean a lot to me, and that’s what I’m going to tell them. That’s what I need them to hear me say.”

Manager Jim Tracy, who met with Sheffield before Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Jupiter, said actions are more important than words now.

“He has to honor what he’s saying, he has to live up to what he’s saying,” Tracy said. “You can’t go in the other direction again.”

Sheffield had a closed-door meeting Feb. 23 with Tracy and five teammates who wanted explanations about his trade demand, contract stance and quotes attributed to him in Baseball Weekly criticizing management for giving more money to those he considers lesser players.

He claims he did not make the comments about his teammates, and the Dodgers are eager to attend Sheffield’s second session.

“We met with Gary when he [reported to spring training] and we were clear then,” said starter Darren Dreifort, one of the players mentioned in the Baseball Weekly story. “But there are a lot of guys who are not clear and want to go hear it from Gary.”

The mood in the clubhouse has been one of forgiveness as some players rallied in support of the 13-year veteran.

“We’ve been talking about this since camp started, it’s obviously been a big topic of discussion, and a lot of guys have questioned some of the things that have been said,” reliever Matt Herges said. “To be honest about it, not everyone has been happy all the time about this, but no one I’ve talked to wants Sheff to be gone.

“He hasn’t been a pariah in here [the clubhouse]. I know people on the outside probably think he has been, but guys haven’t treated Sheff like that at all. Everyone in baseball asks you, ‘What’s going on with Sheff?’ We know how it must look from the outside, I know a lot of people are bothered by the comments, but Sheff isn’t a bad guy.”

In the last three weeks, Sheffield has criticized Daly, hinted that he might struggle if the club keeps him and said he would not be happy in Los Angeles even if his request for an extension had been granted.

Now he claims to be content, but some of his teammates are taking a wait-and-see approach.

“Our goal in this clubhouse is to win a championship, and if he still wants to be here and be a part of that goal then I’m sure we’ll embrace him,” right fielder Shawn Green said. “We’ll just have to see what he wants to do.”

And then there are the fans.

Sheffield has been blasted nationwide for his stance, having become the latest symbol of the greedy athlete.

Many in the organization said Sheffield will be booed more vociferously than anyone in Dodger history if he is in the opening-day lineup April 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium.

“That’s something he will have to deal with on his own,” Green said. “That’s an issue he created.”

Said Dreifort: “There’s only so much we [his teammates] can do.”

Some team officials want to keep Sheffield because he is one of baseball’s best right-handed batters, the Dodgers cannot get equal value for him and there are too many lineup questions to risk a major trade.

Third baseman Adrian Beltre is scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery for the second time in two months today and might not be at full strength until the All-Star break. First baseman Eric Karros has back pain, Green a sprained right thumb and infielder Dave Hansen a broken bone in his left hand.

However, others are concerned that Sheffield might hold the club hostage again, and say he should be traded now at any price.

Malone has been critical of Sheffield’s agent, Jim Neader, blaming the mess on Neader’s “bad advice” and “unprofessional” behavior.

Malone said the players’ reaction toward Sheffield would be a “major factor” in the club’s course, and Sheffield wants to mend fences.

“I was going in one direction and those guys pulled me back in the other direction,” Sheffield said. “I’m going to show them how much that means to me.”

Notes

Sheffield tripled and scored a run in three at-bats against the Cardinals. He is one for 12 in exhibition play. . . . Right-hander Andy Ashby (1-0) pitched four strong innings. He gave up five hits and a run. . . . Jesse Orosco, competing for the left-handed role in the bullpen, struck out the side in the sixth.

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