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Tigers Release Sheffield


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http://www.detnews.com/article/20090331/SPORTS0104/903310403/Tigers+release+Gary+Sheffield

Tigers release Gary Sheffield

Tom Gage / The Detroit News

Lakeland, Fla. -- In a stunning move, because they will eat the $14 million they owe him for 2009, the Tigers have released designated hitter Gary Sheffield.

Sheffield, who said he was enjoying this spring camp and looking forward to the season because he was not experiencing pain in his troublesome shoulders, could not have seen his release coming.

But he was called into manager Jim Leyland's office before 9 a.m. Tuesday and was given the news.

"We think it makes us a better club," Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said about releasing Sheffield. "However, we're talking about a probable Hall of Famer. He's had a tremendous career.

"But it was a situation when we were looking at our roster that it would be hard to keep (both) Marcus Thames and Sheffield. We believe Marcus can be a very productive hitter for us.

"We also think it gives us more versatility on how to use the DH. It gives us the opportunity to rest a Magglio Ordonez, rest a Carlos Guillen, rest a Miguel Cabrera.

"We looked at Sheffield as primarily a DH, and we don't look at Marcus the same way. That's the reason."

Sheffield, 40, played in 114 games last season, hitting .225 with 19 home runs and 57 RBI. He missed portions of the season with a sore right shoulder and strained left oblique.

Sheffield has played for seven teams in a major league career that began in 1988 with Milwaukee. He also has played for San Diego, Florida, the Dodgers, Atlanta, the Yankees and Tigers.

He is one homer shy of 500 for his career. He was played in 2,476 games, amassing 1,633 RBI with a career average of .292.

As for paying Sheffield his $14 million salary, Dombrowski said, "We were going to pay him one way or another."

Also on Tuesday, the Tigers optioned Clete Thomas to Toledo and sent infielder Wil Rhymes and outfielder Timo Perez to minor-league camp for assignment, and placed pitcher Jeremy Bonderman on the 15-day disabled list.

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Recall he fired Steve Boras, and then negotiqated his current contract direclty with George Steinbrenner, praising him all the way for taking care of his relative, Doc Gooden's father, druing his final illness.Sheff couldn't have been more effusive in his praise of the Yanks and the Steinbrenners.

And then within 1 season he complained and wanted to renegotiate.

There's many things you can call Joe Torre, but racist isn't one of them.In fact, it's beyond laughable. Bob Gibson remains one of his best friends and was his pitching caoch with the Mets. He played Charlie Hayes over Wade Boggs(stupidly) and Cecil Fielder over Tino Martinez in 1996.

It's not suprising that as his skills ahev left him, the Tigers would rather pay $14 million than put up with his stupidity. Sheff is still a jerk.

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Recall he fired Steve Boras, and then negotiqated his current contract direclty with George Steinbrenner, praising him all the way for taking care of his relative, Doc Gooden's father, druing his final illness.Sheff couldn't have been more effusive in his praise of the Yanks and the Steinbrenners.

And then within 1 season he complained and wanted to renegotiate.

There's many things you can call Joe Torre, but racist isn't one of them.In fact, it's beyond laughable. Bob Gibson remains one of his best friends and was his pitching caoch with the Mets. He played Charlie Hayes over Wade Boggs(stupidly) and Cecil Fielder over Tino Martinez in 1996.

It's not suprising that as his skills ahev left him, the Tigers would rather pay $14 million than put up with his stupidity. Sheff is still a jerk.

Good post Bugg. Yes Torre is definitely not a racist. In Ruben Sierra's words all he cares about is winning. Color is not a factor in that equation.

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