Sheffield Ready for Anything

Gary Sheffield already is bracing for it.

The first time he goes into a slump, he knows, New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner will criticize him in the newspapers and on the airwaves.

“That’s part of it. He already told me that’s going to happen,” Sheffield said Wednesday after finalizing his $39-million, three-year contract with the Yankees.

“I don’t think he can say anything bad to me that I haven’t said to myself,” Sheffield said.

His deal, which includes $13.5 million in deferred money and a $13-million team option for 2007, took weeks to complete after the outfielder and Steinbrenner agreed to the basics.

In the end, Sheffield dropped his demand to eliminate the deferred money.

Sheffield, 35, hit .330 for the Atlanta Braves last season, with 39 home runs and a career-high 132 runs batted in.

*

Scott Spiezio signed a three-year contract with the Seattle Mariners and he’s expected to play third base.

“The signing of Scott Spiezio provides us with another quality hitter,” Seattle General Manager Bill Bavasi said.

“He is a great situational hitter and has an ability to come through in the clutch, which was evident during the 2002 playoffs.”

Spiezio, a fan favorite with the Angels, probably will replace third baseman Jeff Cirillo, who played strong defense but was a liability at the plate for the second straight year.

*

Eddie Perez, the backup catcher for the Braves in seven division-winning seasons, agreed to a $1.25-million, two-year contract to rejoin the team.

Perez probably will share time with Johnny Estrada, who is expected to move up as the starting catcher after the team did not make an offer to retain free agent Javy Lopez.

Perez played for the Milwaukee Brewers last season.

*

Reliever John Franco re-signed with the New York Mets to play his 15th season with the club.

Franco, who ranks second in major league history with 424 career saves, was 0-3 in 38 games with a 2.62 earned-run average last season. Elbow surgery sidelined him for all of 2002.

The 43-year-old left-hander agreed to a $1-million contract with bonuses for appearances and games finished.

*

The Kansas City Royals and catcher Kelly Stinnett, who played for Cincinnati and Philadelphia last season, agreed to a one-year contract for $500,000.... Relief pitcher Al Levine and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a one-year contract that guarantees him $925,000. The 35-year-old right-hander played with Kansas City and Tampa Bay last season.... A proposed trade of Cleveland Indian shortstop Omar Vizquel to the Mariners for Carlos Guillen has been called off after Vizquel failed a physical exam.... Philadelphia sent minor league pitcher Bobby Korecky to the Minnesota Twins to complete a trade that brought Eric Milton to the Phillies. The Twins also received minor league pitcher John Thomas from the San Francisco Giants to complete a trade that brought outfielder Dustan Mohr to the Giants.

*

The Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays will open next season in Tokyo on March 30 and 31 under an agreement finalized by the commissioner’s office and the players’ association.