Sheffield at Ease With the Boss in His Corner

When Gary Sheffield signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent in winter 2003, it was at the behest of owner George Steinbrenner.

Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman wanted to go after another high-profile free agent, Vladimir Guerrero.

That Sheffield finished second to the Angel right fielder in American League most-valuable-player voting last season did not sting Sheffield. Rather, having Steinbrenner in his corner from the get-go only emboldened the oft-outspoken right fielder.

“I look at it like this, it’s a double-edged sword,” Sheffield said before the Yankees’ 8-6 loss to the Angels on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. “I made concessions to come here so all I’ve got to do is be me. If I wouldn’t have made concessions, then I would feel that pressure.”

The concessions Sheffield spoke of? He reportedly agreed to $13.5 million in deferred money and a $13-million team option in signing a three-year, $39-million contract with the Yankees, a practice not that common in New York’s $208-million payroll clubhouse.

Still, having Steinbrenner as your benefactor has to relieve some of the stress, right?

“Oh yeah, of course,” Sheffield said. “That’s something every player would want, to be courted by the Boss. Because you know that’s all you have to answer to.”

Well, that and the fickle Gotham market, especially with controversy continuing to swirl around him. He is playing while appealing a two-game suspension for making contact with umpire C.B. Bucknor and was the subject of trade rumors to the Mets for Mike Cameron at the beginning of July, and his production has been flagging of late.

Sheffield, 36, entered Saturday night’s game with one hit in his previous 18 at-bats and he struck out in his first appearance against rookie Ervin Santana.

He is batting .299 with 20 home runs and 76 runs batted in.

Climbing from nine games behind on May 7 to take the lead in the AL East for a day on Monday taxed New York in general and Sheffield, who carried the Yankees early, in particular.

“Just playing the way I play and how aggressive I am and the energy it takes to play with intensity, you get burned out sometimes,” said Sheffield, who hit .330 in April and .313 in May but .253 in June.

“And when we got to first place, it was like, ‘OK.’ But you haven’t accomplished anything, really. You’re in the place you’re supposed to be but you should be a lot farther [ahead].”

The Yankees’ $252-million man, third baseman Alex Rodriguez, came to New York in the same off-season as Sheffield and they formed a kinship.

“He’s probably the most intimidating offensive player I’ve ever played with and probably against,” Rodriguez said. “He’s a great teammate, plays hard, an underrated defender and an underrated baserunner.”

Asked if Sheffield had a bad rap as a malcontent, Rodriguez said it was only with the media.

“He’s one of the most respected players in the game, players-wise,” Rodriguez said. “And that’s all that really matters.”

His on-field talents have never been questioned, not in Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, Atlanta, New York or even with the Dodgers. But his days at Chavez Ravine were marked by controversy that included him blasting then-chairman Bob Daly and then-general manager Kevin Malone.

“I’m like every other athlete, you want to please people and you want people to say, ‘You did what we asked you to do,’ ” Sheffield said. “But when you understand the business side of it and the negative side of it, then you start thinking about how you feel.”