A Sheffield-Mitchell meeting seems unlikely

Former Senator sends another invite, but Sheffield's agent is pessimistic

Jim Baumbach

11:47 AM EDT, July 17, 2007

Say what you want about George Mitchell's steroid investigation and his obvious conflicts of interest, but the former Senator and his underlings certainly deserve credit for acting swiftly when they sense a big opportunity. And getting Gary Sheffield to talk to them would be huge.

Four days have passed since the details of Sheffield's interview with HBO when he said he'd "more than likely" be willing to meet with Mitchell became public consumption (Newsday.com first reported it Friday). And in that time Mitchell quickly reached out to Sheffield's agent, Rufus Williams, to reiterate that if Sheffield wants to talk, they're all ears.

But, alas, don't bet on this Sheffield-Mitchell meeting actually happening.

"I'm not sure Gary will speak with them," Williams told Newsday in a telephone interview this morning. "There's so many other things that is related to all of this, with BALCO and steroids and the Mitchell investigation. I'm not sure how that is going to work out."

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According to the transcript of Sheffield's interview with HBO's Real Sports, which airs tonight, Sheffield initially said he had not received a letter requesting he speaks to Mitchell about steroids.

But the interviewer, Andrea Kremer, turns to Williams to verify that information. And Williams, who sat off-camera through the three-hour interview, revealed that Sheffield did in fact receive that letter. Sheffield, in turn, said he would "more than likely" agree to speak with Mitchell, and that he would answer him the same way he did to Kremer.

Now, however, that meeting seems unlikely, unless Bud Selig tries to force Sheffield to talk to Mitchell with the same empty threat of suspension that he dangled over Jason Giambi's head.

"Did it surprise me Gary said he'll speak with them?" Williams asked. "I think, because he is not ducking, running or hiding from anything, him stating that, does that surprise me? No.

"[But] I have to look back. I haven't read the transcripts. I have to look back and see what was said. Gary was not looking to speak to Mitchell. I think his advisers may see things in very different ways, in what works best for him, how this all plays out. It may not be in the same vein as he suggested it then."

In other words, why would Sheffield subject himself to meeting with Mitchell, with absolutely no benefit to himself. Giambi became the first active player to meet with Mitchell. But the Yankee designated hitter did so only to end the mess that he had created by admitting to USA Today to using "that stuff" and then saying Major League Baseball needs to admit their blame in this mess.

But of course Giambi didn't have to speak to Mitchell. It's widely believed that the Players Association could have easily won a legal battle had Selig tried to suspend Giambi for not talking with Mitchell.

Giambi, who has this deep-down desire to please everyone, even specifically mentioned in the statement he gave when he agreed to meet with Mitchell he wanted no part of a legal battle. He said, "I did not want to put my family through a lengthy legal challenge in support of my position To be embroiled in a legal battle could undermine all of this and I would never put my family, my teammates, or the Yankees in that position."

Sheffield, of course, is a different person than Giambi. If Selig ever tried to force him to speak with Mitchell, Sheffield not only will fight it, he will do so kicking and screaming, criticizing anyone and everyone. For that very reason, it seems unlikely this story will advance to that stage. Still, it will be interesting to see how Mitchell and Major League Baseball reacts when Sheffield officially declines their invite.

Williams wouldn't take it that far, at least not yet.

"I'll just say they've contacted us," he said.

Again.