Boras to Sheffield: "No, YOU Show ME The Money!"

The relationship between an agent and the player he represents is a sacred one. In fact, on the list of the most sacred relationships, it falls just behind that of "Husband/Third Trophy Wife", and slightly ahead of "Notorious Child Pornographer/Young Criminal Defence Lawyer Desperate to Make a Name for Himself." Which is why it is such a shame when that relationship goes sour. And when the two individuals involved are as balanced and selfless as Scott Boras and Gary Sheffield, it's twice as shameful. But that is exactly what happened when the pair went to arbitration over a dispute involving (double-checks notes)...ah, yes..."money". You see, back when Sheffield was traded from the Dodgers to the Braves (teams 4 and 5 of 7, respectively), Boras managed to negotiate the elimination of an $11 million option for 2004 from Sheffield's contract (pesky, those $11 million options). Which is why Boras took it so darn personally when Sheffield fired him and negotiated his own $39 million deal with the Yanks for 2004 to 2006. But did Boras take the law into his own hands? No - he took him to court. Or, arbitration, to be precise. And Borats's faith in the quasi-judicial system was rewarded yesterday, as an arbitrator granted him $550,000 (or 5% of $11 million) for his troubles. Boras was seeking his cut of the whole Yankees deal, but he'll just have to make do. Neither side has commented yet, but if Sheffield lives up to his word, this story isn't over. You'll recall Sheff's promise back at Tigers' spring training to say a lot of "ugly things" about Boras once the legal stuff worked itself out. Does Boras eat without washing his hands? Is he a bad tipper? Does he secretly hate Joe the Plumber? Stay tuned! Agent Scott Boras wins against Gary Sheffield in arbitration [The Canadian Press]