Sheffield’s Bad Back May Keep Him On Marlins’ Bench

Gary Sheffield is unhappy with the medical treatment he’s receiving from the Florida Marlins for a back ailment, and he doubts he’ll be ready to play opening day.

And, by the way, he’d love to join the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

In a wide-ranging interview Saturday, the unpredictable slugger contradicted statements he made two days earlier, when he ruled out a trade and said he expected his back to be 100 percent in two to three weeks.

The Marlins offered the same prognosis, with trainer Larry Starr saying the condition was easy to treat.

But Sheffield said Saturday that he hasn’t received the attention he needs from the training staff, and he doesn’t think he’ll be 100 percent for the first game March 31.

Sheffield said his back ailment - diagnosed a month ago as a narrowing of the vertebra - bothered him throughout a subpar 1997 season, when he hit .250 with 21 homers and 71 RBIs for the World Series champions.

“When somebody makes a statement that this can be easily treated, I have a problem with that,” he said. “If it can be easily treated, it would have been treated last year, and it wasn’t.”

Sheffield’s comments may only further strain his relationship with the Marlins, who tried unsuccessfully to trade the right fielder during the off-season but were stymied because of his $61 million, six-year contract.

Sheffield said Thursday that he would exercise his right to veto any deal. But on Saturday, with Tampa Bay in town for an exhibition game that was rained out, Sheffield said he would be willing to play for the expansion team.

Hershiser relents on No. 55

San Francisco Giants pitcher Orel Hershiser won’t be wearing his customary No. 55 after all.

Instead, the former Dodger will wear No. 53, once worn by Dodgers great Don Drysdale - whose record streak of 58 scoreless innings was broken by Hershiser in 1988.

Hershiser, scheduled to make his Giants debut Sunday against the Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., had worn No. 55 in 15 previous seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians. He had asked Shawn Estes, a 19-game winner last season who wears No. 55, for his number. Estes agreed.

But Hershiser changed his mind. He said he didn’t want people to think he was bullying a teammate.

Bosio injured again

Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Chris Bosio couldn’t wait to pitch in a game after missing all last season with knee problems. It may be a while before he pitches again.

Bosio, a non-roster player with the Boston Red Sox, left Saturday’s 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning with a shoulder injury. Its severity wasn’t known.

Bosio pitched seven years with Milwaukee and three with Seattle before undergoing his seventh knee operation after the 1995 season. He played again in 1996, then pitched in three minor-league games in the Boston organization last year.