October 4, 2004
The NY POST
JUST CALL HIM TODDY BALLGAME
By ANDREW MARCHAND
October 4, 2004 -- While Todd Zeile refrained from reciting Lou Gehrig's famous words during a pre-game ceremony, Zeile did go out like Ted Williams.
In the sixth, in his final major-league at-bat, Zeile tomahawked a 3-1 fastball from Claudio Vargas over the left field wall.
"I got goose bumps when Todd hit that home run," said fired Mets manager Art Howe after the 8-1 win over the Expos. "That is stuff you read about in fairytales."
The 39-year-old Zeile, who spent just three years at Shea, was celebrated yesterday as if he were a Met legend rather than a 16-year, 11-team Major League nomad.
"I'm glad I went out this way and somebody wasn't telling me to take the uniform off," said Zeile, who caught yesterday, just as he did when he broke into the majors as a Cardinal in 1989.
Prior to Zeile's final game, the Mets held a special ceremony in his honor. There was a video tribute, displaying highlights from all 11 teams Zeile played on. He was also given a going away card, a framed uniform, some newspaper clippings and a paid vacation. Between innings, more highlights of Zeile's career were played.
Taking the microphone to speak to the fans, Zeile joked that, "I'm not going to say I'm the luckiest man on the face of the earth." If given a mulligan, Zeile might have changed his mind after his sixth-inning homer.
Just before rounding first, Zeile pumped his right fist. The Mets' relievers walked outside the right field bullpen to lead a standing ovation for Zeile.
In the eighth, 44-year-old John Franco entered for what might be his final out as a Met and a Major Leaguer. Zeile caught a Ryan Church pop-up to end the inning.
Afterward, Zeile exchanged happy talk with team COO Jeff Wilpon in the Met clubhouse. One day, Zeile could return to the organization. For now, though, he may try to do some broadcasting, while concentrating on his movie producing business.
If he releases films with scripts like yesterday, movie-goers might find them a little too implausible.
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NY POST
October 4, 2004
METS SHEA GOODBYE
By MARK HALE
October 4, 2004 -- It began with a slogan — Catch the Energy. It ended with a manager fired, a general manager demoted and a phenom traded.
It ended with 15 players having spent time on the disabled list, a 19-losses-in-21-games meltdown and a second straight 90-defeat season.
Catch the energy? The Mets were barely able to catch the Expos this year.
But at least you can close the book on the 2004 season.
"That's a wrap," Mike Cameron said.
Yes, the year is finally over, mercifully ending yesterday afternoon at Shea with an 8-1 beating of the Expos. The playoffs will start tomorrow, and for the fourth straight year, the Mets — who finished 71-91 and in fourth place in the NL East — won't be in 'em. Instead, they'll try to answer the intriguing question of how to improve the club, a response that will ultimately be provided by new GM Omar Minaya.
"We certainly are not happy with where we finished," Tom Glavine said, before noting, "The commitment is there to get better."
With that in mind, the first order of business is finding a new manager to replace Art Howe. Minaya already has plans to bring in former Toronto manager Carlos Tosca for an interview Friday and figures to meet with four or five other candidates before the search is over.
Some of the names to keep in mind are former Met skipper Bobby Valentine — who could be in line for a sequel — Texas hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, who could get the nod as either hitting coach or manager, and Atlanta assistant to the GM Jim Fregosi.
There's plenty more on the agenda, too, of course. Minaya must decide what to do with 40 percent of his pitching staff — Kris Benson (who will be a free agent) and Al Leiter (who has a $10 million team option). Figure both will be back, and Minaya has already said he plans to meet with Leiter shortly.
Other Mets whose futures are unclear? Richard Hidalgo is likely to hit the open market and Mike Piazza could be on the block as well. The Mets plan to meet with Piazza, who was not available after the game yesterday, to discuss his status. Then there's Cliff Floyd, who will probably be shopped.
"I haven't heard anything yet," said the outspoken outfielder, who may be dealt as much for his candor as his physical condition. "I hope I didn't burn any bridges, because I would love to come back as a Met."
Actually, the truth is, not much is guaranteed among the starting position players. Kaz Matsui will be at second base, Jose Reyes will be at short, David Wright will be at third and Cameron will be in center. Beyond that, the Mets could be in the market for a catcher (Jason Varitek, Mike Matheny?), a first baseman (Tino Martinez, Carlos Delgado?) and two corner outfielders (Alfonso Soriano as a right fielder?).
When you look back at the season, the incredible thing is how the Mets were only one game out of first place on July 15 before things went sour — injuries mounted, losses stockpiled and prodigies departed (Scott Kazmir). Said Glavine, "That's the uncertainty of a baseball season."
At least this much is certain — you can uncover your eyes. It's all over now.
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OCTOBER 4, 2004
METS.com
Notes: Zeile goes out in style
Franco makes possible last appearance as a Met
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- It wasn't exactly Ted Williams closing out his Hall of Fame career with a home run in his final at-bat and adding to his legend as he ran right to the clubhouse at Fenway Park.
Rather, there was something heartwarming about Todd Zeile smacking a three-run homer in the final plate appearance of his career on Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The blast, which had no impact on the final outcome of New York's season-ending 8-1 victory over Montreal, capped a Zeile-heavy day at Shea Stadium.
The nomadic infielder, who played for 11 teams in a career that began in 1989, was honored prior to the game for a long and popular career. He was presented with gifts from Mets fans and his teammates, and he gave an emotional speech following an equally emotional video tribute to his career put together by the club.
So when he blasted his ninth homer of the season, the 253rd of his career, Zeile received a long, warm standing ovation before ducking into the dugout. And unlike the Splendid Splinter's farewell to the Red Sox Nation so many years ago, Zeile reciprocated, coming out of the dugout and pumping his fist one more time to thank the crowd.
"I'm glad things went this way," said Zeile, who had several video highlights of moments from his career played in between innings. "I'm glad someone didn't tell me to take the uniform off -- that it was my decision. And to get a curtain call today, I haven't had one of those in a long time.
"To some degree, it's a relief. I've been anticipating this for a long time. And I've had a variety of different emotions to deal with, and little things would get me going sometimes. But it was very nice and sentimental."
Good-bye?: John Franco was greeted with a standing ovation when he entered the game in the eighth inning. While Franco has yet to announce his retirement, there is serious speculation that he has pitched his last game. If nothing else, the Mets captain thinks he has pitched his last game for the Mets.
Still, he recorded the final out of the eighth, with Zeile, who was catching, snagging a popup by the Montreal dugout. Franco hugged Zeile and walked off the field to another standing ovation, waving to the crowd in a manner that suggested he wouldn't be back.
"I'm happy I was able to get it over with," Franco said. "If I don't pitch here again, that was nice."
It was Franco's 695th appearance as a Met, sixth-most by a pitcher with one team. Walter Johnson (Senators) and Roy Face (Pirates) appeared in 802 games with their respective clubs. Phil Niekro had 740 appearances with the Braves, while Kent Tekulve had 722 appearances for Pittsburgh. Warren Spahn appeared in 714 games for the Braves.
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OCTOBER 4, 2004
NY DAILY NEWS
Zeile, Franco Shea so long
BY ADAM RUBINDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Todd Zeile greeted John Franco at the mound when the southpaw entered for the final time as a Met with two out in the eighth inning yesterday. "Well, I got my wish," Zeile, who had belted a three-run homer earlier, told Franco.
Franco got his wish, too. Undecided about whether to pitch next season but clearly not returning to Flushing as a reliever, Franco allowed a single to Terrmel Sledge before getting Ryan Church on a pop-up. The retiring Zeile, who was catching in his farewell game, snared the ball in foul ground and the Mets went on to win, 8-1, against the now-extinct Montreal Expos at Shea.
"When that ball popped up, I remember thinking, 'How can this be happening?' And then at the same time I'm thinking, 'Don't you dare drop this ball.' I wanted to squeeze it and give it to Johnny," Zeile said. "It was a great moment that I'll always remember."
Franco and Zeile walked together to the dugout amid cheers.
"There are a lot of things going through your mind, but I appreciate the ovation," Franco said. "We've been friends for a long time and there isn't a nicer guy in baseball than Todd."
Zeile came to the plate the following half-inning, but Art Howe pulled him after he was announced, allowing his 253rd career homer in his previous at-bat to be his final plate appearance.
"L.A. is home. It's where I grew up. It's where I'll go back to," said Zeile, who was honored with a pregame video tribute. "But this place here, it evokes all kind of not just special emotions, but challenges, accountability. It makes you rise to a different level playing here."
The 44-year-old Franco has yet to announce his intentions, but everything about yesterday - from the scoreboard farewell to the standing ovation - told you he won't be a Mets reliever next year, though there's a place for him in the organization off the mound. Franco had 695 Mets appearances, sixth most in major-league history with one team.
"There are a lot of uncertainties," Franco said. "No matter what the organization does, I'm going to be the one making the decision. I might wake up one morning and just say, 'That's it.' Or I might wake one morning and say, 'I want to give it another shot.' So be it."
The game was a farewell on many levels, as Montreal fans crowded around the visiting dugout to bid adieu to their team. The Mets coaching staff, with the exception of Rick Peterson, almost certainly will be dumped later this week, probably tomorrow.
The Mets finished the season in fourth place with a 71-91 record, a 4 1/2-game improvement over 2003. They had a .249 team batting average and 4.09 team ERA. David Wright's two-run homer staked the Mets to the lead yesterday and Tom Glavine limited Montreal to one run and three hits in six innings to finish 11-14.
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OCTOBER 4, 2004
THE JOURNAL NEWS
Zeile goes out with a bang
By PETER ABRAHAM THE JOURNAL NEWS
NEW YORK — It was a day to send Todd Zeile off to his California sunset, salute team captain John Franco and bid a bittersweet au revoir to the Montreal Expos.
The Mets even battled one last time for Art Howe.
An otherwise embarrassing season ended with tears and cheers as the Mets beat the Expos 8-1 yesterday before 33,569 at Shea Stadium.
"It would have been nice if we had a few more days like this one," winning pitcher Tom Glavine said. "But this is what we're left with."
The Expos, who are moving to Washington next season and presumably changing their name, finished 67-95. The Mets were 71-91, a slight improvement from last season's 66-95 debacle but not enough of one.
The Mets made a celebration of it anyway, throwing a pregame retirement ceremony for Zeile, an itinerant .265 career hitter who played for 11 teams over 16 seasons but identifies himself most with the Mets.
After collecting a few gifts, hugging his wife and son and giving a brief speech, Zeile gave himself a lifetime memory by belting a three-run homer in his last at-bat.
The line shot to left field gave the Mets a 7-1 lead in the sixth inning. Zeile was swarmed by his teammates in the dugout, then waved his helmet to the cheering crowd.
"I don't think my mind was processing anything at that moment. There were too many emotions," Zeile said. "Hitting a home run in your last at-bat is the last thing you'd ever expect."
The usually taciturn Zeile pumped his fist as he rounded first base and received a congratulatory swat on the behind from first baseman Brad Wilkerson.
"You can't draw it up any better than that," Howe said. "I had goose bumps when Todd hit that home run."
Ahead comfortably, the Mets were able to use Franco in the eighth inning. The 44-year-old left-hander, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 4, came in with two outs and allowed a broken-bat single before getting Ryan Church to pop a fastball up behind the plate.
Zeile, who was catching, made the play, then hugged Franco. The former closer, who has had a love/hate relationship with the fans, waved his cap as he walked to the dugout and was washed over in cheers.
It was Franco's 695th appearance with the Mets and undoubtedly his last. The little lefty has pitched only six times since early August, a not-so-subtle sign that the Mets hope he retires.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Franco said. "But if that was the last time I pitched, I'm glad I was part of a win and that it was here. Shea has been my second home, and this team is my second family."
As for Howe, he remained inscrutable to the very last day of his tortured tenure, claiming he was proud of what he accomplished with the Mets in spite of a 137-186 record.
"All good things must come to an end," said Howe, a strange notion for a man who was fired with two years left on his contact, but true to form.
The next few days won't be as fun and forgiving. The Mets are expected to fire the majority of Howe's coaching staff and announce a series of changes within the front office.
Of the nine free agents on the roster, only a few will be back as the Mets try to rebuild under new general manager Omar Minaya.
"We had a nice day today," outfielder Cliff Floyd said. "But the quicker this season gets over, the better. It's time to turn the page."
Notes: Jose Reyes will take a week off before traveling to Louisiana to work out with Mackie Shillstone, the director of the LSU Center for Sports Performance and Wellness. Shillstone believes his methods will help Reyes get over his history of lower-body injuries. Once his rehab is finished, Reyes plans to play a month in the Dominican Winter League, then report to spring training. He stole a career-high three bases yesterday. ... Joe "Moonlight" Hietpas caught the last inning for the Mets, making his major-league debut. He was called up on Sept. 14 but hadn't played because of a pulled rib-cage muscle. "It's nice to be able to say I played in the majors," he said. ... The Mets finished 299-298 against the Expos. ... A hearty band of Montreal fans sat behind the visitor's dugout and waved Canadian and Quebec flags in support of their team. They chanted "Let's go Expos" when the game ended, but the players filed off the field and did not return. ... Rookie David Wright was 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBI. He hit .293 with 14 homers and 40 RBI over 69 games. ... Todd Zeile leaves baseball with 2,004 hits, 253 homers and 1,110 RBI.
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OCTOBER 3, 2004
NY TIMES.com
Zeile Exits on High Note, Spoiling Expos' Farewell
By DAVE CALDWELL
Before the foul pop-up plopped into Todd Zeile's catcher's mitt as if it were destiny, he quickly asked himself a question: how could this be happening?
Two innings earlier, Zeile whacked a home run in his final big-league at-bat. Now, back behind the plate, where he began his major league career, he was recording the out after what was probably the final pitch of John Franco's career.
Zeile squeezed the ball to end the eighth inning and handed it to Franco, the left-handed reliever who first pitched in the majors in 1984. The two veterans laughed. It was the signature moment of the Mets' almost-perfect 8-1 victory over the Montreal Expos yesterday at Shea Stadium.
The afternoon was supposed to belong to the Washington-bound Expos, who played the 5,702nd and final game of their 36-year history.
The Mets, a team that has never been good at following scripts, dealt the Expos their 2,943rd loss with a performance that was a reversal of their recent rotten fortune.
"There was a lot of emotion on the day with all the things that went on," Zeile said.
The 39-year-old Zeile hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning on the 7,573rd at-bat of a major league career that began in 1990. It was the 253rd homer in a career that saw him play six different positions for 11 teams.
Franco, 44, pitched a third of an inning, the pop-up that Zeile caught, then said that his 1,088th major league appearance would most likely be his last. "I'm glad he did catch it," Franco said. "I don't know how many more pitches I had in my arm."
The Mets (71-91) sent Art Howe home with perhaps his sweetest victory in two futile seasons as the Mets' manager.
"Today was about as good as it gets," Howe said.
Howe agreed on Sept. 15 to manage the Mets' last 17 games, after the team said he would not return for the last two years of his four-year contract.
It was as if the Mets won the game for Howe, who had removed the photographs from the walls of his office. He said he wished he could have only won more games this way.
"Not that he needed to, but I think he's gained even more respect from everybody, the way he's handled these last couple of weeks," said Tom Glavine, who allowed one run in six innings to finish the season with an 11-14 record.
The end of several eras came at 4:23 p.m., when Montreal outfielder Endy Chavez was retired after hitting a ground ball to Mets second baseman Jeff Keppinger.
Montreal Manager Frank Robinson got the game ball from the home-plate umpire, Angel Hernandez. Then Robinson looked into the Mets' dugout and waved at Howe.
Howe joined the handshake line in the middle of the field, then tipped his cap and waved to the fans before disappearing into the dugout. "All good things come to an end sometime," Howe said.
The season finale also ended forgettable eras for the Mets and the Expos. While the Mets were disappointing under Howe, the Expos hunted for a new home.
They finally found one last week in Washington, and the players, who played home games before sparse crowds in Montreal and San Juan, P.R., seemed relieved.
"The speculation constantly wears on you," said John Patterson, the losing pitcher yesterday. "We're ready to move on."
The game drew a large contingent of fans who wore Expos jerseys, waved Canadian and Quebec flags and held up homemade signs, some in French. In the top of the ninth, the Expos fans chanted, "Let's go, Expos!" Mets fans had tried to drown them out earlier, but they let them cheer one last time.
The Expos got their first two runners on, but Mets reliever Bartolome Fortunato struck out two before Chavez grounded out.
"I was just glad to be part of it - to be a part of history," Chavez said.
The only loose end seemed to be provided by Franco, the Mets' captain, who did not announce his retirement after the game.
"I want to relax and think about what I want to do," Franco said.
His teammates seemed certain Franco had reached the end, as did the Mets, who played a video of his career highlights before Howe called on him with two outs in the eighth.
"If the game was close, I would have felt funny going out in the ninth," Franco said.
But it was not close. Third baseman David Wright broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning with a two-run homer, and shortstop José Reyes scored twice and stole three bases.
Wright and Reyes are expected to be integral parts of the Mets' future. Yesterday belonged to those who will not join them in the Mets' next era, particularly Zeile. Howe said he got goose bumps after Zeile caught the eighth-inning pop-up.
"That's the stuff you read about in fairy tales," Howe said.
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THE STAR LEDGER
Mets: Zeile looks at travels as he reaches end of road
Sunday, October 03, 2004
BY TODD ZEILE
As told to David Waldstein
NEW YORK
I remember the first few times I came to New York (in 1990), I was really excited to see the city and look around. At that time, people were still really cautious about it and it still had a bad reputation for crime. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt on 42nd Street, and we were told not to go to Times Square at night and not to walk around by ourselves at night.
We had a bullpen catcher, I forget his name, but he went out one night with Pedro Guerrero, and after he came back to the hotel, he went out again and got mugged. I think he got jumped by two or three guys with a knife and they cut his shirt and beat him up a little. Luckily he had some money to give them. I remember thinking, "What an idiot." Everybody knew not to go out by yourself at 2 in the morning.
But I made sure to get out during the days and check out the delis and the stores and museums. I remember one time going to the Museum of Natural History, which was great. Initially, I didn't venture too far from the hotel. There is a Houlihan's right across the street, and like every young player in the league, I wore it out. But gradually I began to check out more stuff around the hotel.
I was never intimidated by the city. I loved it and was excited about it, and I always got a kick out of the fans, too. When you got to the stadium in those days, you could feel the excitement in your veins. They had Doc and Darryl, Hojo and Kevin McReynolds and Ron Darling and Sid. It was a big team full of big players, befitting a big city. It was very exciting for a young player from the West Coast.
CHICAGO
I loved playing in Chicago and that feeling of having a 9-5 job because of all the day games at Wrigley Field. I was there for about half the season (in 1995) and I think (my wife) Julianne and I ate at a restaurant called Ron of Japan about four nights a week. They got to know us pretty well there.
We lived in Lincoln Park, right across from the zoo, and we got a season pass to the zoo. Garrett was almost 2, and he loved it. Whenever I had a chance on a day off or after a game, we would go over there and check stuff out. It was tough getting traded from St. Louis, but that was a great place to be. PITTSBURGH
When I come to Pittsburgh now, I always think of Sept. 11. I was with the Mets in 2001, and we had arrived the night before for a series with the Pirates. That morning, I was lying in bed at about 9 o'clock when Julianne called from California. It was 6 a.m. there, so I knew it was something important. She told me to turn on the TV.
It was devastating. She called between the first plane and the second plane and we saw the second plane hit while we were talking. It was so surreal to see that. At that point, we knew it was terrorism.
Then we heard that a plane was missing over Pittsburgh. I remember thinking that if they were hitting Pittsburgh, too, they must have every place targeted, so it was very scary. I remember it was nearly impossible to get a phone line, so once we were connected we kept the line open for hours and hours because we were afraid we would lose the connection.
At about 2 o'clock, we were told we were going to change hotels because we were right across the street from a federal building and everyone was nervous to stay there, especially with the plane that went down outside of Pittsburgh. So we met down in the lobby, got on buses and went to a Ramada Inn about half an hour away.
That night, all of the guys, and I mean everyone, went down to the bar in the hotel and just watched the coverage on the big screen TV together. More than any other time since I've been in baseball, all the guys hung out together that night.
The next day, we got on buses and drove back to New York. I think we will always remember that feeling of coming over the George Washington Bridge and seeing the column of smoke billowing out from where the towers were. It was silent on the bus and you could smell it. It was a quiet, introspective moment for everyone.
MONTREAL
It's a great city and I've always loved it. One of the best times I remember was when Robin Ventura and I went out shopping for costumes for the rookie thing we do. It's a tradition to make the rookies wear outrageous costumes coming out of Montreal because they have to go through customs, which is the place where the most people would see them.
So Robin and I went out and looked around Old Montreal, but we had a tough time. There were no simple Halloween stores to get a Spiderman or Batman suit, so the only costumes we could find were these really elaborate costumes for formal masquerade balls, like these long gothic gowns and things, a suit of armor. Anyway, we still had a great day walking around the old town with the cobblestone streets, looking at the architecture and sitting at cafés. I remember it really well.
When I was with the Cardinals, my father came to Montreal and we went into the Cathedral of Notre Dame, which was beautiful, and I've always loved Old Montreal.
Montreal is a fun town and I think players always loved coming here. It's got a lot of great restaurants and shopping. There's also pretty good night life, for the guys that like that. I would bet that if you went back and checked the Expos' record on Sunday day games, it would be pretty good. I think the odds would be in Montreal's favor.
LOS ANGELES to MIAMI, via ST. LOUIS
When I think back to the night I was traded, it is such a surreal memory, a tough, strange night. It's not hard to date it, either. It was the night Frank Sinatra died, the night of the last episode of Seinfeld, and the night the Dodgers traded Mike Piazza and me.
It was a Thursday. After our game at Dodger Stadium, I got a message that (GM) Fred Claire wanted to talk to me and to stick around after the game. I had a sense something big was going on and I called Julianne and said, "I think we've been traded." At one point, I caught Mike's eye in the clubhouse, and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and we both were like, "You too?"
So we go in to talk to Fred and you could see the anguish in his face, because it was clear he didn't want to do the deal. All he could tell us at the time was that we were traded, but he couldn't tell us where or for what players. He said it would be resolved the next day.
We later found out it was because (Gary) Sheffield had to approve the deal first. We kept asking Fred, "Is it a three-team deal? Where are we going?" We finally got it out of him that it was Florida. (Much later, Fred told me he wanted no part of the deal, that it was a Fox deal to cut payroll and he was forced to do it. He felt bad because when I signed there he had basically made a solemn personal promise to me that I would never be traded.)
Anyway, the next day I decided I wasn't going to go to the park. I didn't want to be part of the whole circus. Mike went, but I went with Julianne and the kids to a Cheesecake Factory in the Valley and they had the game on. At the time, the trade wasn't announced and some people recognized me and they were asking me what I was doing there. I just told them I was taking the night off.
Eventually, Sheff made his demands and finally accepted the deal. I took a day to collect myself and then I met the Marlins in St. Louis, which, for obvious reasons, was kind of ironic for me. The night I got there was the night Mark McGwire hit the longest home run he says he ever hit in St. Louis. It hit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sign in straight-away center field in the upper deck.
From there it was on to Florida. I stayed with Mike at his house in Boynton Beach, which was cool. I actually liked it in Florida. I loved (manager) Jim Leyland and all the young guys (16 rookies). I hit fourth every day and we had fun.
But when Mike left for the Mets, it was kind of tough. I felt like I was stranded, kind of left behind. I had heard at one point that I might be in the deal, but it never happened. So I stayed at his house a few more days and then went to a hotel. Julianne came out with Hannah and Garrett. We would go swimming every day before I would head to the park. Not bad.
BALTIMORE
That was amazing. It was my first taste of the American League (it was 1996), and I remember I joined the club in Seattle. When I went out for batting practice, I saw Rafael Palmeiro, Robbie Alomar, Cal Ripken, B.J. Surhoff and Brady Anderson, and I was like, "Wow, these guys are incredible." What a lineup.
But (manager) Davey (Johnson) put me in the three-hole and we did pretty well. After Seattle, we went back to Baltimore, and I was staying at the Harbor Court Hotel near the park. We went on the road again and I had a couple of good games, I was swinging it really well. So when we came back to Baltimore, I checked back in the hotel and they gave me the nicest room I'd ever seen, this incredible palatial suite. I thought that was kind of cool.
I also thought Camden Yards was the coolest park going, with that old-style feel and the fans packed in there every night. When we got to the playoffs, it all just got that much more intense. It was pretty wild.
I was on deck when Robbie spat at the umpire, and then there was the Jeffrey Maier game in New York. I played well in the first two games of the ALCS against the Yankees.
I was stretching for Game 3 and Joe Torre comes over and says, "Hey, take it easy on me. You're young, I'm an old man and I might not get another shot at this."
Okay, Joe, whatever. I still give him a hard time about that.
PHILADELPHIA
This was my city for intellectual stimulation. When I was young, I would go to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Norman Rockwell Museum. The John Adams (an ancestor) blood would really get boiling in Philly.
TORONTO
The night we clinched my first playoff spot (with the Orioles in 1996), we went to celebrate at Gretzky's. Wayne wasn't there, but he arranged to have us in a private room and there were even some Blue Jays there hanging out with is. It was pretty subdued, but very nice.
ST. LOUIS I have so many memories of St. Louis since I played there for so long. Unfortunately, I left under difficult circumstances because the Cardinals reneged on a hand-shake deal.
It would take reams of space to tell the whole story, but suffice it to say they gave me a three-year deal and told me to buy a house (I almost lost a down payment) and asked me to be more involved in the community.
Then they pulled it off the table and tried to get me to accept to a one-year deal and pretend everything was okay. Luckily, I didn't buy the house and they traded me to Chicago the next day and fired Joe Torre.
ATLANTA
My final road trip and my final plane ride with a team. I didn't have time to do anything in Atlanta, but one nice thing was that a lot of the Braves said nice things to me when they got to first base. Chipper Jones congratulated me on 2,000 hits and sent a personalized bat over to me, which was very nice.
The trip back was routine. It was a quiet flight and I was reading "Angels and Demons." I didn't really think about it as my last team flight after so many hundreds of them, but one thing did cross my mind. When the flight attendants were handing out dinner, I passed because I haven't eaten on a flight for many years.
But I noticed that all the young guys on the team were getting everything they had. I kind of smiled at that, seeing them all pumped up about the shrimp cocktail and steak. I remember when I was younger, I used to devour everything they had, thinking it was such a great deal to get a meal like that.
It was a nice moment of passage. Anyway, we landed, and that was it. My final road trip after 16 years in the major leagues.
And what a great trip it's been.
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10/03/2004 4:30 PM ET Mets end season on Wright note Zeile hits three-run homer in final career at-bat By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com NEW YORK -- A reporter asked David Wright on Sunday morning whether there was an athlete playing today that he would pay to see perform. It didn't matter what sport, just if there was someone who was compelling enough to pay some cold hard cash to see. Wright hemmed and hawed a little, never quite settling on any one star. Doubtless, however, if many of his teammates were asked the same question, whether Wright's name would have come up. The young third baseman, one of the lone bright spots for the Mets this season, had yet another shining day at Shea Stadium, leading New York to a season-ending 8-1 victory over Montreal. The victory left New York with a 71-91 mark and also marked the end of Art Howe's tenure as New York's manager. In addition, the game gave the Mets a final record of 299-298 against Montreal in the 597 games the two teams have played since the Expos came into existence in 1969. While the Expos ceased to exist in the current form once the game ended, Wright's legacy remains to be written. Based on what he's shown in just over two months in the Major Leagues, Wright figures to catapult into the upper echelon of the game's stars before long. He drove in three New York runs on Sunday, including a pair on his 14th homer of the season, an opposite-field shot off John Patterson in the third inning that broke a 1-1 tie. The blast made a winner of Tom Glavine (11-14), who overcame a rough first inning to win for only the fourth time since June 13. Glavine labored through the first inning, allowing an RBI single to Terrmel Sledge before settling down. Glavine, who earned his 262nd career victory, went six innings, scattering three hits and striking out four. Wright also got the Mets on the board in the first, lofting a sacrifice fly to right that scored Jose Reyes, who had singled, stole second and was advanced to third. Reyes stole three bases on the day, allowing him to finish the season with 19. Patterson also plunked Wright in the side with a pitch in the fifth. Todd Zeile padded the lead in the sixth, smacking a three-run homer off the façade just below the left-field mezzanine in the final at-bat of his career. It was his ninth homer of the season and 253rd of his career.
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MSG NETWORK
MANY, MANY GOODBYES
No more Expos, no more Todd Zeile, no more Art Howe and no more 2004 baseball, as the Amazins ended their season with a resounding 8-1 win over the relocating 'Spos at Shea. Zeile ended his long career Ted Williams-style, homering in his last AB, and John Franco got in his likely last appearance as a Met, getting an out in the eighth. New York finishes at 71-91.
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METS.com
This and that: The Mets honored Todd Zeile, who was playing in the final game of his career, in a pregame ceremony, during which a video tribute was played. He was presented with a card signed by fans and a jersey signed by his teammates, and he was given a vacation by his teammates as a going-away gift.
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NY DAILY NEWS
Winds of changeblowing in Flushing
BY DARREN EVERSONDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
For several Mets, today isn't just the end of the season. For John Franco, it's probably the end of his Met career.For Art Howe, it definitely is. For Todd Zeile, it's the end, period.
As this wreck of a season concludes today against the Expos at Shea, more than a few Mets will be saying goodbye for good. Some are departing by choice, like Zeile. Others are casualties of this disappointing year, like Howe and the coaching staff, which - save for pitching coach Rick Peterson - is not expected to return.
Franco seems to be somewhere in between. The 44-year-old reliever said before last night's 6-3 loss to Montreal at Shea that he is undecided on whether he wants to continue pitching, but that he doesn't expect the Mets will bring him back as a player. Franco said he would be open to working within the organization if he does retire.
Either way, he realizes that today's game likely will be his last game as a Met.
"The 21 years I've been playing, I've been blessed," said Franco, who will pitch today for the first time since Sept.4, when his left shoulder started bothering him. "It's been great."
However, the team's recent upheaval has not been such fun for Franco, particularly the constant carping in the media that he and other Met veterans have had too much influence on management.
"It's so far from the truth ... I got sick talking about it," said Franco before describing the kind of personnel conversations he had with Mets management. "They would say, 'What do you think about this player?' 'He's a good player.' That's it. ... It's just like anywhere else, I would guess."
Howe, of course, didn't have to stick around after his firing became official, but he said yesterday he believes he made the right move by doing so. "I honored my contract," he said. "I'm an honorable person."
But he too bristled at the criticism he has received, which has centered on the idea that his laid-back style isn't right for New York.
"What is right for New York?" he said. "If you win, you're right for New York."
As for Zeile, he treasured his time here. He calls himself a "baseball nomad," having played 16 seasons on 11 different teams, but, he said, "the time I've had here has been the most special."
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NY TIMES
Franco and the Mets Ready for the Finale
By RON DICKER
John Franco, the Mets' 44-year-old relief pitcher, will probably make his 695th and final appearance as a Met today in the season finale against the Montreal Expos at Shea Stadium.
"It's a sad feeling," Franco said last night before the Mets lost to the Expos, 6-3, on a three-run homer by Brad Wilkerson in the ninth inning.
Mike Cameron hit his career-high 30th home run for the Mets (70-91), and Juan Rivera and Valentino Pascucci had solo homers off Al Leiter for the Expos (67-94).
Franco, who has not pitched since Sept. 4, does not figure to survive an anticipated upheaval in the bullpen, even if he decides to play another season. But he said he would consider a coaching job with the team.
Franco, who is second in the majors in career appearances (1,087) and saves (424), said he had been wavering on whether to retire after 20 years.
Farewells will fill a busy day of transition for the Mets. Manager Art Howe will sit on the bench for the final time; the team said Sept. 15 that he would not return. Howe planned to evaluate his future after he returns from a Colorado vacation with his wife. He said he had no regrets about sticking out the rest of the season as a lame-duck manager.
"I honored my contract," said Howe, who will be owed $4.7 million for two more years. "I'm an honorable person."
Rain before the game last night pushed Todd Zeile's retirement ceremony to today. Zeile, who has played with 11 different teams, leaves the game with more than 2,000 hits; he said he felt most connected to the Mets. Zeile, 39, had planned all along to make this his last season, a decision that he said "allowed me to smell the roses along the way."
The Expos, who are headed to Washington next season, will be playing their final game in Montreal uniforms.
