In the middle of the day, Gary Sheffield met with Cashman in a first-floor conference room. And while Cashman chose to say very little about the exchange, the GM had put a smile on Sheffield's face while not saying he was picking up the option or giving Sheffield a timeframe. "Gary and I sat down and had a good conversation," Cashman said. "I don't want to speak for him, but I'm glad to hear what's important for him. It was important we talked. I am glad we did. I hope it will continue." After leaving the meeting with Cashman, Sheffield was in a better frame of mind. "It's about doing it the right way; we are not going to let the media come between us," Sheffield said. Sheffield is proud of the relationship he has built with Cashman after the initial encounter wasn't good. "I was upset at the offer he made me when I was a free agent," said Sheffield, who has stated the first offer was two years for $8 million. He eventually got a three-year, $39 million deal from Steinbrenner. "We had to build on it. He knew we had to talk and we did. We are on the same page, 100 percent."