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Sheffield leaves New York in first major deal of off-season

After the New York Yankees exercised an option on Gary Sheffield`s contract last weekend to prevent him from becoming a free agent, the team traded Sheffield to the Detroit Tigers. Sheffield`s contract is worth $28 million and will keep him in Detroit through 2009. Perhaps above all, he has his new boss`s promise that he would not play first base. In return, the Yankees received three pitching prospects, right-handers Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett.

Sheffield, who will turn 38 in a few days, is close with his new bosses ? manager Jim Leyland and team president Dave Dombrowski. In 1997, Sheffield won a World Series title for the Florida Marlins, managed by Leyland under Dombrowski. "This is one of the ultimate bats in baseball and one of the ultimate people in baseball," Leyland said.

Sheffield has 455 career home runs in 19 seasons. He missed most of 2006 with a wrist injury and when he returned to the lineup, after the Yankees signed Bobby Abreau, he was shifted to first base, a move he detested. Sheffield is expected to bat as a designated hitter for Leyland. He will also be a backup to Magglio Ordonez in right and possibly to Craig Monroe in left. Leyland said Sheffield would hit third, fourth or fifth.