[Lefty Noob]

Accoding to USA Today, the New York Yankees have picked up Gary Sheffield's $13 million option for next season. That said, Sheff sounds less than thrilled about the possibility of remaining a Yankee, telling the newspaper "This will not work, this will not work at all... I don't want to play first base a year for them. I will not do that... "I don't know what they're (Yankees) going to do... Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just (go) to a team for one year, there's going to be a problem."

Ouch, sounds like he REALLY wants out of New York. So what's the deal here? Why's he so unhappy?

[EmpireWF]

I think the whole thing with him coming back and them wanting him to play multiple positions just soured the guy. Everyone knows they picked his option up so they can get something back for him in a trade. Supposedly, a bunch of teams have shown some interest.

But wouldn't it be hilarious if they end up stuck with each other lol.

[ThePundit]

I'm pretty sure Gary Sheffield will not be a Yankee. They probably just picked up the option so they could get something back for him in a trade. I really have to wonder about that strategy. What do the Yankees think they can get back for a 39 year old, constantly injured and whining slugger?

There's more of a chance that we'll see Gotham Dark Knight patroling 1B for the Bronx Bombers than it is that we'll see Sheffield there. He's gone.

[MJHMarc]

He is still a decent player to keep on your bench.

An expensive bench-warmer, that is.

[soriano33]

Well, Gary's always been the guy that thinks everybody needs him. The Yankees don't need him. The line-up was as productive as ever without the likes of free swinging Shef. Personally, I like Gary and wish he could stay on the team. But in reality I know we cant afford to stay as old as we keep making ourselves. Gary has a problem because he knows that these are the facts. Its for the best interest of the Yankees to part ways.

[MJHMarc]

He hasn't been a major contributor to the Yankees organization with a notable 36 homeruns in Pinstripes a few years back. I totally agree with you, soriano33, that it would be best for both sides if they split. Hey, do you think that the Yankees will place Alfonso Soriano back on their roster next season?

[soriano33]

I would have a cry for joy if such a thing happened, but sadly I know Sori is not destined to come back to the Bronx....Maybe we shoulda just moved him to 3rd instead of trading for A-Rod......haha

[MJHMarc]

Overall, I think that A-Rod has been more impressive in the past few years than Alfonso Soriano has been with the Texas Rangers/Washington Nationals. A-Rod isn't a great fielder at any position but feels most comfortable at SS. With Jeter at short, the Yankees weren't going to make any accomodations for the superstar.

[firefrozen]

Sheffield is not somebody that likes to be in the shadow. He wants to be the person in the spotlight and on the yankees there is just no way he can be happy. They wont get stuck with him there are plenty of teams that want to get a good outfielder.

[soriano33]

There is one thing about Soriano though...he came through in the clutch in the postseason...he didnt have great overall numbers if I do recall...however a Walkoff homer 2001 ALCS vs Mariners, 10th inning single in 2001 World Series, and most importantly the 8th inning Game Seven of the 2001 World series HR off Curt Shilling that should have won the Yankees the series that year.

[legend]

Soriano's miserable 2003 World Series and ALCS is what got him his ticket out of the Bronx, 9 for 52 with 20 strikeouts against the Red Sox and the Marlins. He struck out 160 times this year, with just 67 walks. God forbid he come back to the Yankees at age 30, if that is his real age.

[MJHMarc]

How old do you really think Soriano is?

[soriano33]

I believe he is truly 30, he admitted to lying about his age when he said he was 26 but he was really 27. God forbid? Soriano is one of the games best players and personally I have had it with A-Rod. And by the way Soriano was 16 for 61 in the 2003 Postseason as a whole. A-Rod has 19 hits total from his entire Yankee tenure in the postseason. And Soriano's postseason was not the reason he made his way out of the Bronx, it was Cashman and George making a push to overthrow the BoSox by trying to get the games best player at that time

[legend]

Steinbrenner was furious that Soriano struck out so much that year, and couldn't wait to get rid of him. When the A-Rod deal came about, that was his chance to kill two birds with one stone. A-Rod absolutely needs to go, to the point where the Yankees can't even begin to think about getting similar value in return. If they want someone who doesn't hit in the clutch and is a distraction to his team, then maybe Manny is their man.

[MJHMarc]

How many outfielders can the Yankees have on their roster? They need to fill their infield before they work on their outfield!