Spaceman Spiff Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2106141 Sheffield won't play in 'something that's made up' ESPN.com news services Gary Sheffield wants nothing to do with the World Baseball Classic. Gary Sheffield Right Field New York Yankees Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 83 17 68 58 .399 .298 Several major league players spoke of the honor they would feel to represent their countries in baseball's first World Cup-style tournament when the groups for the event were unveiled Monday. Sheffield was not among them. The Yankees right fielder told reporters at the All-Star festivities in Detroit on Monday there was no chance he would participate in the event scheduled for March. "My season is when I get paid," Sheffield told the New York Daily News. "I'm not doing that. ... I'm not sacrificing my body or taking a chance on an injury for something that's made up." "A lot of guys feel that way. They won't say it like I will, though," he added. Unlike Sheffield, Miguel Tejada (Dominican Republic) and Dontrelle Willis (United States) were among several players to come out in support of the tournament at press conferences Monday. "I just hope I make the team," Willis said jokingly. Tejada said fans back home would look forward to the event, which baseball hopes will be played a second time in 2009. "They're going to be really excited to see all the players on one team," he said. The 16-nation, 18-day event opens March 3 in Tokyo or Taiwan, where Group A will include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China. The United States will be in Group B, which starts play March 8 along with the other groups and will be based in the United States. Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama and the Netherlands are in Group C, which will be in Latin America, and the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy are in Group D, which will be based in Florida. Major League Baseball has spent more than a decade discussing the tournament and hopes the event will gain in prestige, such as soccer's World Cup. Sheffield didn't hold playing in the World Baseball Classic in the same high esteem as playing in the Olympics. "This isn't the Olympics," he told the Daily News. "That's a big difference. This is something you made up." The International Olympic Committee voted last week to kick baseball out of the Olympics following the 2008 Beijing Games. Sheffield, who has been outspoken this season on other topics as well, including deferred money in his contract and the possibility of being traded, attributed some of his negative feelings about the Classic to the risk of being injured during the event -- which would take players away from their MLB teams during spring training. "A lot of guys say, 'Give it a shot, give it a try,'" Sheffield told the Daily News. "But I don't think so." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 Sheffield is made from the same mold that Bonds is made from - 1st class arrogant athlete. However, I would imagine even Bonds wouldn't stoop this low - since he has played in many of the friendly's in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rictus58 Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 He is a class act all the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinzfan4life Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 Please remove stick from ass then talk... i hate gary s. Those other players wont say it becasue they are proud to represent the nation they came from. And they would like a chance to prove they are the best country in the world. Sheff needs to realize he puts his pants on just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 What a douche....I guess he thinks the Soccer World Cup is just "made-up", or the Rugby World Cup is just "made-up". Sure, they have more history, but somebody created them at some point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte51Coleman Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 "My season is when I get paid," Sheffield told the New York Daily News. "I'm not doing that. ... I'm not sacrificing my body or taking a chance on an injury for something that's made up." Translation: Show me the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSteve Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 And I care why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophet Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 i don't see the big huff.. they play 160 something games... why does he have to travel and play more? If your job asked you to work 5 hrs overtime for nothing would you do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted July 12, 2005 Author Share Posted July 12, 2005 Originally posted by prophet i don't see the big huff.. they play 160 something games... why does he have to travel and play more? If your job asked you to work 5 hrs overtime for nothing would you do it? Cause it'd be an honor to represent his country on an international stage, thats why. I understand the 162 game argument, but he doesn't have to sound like a whiny spoiled ***** about it. He could say "no, we play 162 games, plus spring training, it's too much, plus i don't want to run the risk of getting injured and hurting our pennant chances." Or even "My first priority is to the Yankees, I don't want to be tired when the season starts. No, instead he has to act like a jackass about it. "My season starts when I get paid." Put him in an Eagles uniform and you'd think he was TO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Tooth Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 He is a jackass. Fits pefectly on the Yankees. If he does not want to do it, that is his choice, but to turn down an opportunity to represent your country on an international stage is beyond me. It is just like all the as*holes in the NBA did for the olympic games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_good_brotha Posted July 12, 2005 Share Posted July 12, 2005 Originally posted by prophet i don't see the big huff.. they play 160 something games... why does he have to travel and play more? If your job asked you to work 5 hrs overtime for nothing would you do it? If I got to visit another country, heck yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird_1972 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 baseball...:puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASMTrainer Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Gee, he won't play. I guess this means we have no chance in winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvoSkins Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I kinda agree with him. His words are harsh, but one of the deals I think MLB is working out is insurance for its players if they play. What happens if you have a million dollar all-star athlete who has a career ending injury in a tournament that is not the Olympics? Each player has to weigh the risks of competing in such an event. When representing your country, a player may push himself harder thus creating more of an opportunity to get hurt. Shef doesn't want to get hurt playing in a substitute Olympic tounrament. If he gets hurt playing during the regular season, he will still get paid. If he gets hurt in this tournament, MLB is working on the insurance issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsl2 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I don't understand what the big deal is either...he does not want to go...fine...find someone else to take his place and KIM (Keep It Moving)...at least we know where he stands on the issue...the man plays 162 games a year plus spring training...harping on a guy because he doesn't want to play baseball 24/7/365...maybe he has better things to do like, oh i don't know, spend time with his family, rest...lay off sheffield...just because he acts like an jacka** doesn't mean that he is wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waleo32 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by Spaceman Spiff Cause it'd be an honor to represent his country on an international stage, thats why. I understand the 162 game argument, but he doesn't have to sound like a whiny spoiled ***** about it. He could say "no, we play 162 games, plus spring training, it's too much, plus i don't want to run the risk of getting injured and hurting our pennant chances." Or even "My first priority is to the Yankees, I don't want to be tired when the season starts. No, instead he has to act like a jackass about it. "My season starts when I get paid." Put him in an Eagles uniform and you'd think he was TO Sorry to hurt your feelings but Sheffield is right!! This ain't the olympics. I hate the Yankees but say Sheff gets hurt, then the Yankees investment is all messed up. He's up in age as well. There is no need for him to play in that baseball classic. And like my man said earilier there's 162 games in a schedule. In Sheff's case there's more counting that the Yanks usually play in October. Stop hating on Shef. All that talk about Shef is arrogant that is a bunch of BS. Shef tells it like it is. People don't like the truth. They rather hear people like Jason Giambi begging for the fans to forgive him. Please get of Sheff's back!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsl2 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I don't understand what the big deal is either...he does not want to go...fine...find someone else to take his place and KIM (Keep It Moving)...at least we know where he stands on the issue...the man plays 162 games a year plus spring training...harping on a guy because he doesn't want to play baseball 24/7/365...maybe he has better things to do like, oh i don't know, spend time with his family, rest...lay off sheffield...just because he acts like an jacka** doesn't mean that he is wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 I can't stand Gary Sheffield, however, I'll side with him, a little, in this case. He didn't have to sound like an ass. He could have not said anything. But he is an ass so why are we suprised? Anyway, My brother playe pro basebaseball for 7 years and it is grueling. The seasons are long, the injuries are nagging and constant. Most pro baseball players don't view the game as a privelidge like we do, they view it as a job, which it is. That's one of the things my brother had the most trouble adjusting to, it's no longer a game, it's a business. In our jobs, few of us risk injury and the general physical wear-down that pro athletes endure. I can say with certainty, my brother wouldn't participate in something like that unless 1. He was compensated and 2. his contract was insured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 So much for "Love of the Game." I guess he doesn't realize that he is playing a game for a living. Millions of kids across America and the rest of the world are playing the same game and can only dream of being where he is right now. There are plenty of athletes that will gladly take the spot that he won't. To Sheffield I say, "Go suck on your thumb you big baby, let the true Baseball players play the game." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waleo32 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsBry So much for "Love of the Game." I guess he doesn't realize that he is playing a game for a living. Millions of kids across America and the rest of the world are playing the same game and can only dream of being where he is right now. There are plenty of athletes that will gladly take the spot that he won't. To Sheffield I say, "Go suck on your thumb you big baby, let the true Baseball players play the game." It's easy to say when your not playing in the majors. Especially at a level Sheff plays at. The man plays hard, and hurt. He's in his late 30's. If you played for over 10 years, with nagging injuries, what do you think you would do? Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsBry So much for "Love of the Game." I guess he doesn't realize that he is playing a game for a living. It's not a game, it's a business. Sure, all of us would play the game for half the money they make, or even for free, but who would pay to watch us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by codeorama It's not a game, it's a business. Sure, all of us would play the game for half the money they make, or even for free, but who would pay to watch us? Ok, fine. It's a job. Guess what, I work overtime without being compensated and I have no problem with that because I have my dream job and I love it. Maybe he doesn't have his dream job, he's just there to make ends meet. Perhaps Sheffield is aspiring to someday say, "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?" It's just a few extra games in which he'd be representing the country. I don't want him there anyway, but he could have had a less $hitty way of saying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsl2 Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsBry Ok, fine. It's a job. Guess what, I work overtime without being compensated and I have no problem with that because I have my dream job and I love it. Maybe he doesn't have his dream job, he's just there to make ends meet. Perhaps Sheffield is aspiring to someday say, "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?" It's just a few extra games in which he'd be representing the country. I don't want him there anyway, but he could have had a less $hitty way of saying it. Well you are better than me and a lot of people for working OT and not getting compensated...I know I wouldn't do it...Once again I am trying to figure out what the big deal is...he does not want to go...leave it at that and find someone else to go in his place...he is not the only one who feels the way he does, he just happened to say it...I would rather him be an A-hole and tell the truth than be a nice guy and lie to my face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsBry Ok, fine. It's a job. Guess what, I work overtime without being compensated and I have no problem with that because I have my dream job and I love it. Maybe he doesn't have his dream job, he's just there to make ends meet. Perhaps Sheffield is aspiring to someday say, "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?" It's just a few extra games in which he'd be representing the country. I don't want him there anyway, but he could have had a less $hitty way of saying it. I agree that he didn't have to be an ass in saying it the way he did, but he obviously doesn't care about the way the public perceives him. However, there's no way I'm working OT without getting compensated. I love my job, but it's a job. When Sheffield or the other players are representing their country, someone is making a profit because they are participating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 Originally posted by ccsl2 Well you are better than me and a lot of people... I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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