Sheffield Displays the Right Attitude About Playing Left

Who’s in left?

It was established as soon as Davey Johnson arrived as Dodger manager that Raul Mondesi would return to right field and Gary Sheffield would move to left, but no one told the new center fielder, Devon White, until Monday.

After the first voluntary workout of the winter at Dodger Stadium, the team’s director of communications, Tommy Hawkins, communicated to White that the man to his right in the outfield next season will be Sheffield.

“Does Sheffield know that?” White asked, anticipating an explosion.

Sheffield, of course, knew it because Johnson had told him.

No explosion.

“I wouldn’t say I’m seriously comfortable, but I would say I’m content,” Sheffield said Monday. “I just want to win. It’s not about me. It’s about making the Dodgers the best team they can be.”

Sounds as if he lost his attitude with his facial hair.

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No matter how many question marks the Dodgers have going into spring training, one thing certain is that Todd Hundley won’t be in left. . . .

Summing up the Mets’ brief experiment with him out there last season, he said, “I kinda stunk.” . . .

Hundley reported no pain in his elbow after the workout, which isn’t surprising, considering that all he did was hit and play catch. . . .

Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone said he believes Hundley can return to his pre-surgery form of 1996, when he hit 41 home runs with 112 runs batted in. . . .

“But if he hits 20 home runs and drives in 80, I’d take that right now,” Malone said. . . .

As for Hundley’s throwing arm, Malone admitted he’s eager to see him behind the plate for real in spring training. . . .

How eager? He was talking up backup catcher Angel Pena, who hit .335 with 22 home runs and 105 RBIs last season in San Antonio. . . .

“I think he’s going to be a star in this league,” Malone said. . . .

If Pena, who turns 24 next month, needs catching tips, he can get them from Steve Yeager. . . .

Yeager, back in uniform Monday for the first time since appearing as a coach in the “Major League” movies, has returned to the Dodgers as a minor league instructor. . . .

Several hundred fans attended the Dodgers’ first workout, a larger crowd than the Montreal Expos drew for some games. . . .

Most were there for a look at the $105-million right arm of Kevin Brown, who won’t be in a Dodger uniform again until spring training. The voluntary workout Monday coincided with a trip to Los Angeles with his wife to house-hunt. . . .

Brown said he is suffering from “sticker shock.” . . .

What’s he trying to buy, the Getty Museum? . . .

Brown has already found a way to spend $1 million of his money. . . .

John Young, founder of RBI (Reviving Baseball in Innercities) said the pitcher is donating that amount over the next six years to establish the Kevin Brown RBI Academy of Excellence in Los Angeles. . . .

During one of Young’s seasons as a first baseman with the Arkansas Travelers in the Texas League, the second baseman was Scott Boras, who became more famous, and wealthier, as Brown’s agent. . . .

“Scott played briefly and ineffectively for us,” Young said.

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Paul Hackett might act as if he has no interest in the Kansas City Chiefs’ head-coaching job, but he also said he had no interest in the USC head-coaching job the day before he took it. . . .

After misleading reporters last season on the timing of Carson Palmer’s first start, Hackett confessed, “Sometimes, I lie.” . . .

It will surprise no one if Hackett eventually becomes an NFL head coach. He once was considered by Dallas Cowboy management as heir apparent to Tom Landry. . . .

The saddest story I read over the weekend was Ray Meyer’s refusal to attend the ceremony honoring DePaul’s 1978-79 Final Four team. . . .

He’s still angry because the university fired his son and successor, Joey Meyer, before last season. . . .

UCLA fans probably don’t recall that DePaul team as fondly as I do because the Blue Demons beat the Bruins in the West Regional final that season. . . .

DePaul’s best defensive player, Curtis Watkins, was hurt in that game. If he had been 100% a week later in the semifinals, the Blue Demons would have beaten Indiana State. . . .

And then that famous NCAA championship game between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird never would have happened. . . .

I’m not John Thompson’s biggest fan because of his treatment of the media, but one thing I admire about him is that most of his players left Georgetown better prepared to take their places in the world than when they arrived. . . .

He had to be proud to see three former Hoyas, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning, emerge as union activists during the NBA lockout. You didn’t have to agree with their position to respect the fact that they had one. . . .

One clue to Michael Jordan’s friends that he’s not returning to the NBA is that he’s smoking 12 to 15 cigars a day while golfing and playing blackjack in the Bahamas. . . .

I used to be against the Lakers pursuing Dennis Rodman. But I’ve changed my mind, now that he’s settled down as a married man.

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While wondering if Bob Toledo already feels underpaid, I was thinking: UCLA’s players look better in black when they’re winning, NFL teams shouldn’t pass on Cade McNown in the draft without taking a look at Jake Plummer, the Dodgers shouldn’t trade Mark Grudzielanek now that I’ve learned how to spell his name.

Randy Harvey can be reached at [email protected].