After the Mets closed their exhibition season with a 9-3 loss to the Red Sox at a blustery Citi Field, Gary Sheffield met with reporters to discuss his decision to sign with the Mets. He said that the Phillies, Reds and Rays all made pitches to sign him after he was released by the Tigers, but credited a text message from David Wright and memories of his uncle for bringing him to New York.
His uncle is Dwight Gooden, for those who don't know, and that's why Sheffield called signing with the Mets a dream come true. The Mets don't need him to duplicate his uncle's work, however, and the biggest off-field question about the signing is how well Sheff will adapt to playing a bench role. He seemed to understand what was being asked of him.
"I'm not the marquee guy who can come in here and demand anything," Sheffield said.
On the field, the two questions facing Sheff are how much he's got left in his bat after a subpar 2008 season and how well he'll be able to handle a return to playing the field. Right field in Citi Field looks like it will be something of an adventure, with a deep cutout and oddly angled walls that will take some figuring out. Sheffield admitted a bit of trepidation about the prospect, saying he needs to lose 15 pounds so he can chase balls out there again.
Perhaps the best indication that he gave about being satisfied with a part-time role, however, was his claim that he was ready to retire after the Tigers cut him loose. If that's true, his decision to come back and help the Mets in whatever way he can rings more true and could be destined for greater success than it appeared to be 24 hours ago.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
