Gary Sheffield becomes a Tiger; Detroit trades three pitchers for the slugger

The Detroit Tigers have signed Gary Sheffield to a two year contract after trading three young pitchers to the New York Yankees.

The Tigers hope the 19-year veteran can further bolster a lineup that came just a little bit short of winning their first World Series since 1984. Sheffield has compiled some impressive numbers playing for six teams, a .297 career batting average, 455 home runs and 1,501 RBI.

Detroit will be giving up some young pitching prospects, a position the Yankees are desperate to strengthen. Picking up Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett should help fill the aging rotation that the Yankees have relied upon.

In reality the Yankees aren’t really giving up much. Their acquisition of Bobby Abreu late last year made Sheffield expendable this off season. That, and the fact, that Sheffield has verbalized his dissatisfaction with Yankees GM Bob Cashman made the move that much easier.

Sheffield has said that while Abreu is a solid player, he doesn’t come close to matching his contributions. Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland said “I have a great relationship with Gary Sheffield and I have the utmost respect for him. I'm happy to add a bat of this magnitude and that he'll be a Tiger.”

Leyland managed Sheffield when the two were with the Florida Marlins.