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March 10, 2007
Sheffield Wanted To Play For Boston This Year
Via the Boston Herald Red Sox blog -
Former Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield spoke at length today on how badly he wanted to play for the Red Sox when it looked like the Yankees were going to let him become a free agent. Instead they signed him and traded him to the Tigers.
Here are some highlights, with more coming in tomorrow’s Herald:
* “Boston was my first choice. But things happen for a reason. Sometimes you don’t get to go where you wanted to go. It was something I really wanted. I thought it was the perfect situation for me and the perfect park for me. I know how New York is. New York fans love me, but I was going to a park where I felt I could succeed. I didn’t want to let anyone know my thoughts, but I’m sure they could sense it.”
* Sheffield never felt hated by Red Sox fans.
“I never got that sense,” he said. “Even when I was out in public, Boston fans would say, ‘Why are you hanging out with Jeter?’ And Jeter would say, ‘Man, when we go out in Boston, no one messes with Gary. Everybody’s always talking good about Gary.’ I used to wonder why, too. Maybe it’s the style of play or something else, but I always sensed the respect factor, even when I came to the plate.”
You're right Gary. The fans up in Fenway just love you:
For those Yankees fans who have not seen Sheff in a while, here's a recent photo of him, living the high-life on De-Nile....
Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 10, 2007 10:29 PM
Comments
King Tut! lol
A handful of drunk fans in RF is hardly a representative of Boston & their fans as a whole. FWIW, I thought Sheffield was going to sign with the Sox as well.
Posted by: Raf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 11, 2007 11:30 AM
Even though he was traded to the team that bounced the Yanks in the playoffs, Cashman still has to be commended for trading him out of the division, let alone keeping him from Boston.
Posted by: JeremyM at March 11, 2007 10:20 PM
As soon as Sheff saw the writing on the wall with Abreu and Melky, he had every intention on signing with Boston and sticking it to the Yanks 19 times a year.
Smart move, Cash.
Posted by: Pete at March 12, 2007 01:24 PM