06/29/2004
Zeile heads for the homestretch
15-year Major Leaguer is enjoying his final season
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com •
NEW YORK -- Todd Zeile isn't given to bouts of reflection.
What happened yesterday stays in all of Zeile's yesterdays, and he has enough memories to fill nearly 2,100 Major League games in a career that began in 1989. And as he makes the turn into the final half-season of what has been a solid career, Zeile won't play the what-if game and wonder why he didn't finish a career that started with such promise in St. Louis a decade and a half ago.
"Yeah, I can wonder about what it would have been like, but I sort of moderate that," Zeile said. "I've never been the kind of person who dwells outside of reality very much. I've been much better suited in my travels to deal with what will go on rather than what may be or should have been."
Zeile's travels have landed him back in New York this season, a return to the club with which he made his only World Series appearance in 2000. He holds the modern-day record for teams played by a position player. He has spent time with 11 different teams, the longest stint being the nearly six years he played with the Cardinals at the outset of his career. The shortest? The 29 games he played with the Orioles at the end of the 1996 season.
There have also been stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Florida, Texas, Montreal and Colorado, as well as three stops in New York -- two with the Mets and one with the Yankees. Zeile, 38, won't get the chance to equal Mike Morgan's Major League mark of playing for 12 teams, though.
Just as he has since the day he re-signed with the Mets in January, Zeile insists that this is his last year, that his career will come to an end -- barring any postseason appearances -- on Oct. 3, when New York closes out the regular season against Montreal. Zeile has promised himself, along with his wife Julianne and the couple's four children, that this season will mark the end.
As it was, the New York front office had to do some cajoling just to get him to sign this year. So despite coming through as one of the Mets' best players through the first half of the season, Zeile said not even oodles of cash will be enough to sway his decision.
"I've joked with [club chief operating officer] Jeff [Wilpon] and [general manager] Jim [Duquette] about it," said Zeile, who is a direct descendant of former United States Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. "But I don't think there's a bucketload of money to give to a person at the position and status I am in my career.
"I have really resigned myself to this scenario and I'm comfortable with it. I'm looking forward to it. I want to finish out this season on as much as a high note as I can and go away feeling satisfied. I think I'm in a position to do that."
Zeile has formed his own film company, which will occupy much of his time once he settles into retirement. He says he wants to be more involved with that, mostly because he's a hands-on type of person. If he's still playing baseball, that involvement wouldn't be possible.
And then there's his family. Zeile's six-year-old daughter, Hannah, suffers from juvenile diabetes and taking care of her is of paramount importance to Zeile. There was a time when his family would get upset at Zeile being traded, but those days are long gone. Now, they move from city to city with him. Son Garrett, 10, is a fixture in the New York clubhouse.
"I've always contended that moving around is more difficult on my family," Zeile said. "It's easier on me, especially in the later parts of my career because when I went to a new team I always knew someone. It was always easier for me to fit in."
When asked why he has moved around so much, though, Zeile paused. It's not that he didn't have an answer. It's just that the reasoning behind his crisscrossing of the country can be as detailed as his travel itinerary.
"I don't think there's a one-sentence answer in a lot of ways," Zeile said. "If you look back and chronicle the moves, they were made for a multitude of reasons. There always seems to be, in my mind, some sense made of why the next change comes.
"I think there was a time that I, as well as a number of other people in the organization, thought that St. Louis could be a long-term place or a career home for me. But the ball started rolling and that contributed to each of the following steps."
Zeile is one of five players who has hit 250 home runs, yet has never been selected to an All-Star team. Rogers Hornsby is tops on that list with 301, but he played most of his career -- all but 56 games -- before the All-Star Game came into being. Tim Salmon has 290 homers, followed by Eric Karros (284), Kirk Gibson (255) and Zeile (250).
While Zeile has certainly had a productive career -- he's also closing in on 1,100 RBIs and 2,000 career hits -- he admits that his nomadic existence may have kept him out of an All-Star Game or two. Zeile hit 31 homers and drove in 90 runs in 1997 with the Dodgers and had a 98-RBI season with Texas in 1999. He also batted .277 and drove in 103 runs with St. Louis in 1993.
"It certainly makes a difference," said Zeile, who added that, while coaching probably wasn't in his future, he wouldn't rule anything out. "I don't think it would have changed anything dramatically in recent years but earlier in my career I think I was overlooked or out-voted.
"But I've always contended that, with the whole aspect of the All-Star Game, I've worked against myself. I've always been a slow starter, so my Aprils and Mays aren't as good as June, July and August. I'm not as productive pre-All-Star game. So I guess it's a combination of all those things."
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
__________________________________
JUNE 10, 2004
MSG network.com
SOAKING IT ALL IN
I don't think you could have envisioned more than 150 at-bats for Todd Zeile when he signed with the Mets in the offseason, because you were assuming that Kaz Matsui would play every day at shortstop and Jose Reyes every day at second base and Ty Wigginton would probably play every day at third base. So you figured Zeile would be in the odd game at third base or at first base.
However, the way things have evolved with the injuries, he's not only been a pleasant surprise, but I think he's relished the fact that this is in fact his last year.
He's taken a very introspective approach by talking about going into various stadiums and sort of soaking in the atmosphere, and inhaling every bit of the environment that he know he won't experience as a player after this year.
----------------------------------
JUNE 9, 2004
NY POST
June 9, 2004 -- METS third baseman Todd Zeile has been cranking out lots of clutch hits lately. Now the veteran ballplayer is trying to be a heavy hitter in Hollywood.
Zeile, 38, who's retiring after this season, is already hard at work on the sequel to his baseball career - filmmaking.
Zeile even goes in front of the cameras as a homeless man with a secret in the low-budget teen comedy "Dirty Deeds," the first film from his Green Diamond Entertainment production company.
"Now, if fans yell at him, 'You're a bum,' he can say, 'You must have seen my movie,'" says the film's director, David Kendall.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Zeile says he was "always fascinated" with showbiz. He counts "King of Queens" star Kevin James among his best pals and recently spent time on the New York set of his film "The Last First Kiss," starring Will Smith.
Kendall gives Zeile high marks for his acting, calling him "prepared for his part" and "sharp."
"He clearly is used to being coached," says Kendall. "He's a team player."
"Dirty Deeds" - also starring Lacy Chabert of "Mean Girls" - is set in the fictional California town of West Valley, where a high school senior tries to become the first student ever to complete 10 legendary pranks on homecoming night.
Ziele's fellow Mets Al Leiter, Mike Piazza, Cliff Floyd and Tom Glavine have each kicked in some cash for the $2.5 million film - as did Yankee Jason Giambi - but it hasn't stopped them from poking fun at Zeile.
"I took some guff 'cause I was having to grow the beard out." he says. "People think I have this sort of Hollywoodish style anyway, 'cause I'm from L.A., and the way I dress and my hair's a little funky.
"Guys would see me being interviewed and they'd go, 'Oh, gotta get an interview for the movie star.'"
Zeile is considering a Disney-style family baseball tale for his next flick, and he isn't concerned about being pigeon-holed as baseball player-actor.
"I hope I don't get typecast as a mullet-loving bum," he jokes.
Mets broadcaster and Hall of Fame slugger Ralph Kiner - who played a ballplayer in the original, 1951 film "Angels in the Outfield" - says Hollywood is a natural next step for a pro ballplayer.
"It's the same kind of business - entertainment," says Kiner. "It's fantasy."
On the last day of filming "Dirty Deeds," several crew members asked for autographs. "It was very flattering because I felt somewhat removed from that aspect of my life," says Zeile.
Director Kendall says Zeile works every bit as hard on the set as on the ballfield.
After one take of the scene where the town's jocks toss a bottle at Zeile's head, Zeile wanted to do it again: "Harder!"
Fearing injury to the hottest hitter on the Mets, Kendall says, "I told him, 'I want to see stories in Variety - not on the back page of The Post.'"
----------------------------
JUNE 9, 2004
LA TIMES.com
THE BIG PICTURE
Exit stadium, enter studio
New York Mets third baseman Todd Zeile is moonlighting as a Hollywood player. By Patrick Goldstein, Times Staff Writer
When New York Met third baseman Todd Zeile was in town recently, he did more than hit a big home run against the Dodgers. He spent a couple of days moonlighting as an actor in a teen comedy called "Dirty Deeds" that recently finished shooting around town. When I met him on the film set one morning, he was dressed as a homeless vagabond, playing a scene in which someone in a passing car hits him in the head with a flying bottle. Helped to his feet by Milo Ventimiglia, the bad-boy heartthrob from "Gilmore Girls," Zeile, perhaps drawing on the experience of being conked in the coconut with a Roger Clemens knockdown pitch, said woozily, "Yeah, I'm OK, but somebody's gotta teach that [jerk] a lesson."
Although Zeile is retiring this fall after playing 16 seasons in the majors, the 38-year-old UCLA graduate isn't crazy enough to give up baseball for an acting career. He's even crazier: He financed "Dirty Deeds." A longtime movie lover, Zeile has teamed up with Bill Civitella, a talent manager who used to be his neighbor in Westlake Village, to form Green Diamond Entertainment, a production company that will focus on making mainstream films and TV shows. The company is in the process of raising $50 million as operating capital. Its principal investors aren't bankers. They're baseball players, including Zeile's former teammate New York Yankee slugger Jason Giambi, as well as New York Met stars Mike Piazza, Tom Glavine, Al Leiter and Cliff Floyd.
"I've always been fascinated with the film business, and this seemed like a good way to make a start," says Zeile, who raised roughly $2.5 million for "Dirty Deeds." "We're in the midst of raising a big enough line of credit so that, if need be, we could have two films in production at the same time. I talked to some of my friends in baseball, and everyone was really enthusiastic about being involved."
Baseball players have come a long way from the days when they'd lend their names to saloons and steak joints after they retired. Many keep a close eye on financial issues and operate independent investments outside of the game. Zeile, for example, has had considerable success as a partner in a real estate development company and a company that leases private jets. As Dan Kaplow, who just joined Green Diamond as head of production, says, "Put it this way: Todd makes more money outside of baseball than in it."
When Zeile was at spring training and on the road early in the season, he'd phone Civitella each day for progress reports, checking to see if the film was on schedule and on budget. "Film is probably as tenuous an occupation as the one I have now," he says. "We're definitely trying to not get in over our heads." One reason they chose a teen comedy as their company's first production, Zeile says, "is that it's a genre where you can make a film for a modest budget but still have an opportunity of reaching a broad target audience."
Civitella, who began his career as a drummer and road manager for singer Gloria Gaynor before becoming a personal manager, says they are choosy about projects. "We don't want to dive into the pool and hit concrete. But we have passion and common sense, so if we can find great talent and stories, we think we'll go far."
How far they go will depend as much on luck as on good judgment about scripts or talent. Hollywood has led as many wealthy outsiders to ruin as the mermaids and sirens who lured sailors to their death in innumerable folk tales. In recent decades, money poured into the business from Japan, France and Germany, leaving a trail of bad movies, broken dreams and bankruptcies. But even after foreign investors began backing off, a new generation of deep-pocketed entrepreneurs has stepped in to take their place, with varying degrees of success.
Real estate heir Steve Bing lost a bundle bankrolling "The Big Bounce" this year; he's now invested $80 million in "The Polar Express," starring Tom Hanks, due this November. Gateway co-founder Norm Waitt Jr. has backed a host of losers but also hit it big with "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." FedEx chairman Fred Smith's Alcon Entertainment has had hits and misses, among them "Insomnia" and "The Affair of the Necklace." After losing $40 million owning the Pittsburgh Penguin hockey team, high-tech tycoon Roger Marino has spent nearly that much funding a slate of art-house films, including the upcoming "Door in the Floor" and "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead." Phil Anschutz, who owns the Los Angeles Kings as well as Regal Cinemas, the country's largest theater chain, has been bankrolling inspirational, family-oriented entertainment, leading him to spend $100 million on the Jackie Chan-starring remake of "Around the World in 80 Days" that's due out next week.
At a time when traditional investment money has dried up, Hollywood has welcomed these new millionaires with open arms. With film studios now owned by giant, risk-averse media conglomerates, they have become increasingly reliant on other people's money. In the raft of stories about the phenomenal success of "The Lord of the Rings," it was rarely noted that the Oscar-winning trilogy might never have happened without an influx of nearly $200 million in tax money from Germany and New Zealand. This outside investment gave New Line downside protection in case the first installment had flopped.
Most studios today operate on fixed income from their parent companies. A key reason for Paramount's recent run of failures — and the ouster of studio chief Jonathan Dolgen — was that Viacom simply didn't give it enough money to make high-risk/high-reward movies, forcing the studio to subsist on modestly budgeted comedies and thrillers. In an era when the average film costs $95 million to produce and market, few studios have the resources to make more than 10 or so films without the help of outside investors.
"Every studio is using someone else's money to stretch the nine or 10 movies they fully finance into the 18 or 20 films that make up a true diversified slate," says Ken Kamins, who manages Peter Jackson and played a pivotal role in assembling the "Lord of the Rings" financing package. "So they're always looking for an outside entrepreneur with the capital wherewithal and the emotional commitment to help bankroll some of those additional films."
Having a diversified slate gives the studio a huge advantage over an individual entrepreneur. "The act of making a movie is extremely risky, but the act of making 25 movies is almost entirely predictable," explains Bob Yari, a real estate developer who has financed perhaps the largest slate of films of any outside investor. "There's a huge amount of historical data that shows that if you invest in just one picture, you're in trouble, whereas if you have a slate of films, it's likely that the hits will make up for the ones that don't perform."
To give himself the best odds for survival, Yari has created several independently run film companies, each with a different management philosophy. Yari has a fascinating theory about why showbiz neophytes crash and burn so often, one that Zeile and his baseball teammates would be wise to absorb. Conventional wisdom holds that newcomers don't grasp Hollywood's insular, often cutthroat culture. But Yari believes that what makes Hollywood different from other businesses is that the entrepreneurs who really drive the industry — the producers, agents and managers — are salesmen geared toward attracting investors, not toward ensuring that they turn a profit.
"They have a completely different mind-set," he says. "They're driven more by making a good film than whether the movie makes money or not. The money most people make in Hollywood is built into the film's budget, via actor and producer's fees or the agent's percentage. But it's not that way for the investor. For us to make money, the movie has to make money."
Zeile has one thing going for him: His personal taste in films is diverse, ranging from star-driven hits such as "Forrest Gump" to horror ("The Silence of the Lambs") to art-house favorites like "In America" and "Monster."
His favorite baseball movie — how could we not ask — is "The Natural," though he admits that "if you surveyed 20 players, you'd probably get a lot of fans of 'Field of Dreams' and 'Bull Durham.' "
Baseball players do have one thing in common with filmmakers and studio chiefs: They know that today's hit streak will be followed by tomorrow's slump. Zeile seems prepared to handle the inevitable ups and downs. "Everybody knows this is a speculative business, especially for first-timers," he says. "That's why we're not putting all our eggs in one basket. Luckily I'm working with people who know a lot more than I do about the movie business. But I'm eager to learn."
---------------------------------
JUNE 4, 2004
Mets: Zeile is still a catcher at heart
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff Before he retires at the end of this season, the Mets' Todd Zeile has a few goals he'd like to accomplish that would round out his fine 16-year major-league career, a couple of things that would add some finality to his place in what he calls "this game we play."
First and foremost, Zeile would love to win a World Series. He would also like to get his 2,000th hit, a reachable goal considering he needs only 44. And, with Wednesday night's dramatic 10th-inning home run that beat the Phillies, he has 250 homers in his career, so that benchmark has been reached. Two seasons ago he fulfilled a dream by pitching in a game.
But there still remains one last thing that would close an open-ended circle in his career, and for that Zeile needs the help of Mets manager Art Howe.
Zeile, 38, broke into the game as a catcher, a position he gave up grudgingly, and before the season ends and he says goodbye to his playing days for good -- if he really does retire -- Zeile wants to catch one more game, if only for an inning.
"Oh, absolutely," he said. "I would love to get back there one more time. If the situation ever arises, and it's not offensive to anyone, then yeah, it would be great. I'll have to put that in Art's ear and see what happens."
Howe admitted he forgot Zeile came up as a well-regarded catcher with the Cardinals, since it was more than a dozen years ago that Zeile last caught in a game. But, Howe, the master position changer, said he would consider using Zeile in the right scenario, most likely a blowout game late in the season.
"That's interesting," Howe said, when he heard Zeile wanted to catch. "It's been a long time, but if the right situation comes up, we'll definitely consider it."
Howe also left open the remote possibility that he could use Zeile in an extreme emergency -- if Jason Phillips, Mike Piazza, Vance Wilson and presumably Joe McEwing were all unavailable in a 25-inning game.
"We'd have to see him first," Howe said with a smile.
Zeile thinks he could still catch without much problem. In spring training he warmed up pitchers a couple of times between innings, and looked reasonably competent.
"I'm sure I could do it," he said. "Give me someone like (Tom) Glavine. I could probably catch him. It would bring me right back to the days of Joe Torre."
Torre, then manager of the Cardinals, was the last manager to write Zeile's name in as catcher in 1990, and also the first one to ask Zeile to convert from catcher to third base, a route Torre followed 20 years earlier. It is a path rarely traveled.
Zeile and Torre are two of only five players to play 100 games at catcher and 100 games at third base in separate seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It's an impressive group that also includes Johnny Bench, B.J. Surhoff and Duke Farrell, whose career ended with the Red Sox in 1905. There are only 23 players who have played 100 games total at catcher and third base over their careers.
"It's another one of my dubious distinctions," Zeile said.
Zeile makes light of his off-beat accomplishments, but there is nothing dubious about them. For instance, he is the only player to hit a home run for 11 teams. Tuesday and Wednesday he became the first Met since Kevin McReynolds in 1990 to hit either a game-tying or go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later of back-to-back victories.
He is also a direct descendant of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and to that end he is known for playing well on July 4.
Zeile would also point to his record as a pitcher. He is in the Baseball Encyclopedia and has a nearly perfect record and a 0.00 ERA.
He pitched one inning for the Rockies on Sept. 14, 2002, in Los Angeles. After warming up by throwing knuckleballs to his son Garrett, then 9, Zeile pitched one scoreless inning throwing mostly knuckleballs in a 16-3 loss to the Dodgers. After giving up a single to Cesar Izturis, he induced a double-play ball from Chad Krueter and then struck out Wilkin Ruan.
But Zeile says he has no interest in pitching again, having been there and done that. "I'm pretty solid with a zero ERA," he said. "I'll stick with that."
The last time Zeile caught a game was 1990 in St. Louis, the year he caught 105 games. But the Cardinals, who drafted Zeile as the catcher to take over for Tony Pena, changed their minds and decided to move him to third because they were getting ready to move out Terry Pendleton for financial reasons.
Torre was the one who persistently asked Zeile to make the move, just as Red Schoedienst had asked Torre in 1971, when Torre played for the Cardinals.
"I resisted it," Zeile said. "But everything has worked out well. Still, it would be nice to get to play the position I started out in one last time."
----------------------------
June 3, 2004
NY POST
IN TODD WE TRUST
June 3, 2004 -- PHILADELPHIA Don't be surprised if at the end of the season, the Mets grab onto Todd Zeile's leg, tug at his jersey and lose his plane ticket back home. No way they're letting the man retire.
Retire? You've got to be kidding. Zeile has practically become a one-man team. Need a late-inning homer to tie it? Zeile's your man. Need an extra-inning hit to win it? He's got you there, too. On consecutive nights no less.
"If he keeps going like this, he's going to have a hard time convincing me he's walking into the sunset," Art Howe said after Zeile's incredible night delivered the Mets a dramatic 5-3, 10-inning win over the Phillies. "Because I'm going to be right there at dawn waiting for him."
Tuesday, Zeile played hero, hitting an eighth-inning solo homer to tie the game and delivering a 10th-inning RBI single to win it. Last night was even better.
With the Mets trailing 3-0 with two on and two outs in the eighth, Zeile drilled a game-tying three-run homer to left. With the game tied 3-3 in the 10th, Zeile clubbed a game-winning two-run blast to right.
Believe that? Two straight nights where Zeile tied the game in the eighth with a homer and won it in the 10th with another hit.
"Hard to fathom anybody doing anything more," Howe said.
It was Zeile's first five-RBI night in over two years (May 23, 2002). But despite his continued strong play this year, he insisted he's not coming back for a Clemens-esque encore.
"It's actually more gratifying knowing it's the last one for me," Zeile said.
With their dramatic sweep of the Phillies, the Mets are back to .500 at 26-26. They're also within 31/2 games of the first-place Marlins, who visit Shea tonight.
And here's a tip if you're going to the game tonight and the Mets get behind early — you might want to stick around. The last two weeks, the Mets have displayed a remarkable flair for comeback victories. Last night was the fifth time since May 16 they've won a game in which they trailed after seven innings.
Where is this coming from?
"You win games you probably don't expect to win sometimes," Tom Glavine, last night's starter, said. "You're in a position in June that nobody expected you to be in. And you start to believe in yourself."
The Mets nearly blew Zeile's magical evening in the bottom of the 10th. Braden Looper loaded the bases with two outs for Jim Thome. But with the Mets employing their "Thome shift" — in which all four infielders are moved over to guard against the lefty slugger's pull tendencies — Looper coaxed a grounder to the third baseman to end it.
The Mets had done nothing against southpaw Randy Wolf, managing two hits into the eighth inning. But with two outs, nobody on and hope fading fast, Vance Wilson pinch-hit a single and Kaz Matsui lined a double. In came ace reliever Ryan Madson (0.84 ERA coming in) to face Zeile.
Monday, Madson faced Zeile for the first time and struck him out. But Zeile recalled watching Madson, noting, "I had seen him drop the 3-2 breaking ball to freeze hitters."
Sure enough, on a 3-2 count, Madson hung a curve, and Zeile struck a high drive to deep left, the ball clearing the fence as Zeile thrust his right fist in the air as he rounded first base.
Two innings later, Karim Garcia doubled against Roberto Hernandez. With two outs, Zeile left the yard to right-center again for his 250th career homer. Call it a double milestone in what's becoming a fantastic farewell tour.
-------------------------------------
June 3, 3004
NY DAILY NEWS
Mets lower broom on Phils
Zeile strokes pair and powers sweep
By ADAM RUBIN- DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
PHILADELPHIA - Todd Zeile has absorbed everything during his final major-league season, from the scenes at Dodger Stadium and WrigleyField in his final visits to the historic ballparks, to the feeling after hitting significant home runs. "You can catch glimpses of him almost savoring every moment," Art Howe said.
With performances like these, the manager figures he will have to plead with the 38-year-old Zeile not to retire this winter.
For the second straight game, Zeile carried the Mets to an extra-inning win against the Phillies. This time, Zeile smoked a three-run homer in the eighth off reliever Ryan Madson to tie it. He then took Roberto Hernandez deep for a two-run homer, the 250th longball of his career, two innings later as the Mets swept the Phillies with a 5-3 victory last night. Zeile had performed a nearly identical feat Tuesday night, belting a solo homer in the eighth to pull the Mets even, then delivering the decisive RBI in the 10th.
"If he keeps going like this, he's going to have a hard time convincing me he's walking into the sunset, because I'll be right there at dawn waiting for him," Howe said.
After getting swept by the Marlins over the weekend, the Mets (26-26) returned the favor against the Phillies, taking three straight. They return home to face Armando Benitez and the first-place Marlins tonight at Shea with a 4-4 mark two-thirds of the way through their 12-game litmus test against Philadelphia and Florida. With the Marlins being swept by the Reds, the Mets moved within 3-1/2 games of Florida in a division in which no team has seized command.
"We hung around and started to believe we do have a pretty good team," Tom Glavine said. "Why not us this year? Why not?"
Said Zeile: "It's actually more gratifying knowing it's the last run for me, because I can play without feeling the pressure of anything but what's going on today. I feel like I'm playing this year on the house's money. I've had a lot of fortunate things in my career and have had a good run at it.
"This one I'm playing to have fun and be a part of a team where I really enjoy the guys and the atmosphere being a Met. It's nice to play this game to have fun."
Glavine, frustrated by a tight strike zone, left after 116 pitches, when Howe inserted pinch-hitter Vance Wilson with two out and nobody on base in the eighth and the Mets trailing 3-0. Wilson singled and Kazuo Matsui doubled, placing both runners in scoring position and prompting Phillies manager Larry Bowa to summon Madson to replace Randy Wolf. The reliever, who struck out Zeile in the series opener, fell behind 3-0 before the count went full. After a foul by Zeile down the left-field line prolonged the at-bat, Zeile expected a curveball and belted it for three-run homer.
When the 10th inning arrived, Ty Wigginton turned to Howe in the dugout and told the manager: "We just have to get Todd up there, because he's going to win it some way." Pinch-hitter Karim Garcia delivered a double off the wall in right-center. And with two out, Zeile took Hernandez deep.
"I guess he's a soothsayer," Howe said of Wigginton.
The Phillies loaded the bases against Braden Looper in the bottom of the inning, on a walk to Bobby Abreu. That brought dangerous Jim Thome to the plate. Looper was determined to pitch carefully, even if a walk brought in a run. He threw three splitters to Thome, the pitch Looper has improved dramatically since joining the Mets. Thome smashed the final splitter to Wigginton, who had moved from second to third base by that point, and was positioned where the shortstop usually stands. Howe had employed an overshift he had first implemented against Thome when they were both in the American League.
Afterward, Looper and Zeile arrived at their lockers within a minute of each other, and the closer - who picked up his 10th save - watched reporters peel away from his locker to speak with the veteran infielder.
"Two jacks beat a save every night," Looper said.
----------------------------------
June 3, 2004
Clemens and Zeile Come Through Again
By The Associated Press
Roger Clemens improved to 8-0 and Todd Zeile won another game for the New York Mets (news).
Not bad for a couple of guys who were supposed to be retired by now.
The 41-year-old Clemens earned his first win at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, pitching the Houston Astros (news) to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs (news).
"When you have an opportunity to pitch in this type of setting, regardless of how you feel, you want to make the appearance because people come from all over to watch you perform," Clemens said.
"I enjoy hearing the fans around the stadium, the things they say," he said.
Zeile has Mets fans talking, too.
He hit a tying, three-run homer in the eighth inning and a two-run drive in the 10th, leading New York to a 5-3 victory in Philadelphia and a three-game sweep.
The previous night, Zeile hit a tying homer in the eighth and a go-ahead single in the 10th in New York's 4-1 win over the Phillies.
In January, the 38-year-old infielder convinced the Mets he had plenty left to offer. But despite his clutch hitting, he still plans to retire after this season.
"It's actually more gratifying knowing it's the last run for me," Zeile said. "But I had to negotiate with the kids and Julianne (his wife). And the negotiation was that this was it."
Florida's Dontrelle Willis almost had a big day, too. But Sean Casey and the Cincinnati Reds (news) spoiled his bid for a perfect game and rallied for a 3-1 victory.
In other NL games, it was: San Diego 2, Colorado 1 in 10 innings; Montreal 8, Atlanta 4; St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 3; Arizona 8, San Francisco 6; and Los Angeles 5, Milwaukee 2.
Clemens bounced back from three straight no-decisions with seven sharp innings to earn his 318th win, tying Phil Niekro for 14th place on the career list.
The Rocket's only other start at Wrigley came last June when he pitched for the Yankees in search of his 300th win. He wound up taking the loss when the Cubs rallied against New York's bullpen.
He's won 12 straight regular-season decisions since Aug. 9 — sandwiched around a short retirement in the offseason.
Clemens allowed one run — on a broken-bat single — and five hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked two.
"This is a special time. I think we have to appreciate — those of us who really like baseball, whether you pull for the Astros or not — just to see what he is doing," Houston manager Jimy Williams said.
At Philadelphia, Zeile connected against Ryan Madson in the eighth inning, then Roberto Hernandez (1-2) in the 10th. It was Zeile's 14th multihomer game, his first since Sept. 5 against Florida. He has six home runs this season and 250 in his 16-year career.
"If he keeps going like this, he'll have a tough time convincing me he's not coming back," Mets manager Art Howe said.
Jim Thome grounded out with the bases loaded for the final out, and Braden Looper got his 10th save.
---------------------------------------
JUNE 3, 2004
NY TIMES
The Mets Are Loving Zeile's Long Goodbye
By LEE JENKINS
PHILADELPHIA, June 2 - Todd Zeile is gone after this season, finished with the final out, no debate necessary.
He likes to say that the only contract for next year is with his family in Southern California, and it is signed in blood. This is the farewell tour, the last goodbye.
The Mets won't soon forget it, and neither will Zeile, their 38-year-old starting third baseman, who was signed in the off-season to be a backup infielder and is emerging as the face of an aging but spirited team. For the second night in a row, Zeile had a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and a game-winning hit in the 10th, only the performance Wednesday night was much more dramatic.
With two outs in the eighth, Zeile hit a three-run homer to left, and with two outs in the 10th, he slammed a two-run shot to right that pierced a steady rain at Citizens Bank Park. When Zeile reached the dugout, his teammates lifted him into the air, the perfect punctuation to a 5-3 victory over the Phillies.
"What I wanted out of this year is to have this kind of feeling," Zeile said. "Not to be playing for money or a contract, but to have fun as a major leaguer."
Mets Manager Art Howe said: "If he keeps going like this, he'll have a hard time convincing me he's ready to walk into the sunset. I'll be right there waiting for him at the dawn."
When the Mets arrived in Philadelphia on Monday, they were six and a half games out of first place in the National League East and had reason to worry about the state of their season. Now, having swept the Phillies, they are three and a half games out and charging into a four-game series with the first-place Marlins that begins Thursday at Shea Stadium.
"We're in a position in June that no one thought we'd be in," said Tom Glavine, who gave up three runs in seven innings and left with the Mets trailing, 3-0. "You hang around long enough and an underdog starts to believe in itself. We've hung around and we're starting to believe. Why not us?"
While the Mets started their celebration a tad early Wednesday, Braden Looper loaded the bases for Jim Thome with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. The pitching coach Rick Peterson told Looper he could pitch around Thome, but Looper attacked anyway with a series of split-fingered fastballs and induced a grounder to the Mets' third baseman, who was playing up the middle.
When Howe was the manager in Oakland, and Thome was in Cleveland, Howe used a pronounced shift against Thome, a pull-hitting slugger. Howe went back to the shift and watched it frustrate Thome the entire series.
Looper preserved a victory that belonged to Zeile. The Mets entered the eighth with only two hits against Philadelphia starter Randy Wolf. With two outs, they finally placed runners at second and third. Manager Larry Bowa put two hands on Wolf's shoulders and called for Ryan Madson, who had never given up a major league home run.
As the crowd screamed in protest, Zeile introduced Madson to the majors. When Zeile touched first base, he raised a triumphant fist. Zeile pushed the game to the bottom of the ninth, then kept it going with a tough catch over the dugout railing. In the 10th, Mets infielder Ty Wigginton said to Howe, "We've just got to get Todd up there because he'll win it some way."
The Mets needed only a single when Zeile came up with Karim Garcia on second, but once again, Zeile surpassed any expectations. For his 250th career home run, Zeile took Roberto Hernandez out to right field, and the Mets' dugout seemed to jump at once. Afterward, Hernandez (1-2) said of Zeile, "He's a one-man gang."
When Zeile returned to the dugout, players literally picked him up and asked why he would want to retire. That seemed to be the only question facing him. Zeile drove in all of the Mets' runs, had game-tying and game-winning hits in each of the past two games and recorded a combined three homers and seven runs batted in the past two days.
"It's gratifying because it's the last run for me," Zeile said. "I play knowing there isn't anything going on besides today."
-------------------------------------
June 3, 2004
delcotimes.com
Zeile is a one-man wrecking crew as Mets sweep Phils
By TERRY TOOHEY
PHILADELPHIA -- Memo to the Phillies bullpen: Do not fall behind in the count to New York Mets third baseman/first baseman Todd Zeile. It is a recipe for disaster.Zeile played spoiler for the second night in a row as the Mets rallied for a 5-3, 10-inning victory over the Phillies in front of 37,625 Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
His performance was almost a carbon copy of his late-game heroics in the Mets’ 4-1 come-from-behind victory Tuesday night that also went 10 innings.
The former Phillie belted two home runs and drove in all five New York runs to help the Mets complete a three-game sweep of the Phils.
Like he did Tuesday night, Zeile drilled a game-tying home run with two outs in the eighth inning. Only this home run was a three-run blast off a 3-2 offering from reliever Ryan Madson. Then he blasted a two-run home run off Roberto Hernandez in the 10th inning.
Braden Looper pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 10th inning for his 10th save of the season and third in the series.
Zeile went 7-for-15 in the series with three home runs, eight RBIs and four runs scored. That is no surprise because Zeile has been a Phillie killer throughout his career. He came into the season batting .301 with 18 home runs and 91 RBIs against the Phils. The batting average and the RBIs were his best numbers against National League teams. The 18 home runs are the second most Zeile has against National League foes.
Hernandez tried to sneak a four-seam fastball past Zeile in the 10th inning, but the veteran infielder was not fooled.
"I usually can’t throw a ball like that, but somehow I did," Hernandez said. "He didn’t miss it."
Zeile’s performance spoiled another solid outing by starter Randy Wolf.
Wolf allowed four hits in 72/3 innings. He was on a 90-pitch count in his second start since missing a turn because of mild tendinitis in his left elbow. As much as he wanted to proceed, Wolf knew he was finished when Kaz Matsui ripped a double down the left-field line with two outs in the top of the eighth inning.
"(Before the inning pitching coach) Joe (Kerrigan) asked me how I felt and I told him that it would be smart to have someone ready," Wolf said. "I knew I didn’t have much left."
Wolf was equally honest with manager Larry Bowa when he came to the mound in the top of the eighth inning.
"He asked me how I was and he said be honest with me," Wolf said of his conversation with Bowa. "My heart told me that Mad Dog (Madson) had a better chance to get him out than me. It just wasn’t his night. I just hope (Madson) puts this one behind him and comes back and throws strikes. He’s been awesome for us."
Bowa had high praise for Wolf, too.
"I’ll sleep good tonight knowing that one of my best pitchers was honest with me," Bowa said. "I respect what he did."
Zeile’s late-game heroics for the second night in a row also overshadowed a solid effort by shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the leadoff spot.
Rollins went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks, one home run, one double and one RBI. He slugged the sixth leadoff home run in his career and doubled and scored on Bobby Abreu’s two-run double in the third inning which game the Phillies a 3-0 lead.
But that was the extent of the offense for the night. Philadelphia would get just two more hits the rest of the game, and both of those hits came in the bottom of the 10th inning. The Phils had just four baserunners from the fourth through the ninth innings.
"We have to get some runs," Bowa said. "We got three tonight. We have to win that game."
For the second night in a row, that gave Zeile the opportunity to play spoiler. First, he victimized Madson. Then he burned Hernandez.
"It seems like he was a one-man gang show in all three games," Hernandez said. "He took us apart."
Terry Toohey is the assistant sports editor of the Daily Times.
-------------------------------------------
JUNE 3, 2004
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
ZEILE HOMERS AGAIN AS METS BEAT PHILLIES
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Todd Zeile hit a tying three-run homer in the eighth inning and a two-run drive in the 10th Wednesday, leading the New York Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 for a three-game sweep.
A night after Zeile hit a tying homer in the eighth and a go-ahead single in the 10th in New York's 4-1 win, he did in the Phillies again.
With Philadelphia ahead 3-0, Vance Wilson pinch hit for starter Tom Glavine with two outs in the eighth and singled. Kaz Matsui doubled, Ryan Madson relieved and Zeile worked to count to 3-0. After a pair of strikes, Zeile fouled off a pitch, then homered to left-center.
Karim Garcia, batting for reliever David Weathers (5-1) with one out in the 10th, doubled off the center-field wall. After Matsui grounded out, Zeile drove a 2-1 pitch from Roberto Hernandez (1-2) through a heavy rain and over the right-field wall.
It was Zeile's 14th multihomer game, his first since last Sept. 5 against Florida. He has six home runs this season.
Philadelphia threatened in the bottom of the 10th against Braden Looper. Pinch-hitter Tomas Perez reached on a one-out infield single and advanced on a single by Jimmy Rollins.
Pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee struck out and Bobby Abreu walked, loading the bases for Jim Thome, who grounded out to Ty Wigginton. The third baseman was shifted over for the left-handed pull hitter and was near the second-base bag.
Looper got his 10th save in 11 chances.
Glavine allowed three runs and three hits over the first three innings, but held the Phillies without a hit over his final four innings. His ERA, second in the NL at 2.17 coming in, rose to 2.31. He also walked a season-high four.
Wolf, making his second start since missing a turn because of elbow tendinitis, took a two-hit shutout into the eighth. He allowed a double to Wigginton, then retired 14 consecutive batters before Mike Piazza singled between Rollins and third-baseman David Bell in the seventh.
Rollins homered, doubled, singled and drew a pair of walks, reaching base in all five plate appearances. Abreu added a two-run double.
Rollins opened the first with the sixth leadoff homer of his career. With two outs in the third, Rollins doubled, Doug Glanville walked and Abreu doubled to the gap in left-center -- Philadelphia's last hit until the 10th inning.
--------------------------------------
JUNE 2, 2004
DAILY NEWS
Todd has extra strength
By ADAM RUBIN, DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
PHILADELPHIA - Todd Zeile still plans to retire at season's end. With games like last night's, the natural question might be, "How come?"
Zeile's eighth-inning homer pulled the Mets even, and his heady 10th-inning bat work and RBI single proved the decisive blows in a 4-1 win against the Phillies.
The Mets have won three of four from Philly in the last eight days and the first two games of this three-game set in Philly's new park, seemingly salvaging a road trip that began with a three-game wipeout in Florida. "He keeps hitting like this, I'll prop him up myself," Art Howe said when asked if he was worried that the 38-year-old Zeile could wilt now that he has assumed an everyday third-base role.
Said Zeile: "I never really doubted I could play every day."
In the 10th, Zeile flung his bat at a pitchout, hoping to protect Kazuo Matsui on a hit-and-run. He succeeded in delaying the throw from Phillies catcher Todd Pratt to second.
Then Zeile threw the barrel of his bat at inside heat from Tim Worrell just trying to get the ball by the pitcher and advance Matsui. The ball instead dribbled into the outfield, bringing home Matsui with the go-ahead run.
Vance Wilson added his first career pinch-hit homer, a two-run blast. Wilson was hitting in the pitcher's spot, which originally belonged to first baseman Mike Piazza, who was lifted for defensive purposes in the bottom of the eighth of a 1-1 game, as part of a double-switch.
Piazza, whose miscues at first led to a loss last week at Shea to the Phillies and a defeat Sunday in Florida, was replaced by Eric Valent.
"It's tough when you don't get a lot of playing time," said Wilson, whose opportunities have diminished with Jason Phillips' renewed success at the plate. "You almost feel like if you don't do something, you're going to get buried more and more."
Before Zeile's dramatics, Al Leiter looked sharp in his return after a three-week stint on the disabled list with shoulder troubles. Leiter limited the Phillies to three hits, walked four and struck out none in a scoreless 84-pitch outing, lowering his ERA to 2.23. He had not pitched since an outing in Arizona that ended after four innings, when he was suffering pain with each pitch and ended up "lobbing" low-70 mph pitches in his final inning.
Leiter said he had "that tired feeling" before his last inning of work this time, but never experienced the pain. He pledged to have an open line of communication with Howe and pitching coach Rick Peterson, not to mask the symptoms as he would have earlier in his career.
"I felt fine," Leiter said. "I said I would be honest with Art and Rick because I'm not very good when a pitching coach or manager asks me how I feel. I usually lie."
Like Phillies starter Kevin Millwood, who tossed seven scoreless innings, Leiter worked out of jams. After walking Pat Burrell and David Bell back-to-back with one out in the fourth, Leiter benefited from a leaping catch by Cliff Floyd on the warning track. He then got Chase Utley to fly out to center. An inning later, Millwood doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.
But Doug Glanville grounded out to Ty Wigginton with the infield drawn in and Jason Michaels flied out to preserve a scoreless game.
In the third, trainer Mike Herbst and Howe came to check on the southpaw following a walk to Glanville - after the manager became alarmed with four straight offspeed pitches. Leiter was fine, simply being cautious, and trying to set up the double play - though he didn't explain that to Howe until after the inning because he didn't want to "jinx it."
__________________________________________
JUNE 2, 2004
OLD-TIMERS’ NIGHT
NY POST
June 2, 2004 -- PHILADELPHIA - Two 38-year-olds were in last night's lineup for the Mets when they played the Phillies.
Both were the oldest players starting for either team, but both are proving they have plenty left. Yep, Todd Zeile and Al Leiter can still play, and they showed that again.
In the Mets' 4-1, 10-inning win, Zeile tied the game in the eighth with a solo homer and won it in the 10th with an RBI single.
As for Leiter, in his return from the DL, he provided reason to believe his shoulder tendinitis may not be so worrisome after all. He threw five scoreless innings, reporting no pain.
"I'm fine," Leiter said after the Mets (25-26) won their second straight.
With the Mets trailing 1-0 after seven, Zeile led off the eighth with a homer to left against reliever Rheal Cormier. Then in the 10th, with Kaz Matsui on first and Zeile up, Met manager Art Howe called for the hit-and-run.
Philly called a pitchout, and Matsui looked like he'd be nailed at second. But Zeile smartly tossed his bat at the pitch to try to protect Matsui. Matsui made it safely, and Zeile followed with an RBI bouncer up the middle. Vance Wilson then added a two-run homer for insurance.
Zeile came to the Mets this year to be a role player in the final tour of his 16-year career. But so far, he's been more vital cog than spare part. He's played in 43 of 51 games, hitting .270.
So why's Zeile retiring after this year again?
"I have a family at home that's waited 16 years to spend some time with me," he said before addressing why he's playing so well in his final year.
"Because I know it's coming to an end, it gives me a feeling of peace. I just come in and enjoy it."
Leiter had not pitched since May 11. But while he was hardly dominant last night (four walks, no strikeouts), he allowed just three hits and felt good.
"There's no comparison," Leiter said. "[When] I threw in Arizona [in his last start], the last 15-20 pitches, I felt something on every pitch, acute pain. I didn't feel anything [last night]."
After Leiter threw four straight offspeed pitches in the third, Howe and assistant trainer Mike Herbst visited him to make sure he was OK. Leiter assured them it was simply strategy, and he induced a double play to the next hitter.
"He didn't leave me any concern," Howe said.
Leiter's return is critical to the Mets' plans, on and off the field. They are trying to upgrade their rotation, and GM Jim Duquette has said Leiter's health could affect the quality of the starter they pursue, as well as how quickly the Mets make a deal.
"It gives us a little breathing room if [Leiter's] pitching the way he was before [he got hurt in] Arizona, that we don't have to make an urgent trade," Duquette said.
Tom Glavine, for one, believes the Mets need another pitcher and probably another hitter. Which one is more important may depend on Leiter.
"I think we absolutely need another arm, no question about it," Glavine said. "If we're going to [contend], I don't think it's any secret to anybody that we need another arm and probably another bat.
"Which one is more important? I think a lot of that depends on Al. If Al's OK, it might be six of one, half-dozen of another. But if he's not, then I think the arm becomes a lot more important."
__________________________
June 2, 2004
Mets Notebook: Zeile young at heart and at plate
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff PHILADELPHIA -- Todd Zeile may be 38, but he is playing like a 28-year-old and feels a decade younger as well.
Zeile had a huge game in the Mets' 4-1 victory over the Phillies last night, homering to tie the game in the eighth inning and knocking in the go-ahead run in the 10th with a single up the middle off Tim Worrell that knocked in Kazuo Matsui.
I think I'm a young 38," he said. "I'm not out carousing and drinking every night. That's not a judgment on other guys, but I just haven't been hard on my body."
However, Zeile, who hit his fourth home run and improved his average to .270, reiterated that he will still retire after the season, even though the Mets have turned him into an everyday player because he is hitting so well. In order to make room for his bat, Ty Wigginton has been shifted to second base, and Art Howe said Zeile will play until he drops as long as he keeps getting big hits.
"If he keeps hitting like this, I'll go out there and prop him up myself," Howe said.
Catcher Vance Wilson, who homered in the 10th, said he can't understand why Zeile would retire.
"When I hear he's retiring, I think, 'What's he talking about?'" Wilson said. "What an honor it is to have a second chance to play with him. I hope people realize how much he means to this team. We're lucky to have him."
