Doc Gooden would love nothing more than a family reunion in The Bronx.
Gooden, the former Yankees pitcher who now serves as an adviser in their Tampa office, said last night he’s hoping to see Gary Sheffield – his highly sought, free-agent nephew – don pinstripes.
“I would like to see it happen,” Gooden said. “Do I expect it to happen? I would like to see it happen.
“If Gary wants it to happen and George [Steinbrenner] wants it to happen, I don’t see any reason why it won’t happen.”
Gooden said he is “somewhat involved” on both sides of the negotiations, joking about his participation by saying, “Tell [them] once the deal’s done, I’ll take 5 percent.”
Seriously, Gooden knows Sheffield is intrigued by the mystique and aura that come with playing in Yankee Stadium. For all of Sheffield’s wonderful career accomplishments (a .299 career average, 379 homers and 1,232 RBIs), he never has been a part of Yankees tradition. Now he has a chance to change that.
“I’ve heard from Gary that he’s definitely interested in coming to New York,” Gooden said.
The Yankees are one of a handful of teams in the mix for Sheffield, along with the Braves (for whom Sheffield played the previous two years) and the darkhorse Giants (Sheffield is friendly with Barry Bonds). Braves manager Bobby Cox called Sheffield this week, urging him to stay, and the Braves are believed to have offered Sheffield a three-year, $30 million package.
According to an industry source, though, it’s only a matter of time until the Yankees reel in Sheffield.
“He’s signing with the Yankees,” the source said. “That’s the bottom line.”
The source estimated that Sheffield would net a three-year, $40 million deal from the Yankees, and called the Sheffield pursuit Steinbrenner’s “pet project.”
Sheffield turned 35 on Tuesday, but he can still hit. In 2003, he batted .330 with 39 homers and 132 RBIs. He posted a .419 on-base percentage, his ninth straight season over .400.
According to Gooden, Sheffield’s numbers are unlikely to curtail under the bright lights of the Bronx stage. On the contrary, the uncle said he believes his nephew has matured to the point where he would thrive in New York.
“Some guys really can’t handle New York,” Gooden said. “I think he would feed off that. Early in his career, it could have gone either way.”
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“Nothing new” on the Andy Pettitte front yesterday, Randy Hendricks, Pettitte’s agent, said in an e-mail.
Reached last night, Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker didn’t reveal much about his meeting with Pettitte on Tuesday. “We had an initial meeting,” Hunsicker said. “It was an exploratory meeting.”
Neither Brian Cashman nor Boston GM Theo Epstein returned messages seeking comment on Pettitte yesterday, and George Steinbrenner declined comment on the Red Sox’s interest in the free-agent lefty though his spokesman, Howard Rubenstein.
