Sheffield Goes South

The Dodgers relieved themselves of the migraine that was Gary Sheffield, trading the disgruntled slugger to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday for veteran outfielder Brian Jordan, promising young pitcher Odalis Perez and a minor leaguer. Now they may have to hold their breath, hoping they didn’t exchange a throbbing headache for a dull pain around the temples.

Sheffield’s departure ends a contentious 31/2-year relationship with the Dodgers; the productive but outspoken left fielder blasted team officials while trying to force a trade last February, criticized the team for giving players of lesser ability more money than him, grumbled about where he hit in the lineup and rang in the New Year with another body blow to the front office, saying he did not trust the general manager.

Jordan, the centerpiece of the Braves’ package, seems to be the anti-Sheffield, described by Brave General Manager John Schuerholz as “a classy guy, a man of high character, a great citizen of our community and a wonderful person,” and by Dodger GM Dan Evans as “a terrific defensive player, a solid offensive player and a leader in the clubhouse.”

But Jordan, who was informed of the trade in a phone call with Schuerholz after working out in Atlanta’s Turner Field on Tuesday, was clearly not thrilled with a deal that will pull him away from his Atlanta home and force him to move from his best position, right field--Shawn Green’s spot in Los Angeles--to left field or possibly center.

“I was laughing with [Atlanta Manager] Bobby Cox and chuckling with [hitting instructor] Terry Pendleton and then, ‘Bam!’ It ruined my whole night,” Jordan, 34, said. “I couldn’t even talk to [Schuerholz]. I hung up on him. He stabbed me in the back. Life’s a bummer.”

Jordan, who is in the fourth year of a five-year, $40-million contract, was upset because Schuerholz had recently asked him to help convince former teammate Pendleton to accept a coaching job and free-agent pitcher John Smoltz to re-sign with the Braves. “They used me to make the team stronger, and then you’re gone,” he said. Jordan also lives in Atlanta year-round and didn’t want to uproot his family, which includes his wife, Pam, and three children.

“I’m disappointed,” said Jordan, who batted .295 with 25 home runs and 97 runs batted in last season. “It affects my family more than anything. My agent had no clue. I had no clue. But I’m just going to go out there and do the best I can.”

At least Jordan didn’t fume at the Dodgers, and in a conference call later Tuesday he said he had not given any thought to the possibility of demanding a trade after the 2002 season, a right he can exercise because he is in the middle of a multiyear contract.

“My agent mentioned that to me, but I’m not worried about that,” Jordan said. “Even though the timing of this is not good, and I had no idea it was coming, the Dodgers are a good organization.... I have a lot of respect for them and the players they have. They can win.”

But can they win without Sheffield? For all his problems away from the field, Sheffield, who has two years left on a six-year, $61-million deal, was a force on it. He batted .312 with 113 homers and 310 RBIs the last three seasons, an average of 38 homers and 103 RBIs a year, and he provided considerable lineup protection to Green, who batted .297 with 49 homers and 125 RBIs in 2001. Of Sheffield’s 36 home runs last season, 24 tied the game or put the Dodgers ahead.

Jordan, who bats right-handed, has never hit more than 25 home runs in any of his 10 big league seasons. A career .287 hitter, he has topped 100 RBIs twice. He has a career .337 on-base percentage, compared to Sheffield’s .399.

“Sheffield was a tremendous player last year and for as long as he’s been here; his presence in the lineup will definitely be missed,” Green said. “At the same time, our acquisitions will help us. Jordan is a consistent outfielder who puts up numbers every year, and Perez is one of the best left-handed prospects in the game.”

Sheffield’s comments about the Dodgers giving lesser players more money was directed in part at Green, who signed a six-year, $84-million deal, and that created some friction between the two.

Asked Tuesday about his relationship with Sheffield, Green said, “That’s kind of a tough question for me to answer. From spring training last year through the end of the season ... there was just a lot of difficult emotions Gary felt he was going through. I definitely think Sheff is a good guy. I consider him a friend and just wish him the best.”

Though Sheffield is one of baseball’s highest-paid players, he often complained about his contract and a lack of respect. After Dodger Chairman Bob Daly refused to give Sheffield a “lifetime contract” last spring, Sheffield turned spring training in Vero Beach, Fla., into a media circus, ripping the team on an almost daily basis.

Agent Scott Boras helped mediate the conflict between Sheffield and the Dodgers last March, and Sheffield maintained a relatively even keel throughout the season, but the Dodgers’ attempts to trade Sheffield to Oakland for outfielder Jermaine Dye and closer Bill Koch this winter--despite Evans’ claims the team wasn’t trying to trade Sheffield--prompted another outburst on New Year’s Day.

“It becomes frustrating to the point where you ask yourself, ‘Do I really want to be with this organization?’ ” Sheffield said at the time. “I don’t want to be with an organization that constantly tells me one thing and then does another. I’m not going to sugarcoat that one bit. I deserve enough respect not to be told things like that.”

Evans denied speculation that Sheffield’s recent comments were the last straw in a decision to trade Sheffield.

“We didn’t ‘get rid’ of Gary Sheffield; we were not trying to eliminate him from the Dodgers,” Evans said. “We were not going to move Sheff unless a trade made sense, and we believe this one does.”

Did the fact Sheffield was clearly unhappy in Los Angeles contribute to the decision to trade him?

“It certainly played a role, but it was not the central issue in the trade,” Evans said. “We had been talking to Schuerholz for more than a month, long before [Sheffield’s] comments appeared.”

Sheffield could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

“Long before Bob Daly, long before Dan Evans, there was a history and things that were said to Gary when he came over from Florida [in the Mike Piazza trade in 1998],” Boras said. “These things were part of the issues that surfaced a year ago. For both sides, the clean-slate element was needed, and for Gary, operating on very firm footing with a new organization like Atlanta achieved all of his objectives.”

Atlanta was one of 12 teams Sheffield, by contract, could not be traded to. Sheffield agreed to remove Atlanta from his block list in exchange for the Braves dropping Sheffield’s $11-million option in 2004. Sheffield, who is guaranteed $9.5 million in 2002 and $11 million in 2003, can become a free agent after 2003.

Sheffield, who will join Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones in what should be a potent outfield, also waived his right to demand a trade after 2002.

Jordan, who exchanged heated words with Dodger Kevin Brown after getting hit by a pitch in a Grapefruit League game last spring, was mentioned in trade rumors with Sheffield in March of 2001, but the Dodgers balked because Jordan was returning after having arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders that off-season. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder recovered from a subpar 2000 season (.264, 17 homers, 77 RBIs) to have an outstanding 2001.

The Dodgers don’t expect Jordan, who is guaranteed $6 million in 2002, $9 million in 2003 and has a $10.5-million option in 2004, to produce like Sheffield. But with improved seasons from Eric Karros, Mark Grudzielanek and Adrian Beltre and continued production from Green and catcher Paul Lo Duca, Evans and Manager Jim Tracy believe the Dodgers will have enough offense to compete.

“There were times I felt the team would sit around and wait for things to happen from Gary,” Tracy said. “Now, we’re more diversified, more athletic, in a lot more areas.

“We did lose a very good offensive player, but we also gained a good one.”

The Dodgers also gained a pitcher with potential in Perez, a 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic who can start or relieve. Perez sat out the 2000 season because of elbow surgery and went 7-8 with a 4.91 earned-run average in 24 games, 16 starts, for the Braves in 2002.

“He can be an elite pitcher; he just needs an opportunity to pitch every five days and not have anyone looking over his shoulder,” Jordan said. “Sometimes he tries to be too perfect, but he has great stuff and great potential.”

The Dodgers also acquired right-handed pitcher Andy Brown, who was 3-4 with a 3.92 ERA for Class-A Jamestown last season. With a surplus of left-handed pitchers and starting pitchers, the Dodgers may have the kind of depth required to trade for a much-needed closer.

“There are still areas we can improve in,” Tracy said, “but we have a strength to draw from and created some flexibility in order to deal.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

The Principals

(text of infobox not included)

*

The Braves Get:

(text of infobox not included)