One home run shy of the milestone, Sheffield reached a contract agreement with New York on Friday, three days after he was released by the Detroit Tigers in a surprising move.
Just hours before opening their beaming new ballpark Friday night with an exhibition game against Boston, the Mets made another splash by acquiring the outspoken Sheffield. He is expected to be in New York on Saturday and the deal is contingent on him passing a physical, general manager Omar Minaya said.
"Gary gives us another element in the lineup and he gives us a different intensity, just because of the competitive guy that he is," Minaya said at Citi Field.
The 40-year-old slugger provides the Mets with a right-handed power bat, something they need to help balance the batting order. But his role on the team will be tricky: New York was already set at the corner outfield spots with Ryan Church in right and Daniel Murphy in left
- both left-handed hitters.
Mets manager Jerry Manuel said the team would give Sheffield time to get in shape to play the outfield, which he hasn't done regularly since getting hurt in 2006. Once he shows he's ready, Sheffield will probably see action in right, Manuel said.
"What this does for us, it really creates some depth in the team," Manuel said. "I believe that in the course of 162 regular-season games, depth is the one thing that is normally overlooked."
Manuel spoke to Sheffield and explained exactly what sort of role he envisions for the nine-time All-Star.
"If he can be close to something that he's been, that could be a tremendous, tremendous help," Manuel said. "He lengthens us out a bit with presence."
Church seemed comfortable with the move, too.
"He's more than welcome. He's a great player. He's just another piece for us," Church said. "I can't control what they do."
Sheffield is one big swing from becoming the 25th player to reach 500 home runs. The Tigers will have to pay $13.6 million of his $14 million contract this year while the Mets get him for the major league minimum of $400,000.
"That'll be a big stage for his 500th," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said in Atlanta, where his team played an exhibition game against the Braves.
Minaya said Sheffield has always wanted to play for the Mets ever since his uncle, Dwight Gooden, was a star pitcher for them in the 1980s and 90s. Sheffield played across town with the Yankees from 2004-06, putting up two big seasons followed by an injury-shortened one before he was traded to the Tigers.
Sheffield was Detroit's designated hitter before he was released. Shoulder injuries and other problems limited him to 114 games and a .225 average with 19 homers and 57 RBIs last season. He hit .178 with five homers in 45 spring training at-bats this year.
