http://0rz.tw/G0P9x
Gary Sheffield is not retired and prefers to play with the Rays
According to Brady Gardiner of MLB Network Radio, Gary Sheffield said, “I'm
not retired”. Sheffield said he's willing to be a designated hitter.
Sheffield sat down with Steve Kornaki of Mlive.com today at the Winter Meetings
and shared his thoughts and feelings about wanting to return to the game he
loves.
“I’ve taken a year off from playing, but can see the difference I would make
on some teams. It opened my eyes, and I look at things differently. I want to
play close to home.”
Sheffield lives in Tampa and would have a short drive to Tropicana Field if he
played for the Rays, which is what his preference is.
Sheffield did say he received at least one job offer last season but turned it
down. “I got a call last year to be an every day right fielder for a club,”
Sheffield said. “But it was a team that I didn’t know if it would win or
not.”
Due to his injury past, Sheffield would be better suited for the American
League where he would be able to DH.
http://0rz.tw/FDwTm
Gary Sheffield Not Officially Retired, but Focused on Financial Management
Gary Sheffield didn't play baseball last year, but that didn't mean he was
without a job.
Sheffield, a nine-time All-Star and the owner of 509 career homers, said
Tuesday in the lobby of the hotel hosting baseball's Winter Meetings that
he's been spending time putting together a financial management startup, a
company that he hopes will help young ballplayers keep more of their money.
"For the last seven years of my career, I negotiated my own contracts,"
Sheffield said. "It was stuff I learned along the way, stuff that young
players who are earning a lot of money haven't learned.
"If we can fill that gap, I think we can really provide a service."
To be clear, the veteran outfielder Sheffield isn't following the path of
former big leaguers Dave Stewart, Joe Sambito and others in trying to make
their way as a player agent, although he said he has qualified as one.
Sheffield said he was able to survive quite nicely without much help from
agents later in his career and he says if he can communicate the lessons he
learned to a new generation of player, those players will be able to do better
with their money. One of his clients is pitcher Jason Grilli.
"Too many times I've seen guys come up, then three or four years after their
career is over, the money is gone," Sheffield said. "That's not the way it
should be. The kids have to learn how to take responsibility for their money
so it's there later on."
Sheffield said there is a difference between being good at negotiating for the
best possible contract money and managing that money once it starts flowing
into the player's pocket.
And he's not saying he wouldn't try to negotiate one more deal for himself with
the right big league club