09/19/2004 5:02 PM ET
Zeile reaches 2,000-hit milestone
By George Von Benko / Special to MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- Todd Zeile collected his 2,000th career hit in the ninth inning of the Mets' 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a doubleheader on Sunday at PNC Park.
Zeile, a 14-year veteran, had drawn two walks and flied out to center in his previous plate appearances. He hit an infield single off the body of Pittsburgh reliever Jose Mesa with two outs and nobody on base.
"I guess it's a relief, to some degree," Zeile said. "Especially when we've had conversations the past couple weeks, my sentiment was that I was hoping to get enough at-bats and get swings and [manager, Howe] Art's had me in there. And I've been able to feel better at the plate as a result and get some hits over this past week to close the gap.
"It's a bit of a relief, but I guess it will sink in some other time when I start to think about it a little bit. It doesn't seem like something that's unattainable, because I've been playing for so long it seems like this progression, by virtue of the fact that I've been plugging away for so many years, I finally just caught up to it."
Zeile, who started behind the plate Saturday for the first time since 1990, nearly reached the milestone a day earlier. Jason Bay robbed Zeile of a homer and his 2,000th hit with a leaping catch in Saturday's Mets victory.
"That would have been a nice little capper, but you know that's the game," Zeile said on Saturday. "That's sort of indicative of the rest of my career. I've not really done things in a blaze of glory. I'll have to work for it, and I'll probably ground one up the middle one of these days."
And that's precisely how it was done. "I guess it's sort of fitting," said Zeile, who began his career in 1989 with the Cardinals and has played for 11 teams. "My first base hit was a hard ground ball up the middle. It didn't get a piece of the pitcher."
Zeile said getting the hit off veteran Jose Mesa was special.
"In some ways I glad it was today against Jose," Zeile said. "I've known Jose forever, and he's got such a great history of accomplishments in the game. He was actually a batterymate of mine in 1987, in the Dominican. So we go back a long way."
Zeile enters Sunday's nightcap with a .265 career average with 252 homers and 1105 RBIs in 2146 games.
League Baseball or its clubs.
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2004
Zeile catchesfor final time
Cameron's sac fly is key
By ADAM RUBINDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
PITTSBURGH - Todd Zeile wanted to catch again before he retired. He got that wish, and nearly career hit No. 2,000, too.
"Right now I'm a bootleg infielder at the end of his career, who is trying to relive a glory day," said Zeile, who donned catching equipment for the first time since Sept. 1, 1990, the second-longest gap in major-league history behind Gabby Street's 19-year hiatus. Street was managing St. Louis when he caught in 1931, nearly two decades after ending his major-league career as a Yankee.
As the Zeile and Art Howe farewell tours arrived in the manager's hometown, and the Allegheny River swelled 14 feet above its normal level to approach adjacent PNC Park, the Mets blew a seven-run lead but survived to beat the Pirates, 8-7, in 10 innings last night on Mike Cameron's sac fly. They did lose Cliff Floyd, who left with a strained lat muscle under his right arm.
The Mets, benefiting from four straight walks by Pittsburgh starter John Van Benschoten in the first, scored six runs in the inning to support Tom Glavine. But the southpaw, chosen for Zeile's catching return because of high accuracy and low velocity, allowed six runs in 5-2/3 innings. After the Mets built a 7-0 lead, the Pirates chipped away on a two-run homer and two-run double by ex-Met Ty Wigginton.
When Humberto Cota belted a two-run homer in the sixth to pull the Pirates within a run, Glavine departed. Zeile, never tested while behind the plate, finished the sixth, then moved to first base. Bartolome Fortunato lost the lead in the seventh, though Wigginton flied out with the bases loaded that inning and the score remained tied at 7.
Zeile singled in the second for career hit No. 1,999. He nearly became the 236th major leaguer to reach the 2,000 plateau in the sixth, but Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Bay reached over the wall to take away a seeming homer.
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2004
NY POST
TODD CATCHES UP
By MARK HALE
PITTSBURGH — This was supposed to be Todd Zeile's night. Until Jason Bay ruined it.
First, the 39-year-old Zeile got behind the plate to catch last night's 8-7, 10-inning win over the Pirates, returning to his original position for the first time in 14 years.
Then Zeile singled in the second inning, leaving him at 1,999 career hits and setting the stage for an at-any-at-bat milestone.
Sure enough, in the sixth inning, Zeile came up against reliever Mark Corey and blasted a drive to deep left. As Zeile followed the ball's flight, he seemed to be realizing one thing — I just got my 2000th hit, and I just got it on a home run.
Bay, the Pirates' hotshot rookie and former Met prospect who was traded two years ago for reliever Steve Reed in one of the worst deals in recent organizational history, raced back to the wall, reached his glove over it and somehow brought the ball out of the stands and back onto the field.
No home run, no 2,000th hit, no milestone for Zeile.
"I guess that means I've got to stick around another day," Zeile said. "It's indicative of the rest of my career. I've never done things in a blaze of glory. I've had to work for it."
Still, it was a cruel way to be denied, and Zeile was unable to capitalize on his next two chances, grounding out in the ninth and striking out in the 10th. So hit No. 2,000 will have to wait at least one more day.
Meanwhile, Bay would make things even worse for the Mets. His seventh-inning RBI triple tied the game at 7-7, bringing the Pirates back all the way from a six-run deficit. In the ninth, Bay then robbed David Wright of a game-winning hit with a diving catch of his liner.
Much of the Pirate comeback was due to Ty Wigginton, who tormented his ex-mates all night with a homer, double and career-high four RBIs. Hey, always good to see the Mets.
"It would have been better if we had won the game," Wigginton said. "But I'll admit it felt good to get a couple of hits and drive in some runs against those guys. I have a lot of friends there."
Said Zeile, "Wiggy, I think, was on a mission."
Two days after scoring seven first-inning runs, the Mets scored six more in the opening frame last night, highlighted by four walks and a pair of two-run doubles from Jeff Keppinger and Tom Glavine. They finally won it in the 10th on Mike Cameron's sac fly.
As for Zeile, he acquitted himself nicely behind the plate, catching for the first time since Sept. 1, 1990. Working with Glavine, Zeile appeared comfortable and Glavine enjoyed the battery rapport.
"I have a lot of respect for Todd as a player and a teammate and for what he's done," said Glavine, who surrendered six runs in 52/3 innings. "It was fun. I just wish it would have gone better." Cliff Floyd left the game with a strained right lat muscle that he hurt while swinging. Floyd hopes to play Tuesday
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THE JOURNAL NEWS
ZEILE LIVING HIS DREAM
By PETER ABRAHAM
PITTSBURGH — As he makes his way out of town, Art Howe has little inclination to see what rookies like Craig Brazell or Victor Diaz can do. But for Todd Zeile, no favor is too big.
Zeile not only got to catch his first game in 14 years last night, he started with staff ace Tom Glavine on the mound.
A catcher when he came up with the St. Louis Cardinals, Zeile was converted to a third baseman against his will in 1991. He has tried to get back behind the plate ever since, even if just for a game.
"I miss the interaction with the pitcher and the responsibility that goes with catching," he said. "I used to love that."
Now 39 and about to retire, Zeile made his pitch to catch again and Howe agreed. The lame-duck manager put him behind the plate for a meaningless game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"I used to be a catcher who could hit. Now I'm a bootleg infielder at the end of his career trying to relive the glory," Zeile said.
Zeile handled himself well behind the plate and the Mets recovered from blowing a seven-run lead to beat the Pirates 8-7 in 10 innings.
Mike Cameron's sacrifice fly was the difference for the Mets, who have actually won four of their last six.
The ever-magnanimous Howe also batted Zeile second knowing he was two hits shy of 2,000 for his career. Zeile singled in the second and nearly lined a home run to left field in the sixth. But Jason Bay snatched the ball out of the stands.
"It's indicative of the rest of my career. I've never done things in a blaze of glory, I've had to work for it," said Zeile, who finished 1 for 5 and caught six innings.
Zeile's place in baseball history is a unique one. He has played for 11 teams over 16 seasons. And despite 1,999 hits, 252 home runs and 1,105 RBI, he has never made an All-Star team.
Zeile is one of 13 players in big-league history to play 100 or more games at catcher, first base and third base. He also has pitched twice.
The Mets scored six runs off a wild John Van Benschoten in the first inning with Glavine smacking a two-run double.
But former Met Ty Wigginton lined a two-run homer to left in the second and had a two-run double in a four-run sixth that drove Glavine off the mound. His four RBI were a career high.
"I'll admit it felt good to get a couple of hits and drive in some runs against those guys," Wigginton said. "I have a lot of friends there."
Howe's unwarranted infatuation with Bartolome Fortunato cost the Mets the lead as he allowed an RBI triple by Bay in the seventh.
The winning run was set up when Wilson Delgado singled off Salomon Torres and went to third on a single by Diaz. Mini Manny is 3 for 6 since being called up.
Notes: Al Leiter is upset at being portrayed as a backstage power broker and told ESPN Radio on Friday that he might not want to return to the Mets. A day later, he admitted that wasn't the case. "It was my frustration coming out," he said. "I want to be back, of course. I want to be part of the solution." Leiter is particularly upset with WFAN's Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, whom he accused of overstating his influence and then belaboring the point. "After a while it just becomes fact if you say it enough times," he said. "Well, it's not. I'm not making any decisions." ... Cliff Floyd left the game in the fourth inning after pulling a muscle while swinging. He doesn't expect to play today. ... Reliever Mike Stanton was not with the team. His northern New Jersey home suffered significant flood damage. ... The "Fire Art Howe" Web site has splashed the words "mission accomplished" across its homepage and now redirects users to an anti-Fred Wilpon site called "Sell The Mets."
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THE NEW YORK TIMES
Mets' Victory Features a Certain Masked Man
By CHUCK FINDER
Published: September 19, 2004
ITTSBURGH, Sept. 18 - Todd Zeile hunkered down behind home plate at PNC Park at 7:32 p.m. Saturday and was a catcher on 14 years 16 days of rest.
"Should be fresh," he said beforehand.
It was one more meaningful piece of Zeile's retirement tour, a chance for him to play a position that was an unrequited love for nearly a decade and a half, ever since Joe Torre, the St. Louis Cardinals' manager at the time, switched him to third base.
With the permission of the Mets' outgoing manager, Art Howe, and with the approval of starting pitcher Tom Glavine, Zeile, a veteran of 16 seasons and 11 teams, played catcher for the first time since Sept. 1, 1990.
The Mets were not harmed by the experiment in an 8-7 victory in 10 innings. Zeile walked and scored in the first inning, when Pirates starter John Van Benschoten walked four consecutive batters. The Mets scored six runs in the first, helped by two-run doubles from Jeff Keppinger and Glavine.
In the second, Zeile collected career hit No. 1,999 on a single. With Glavine aboard in the sixth, Zeile appeared to get No. 2,000 when he clubbed a ball over the left-field wall, only to watch Jason Bay rob him of the homer on a leaping catch.
"He took 2,000 away from me," a grinning Zeile said afterward. "A home run, that would have been a nice little capper. But I've never really done things in a blaze of glory. Had to work for everything."
Ty Wigginton, the former Mets third baseman who was sent to Pittsburgh on July 30 in the trade that netted starting pitcher Kris Benson, hit a two-run homer in the second and a two-run double in the sixth to help erase a 7-0 Mets lead.
Humberto Cota homered after Wigginton's sixth-inning double to end the night for Glavine, as well as Zeile's stint behind the plate. Zeile moved to first base in the seventh, with Jason Phillips catching relievers who allowed the Pirates to tie the score at 7-7.
In the 10th, after Mike Cameron's sacrifice fly gave the Mets an 8-7 lead, Zeile struck out looking.
"I could do it again, sure," Zeile said of playing behind the plate. "I've always kept my catcher's glove around."
INSIDE PITCH
After striking out in the fourth, Cliff Floyd left the game with a strained muscle under his right armpit. He planned to skip Sunday's doubleheader. "After a day off Monday, see how it feels and come back Tuesday," Floyd said.
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2004
METS.COM
Early, late runs lift Mets by Bucs
Zeile catches first game since 1990, nets hit No. 1,999
By George Von Benko / Special to MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- The New York Mets could not stand prosperity as they squandered a seven-run lead, but they avoided defeat. Mike Cameron delivered a clutch 10th-inning sacrifice fly, driving in Wilson Delgado to secure an 8-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in front of 19,236 on Saturday night at PNC Park.
With one out in the 10th inning, the Mets got back-to-back singles from Delgado and pinch-hitter Victor Diaz, putting runners at first and third. Cameron then lofted a fly ball to center field off reliever Salomon Torres (7-5), driving in his 75 run of the season.
"The only downside was Tommy [Glavine] didn't get the win and we wanted to get it for him," Mets manager Art Howe said. "But we did hang in there and got it done."
Tyler Yates (2-4), one of six pitchers used by the Mets, notched the win, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Braden Looper pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10th for his 25th save.
New York starter Glavine, who has not won since Aug. 27, pitched 5 2/3 innings and surrendered six runs on six hits as he received a no-decision.
"It's the same old story that I've had in the last month," Glavine said. "I feel good in spurts, and then I don't feel good in spurts. And I'm trying to find the groove that I had for the first half of the year but I haven't had for the last month. It certainly hasn't been there the last five or six times I've pitched, and I've got to keep trying to work at it and try to find it."
Glavine's batterymate was Todd Zeile, who was behind the plate for the first time since Sept. 1, 1990, when he was with St. Louis.
Zeile went 1-for-5 and is now one hit away from 2,000 in his career.
"He [left fielder Jason Bay] took 2,000 away from me, robbing a home run," Zeile said. "That would have been a nice little capper, but you know that's the game. That's sort of indicative of the rest of my career. I've not really done things in a blaze of glory. I'll have to work for it, and I'll probably ground one up the middle one of these days."
"Jason Bay really had a heck of a night defensively for them," Howe stated. "He took a two-run homer away from Zeile and then made a diving catch later in the game that really kept them in the game."
Pittsburgh rookie starter John Van Benschoten had a quick exit. He retired one batter and was battered for six runs on two hits and issued four walks.
New York jumped on Van Benschoten for six runs in the top of the first inning. Following a strikeout of leadoff hitter Cameron, he tied a Pittsburgh club record by issuing four consecutive walks (Jim Bibby walked four consecutive Atlanta Braves on May 25, 1983).
Following free passes to Zeile, Cliff Floyd and Mike Piazza, Van Benschoten walked David Wright, driving in Zeile. Richard Hidalgo stroked a RBI single and picked up his 82nd RBI.
Second baseman Jeff Keppinger, a former Pittsburgh farmhand, dumped a broken-bat, two-run double down the left-field line, upping the New York lead to 4-0. That was the end of the evening for Van Benschoten, who was replaced by right-hander Nelson Figueroa.
Following a walk to Delgado, Glavine hit a two-run double, scoring Hidalgo and Keppinger. Delgado was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning. Cameron was retired, ending the Mets rampage that staked Glavine to a 6-0 lead. The onslaught continued in the second inning as Zeile singled to left and Bay committed an error, allowing Zeile to move to third base. Floyd picked up his 63rd RBI with a double to left-center, increasing the Mets lead to 7-0.
Pittsburgh cut the lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the second inning as ex-Met Ty Wigginton smacked a two-run homer off Glavine. It was home run No. 15 for Wigginton, upping his RBI total to 55.
Wigginton stung the Mets again with a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line, slicing the Mets' lead to 7-4. Wigginton equaled his career high with the four-RBI game. Catcher Humberto Cota followed with a two-run home run to left-center, his sixth of the season, cutting the lead to 7-6. New York went to its bullpen with Bartolome Fortunato replacing Glavine.
"Wiggy's going to come and battle you and we knew that coming in," said Howe. "We just got behind him every time. We couldn't get ahead of him, and he put good swings on it."
Pittsburgh tied the game at 7 when Bay tripled off Fortunato in the bottom of the seventh inning, driving in Jack Wilson, who had walked. It was Bay's 73rd RBI of the season.
Fortunato, Heath Bell, Pedro Feliciano, Yates and Looper held the Pirates scoreless the rest of the way.
The win raised the Mets' record in extra inning games to 10-5.
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2004
Seven-run first inning propels Mets
Trachsel earns 11th victory with solid effort
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Jose Capellan had an impressive minor league resume, but it took the Mets only an inning to dismantle the hard-throwing rookie Thursday night.
New York sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning, plating seven runs and chasing Capellan en route to a 9-4 victory before 19,885 at Shea Stadium. The victory allowed New York to take the series from Atlanta, 3-2. It was the first series the Mets won since they took two of three at Colorado on Aug. 17-19.
Steve Trachsel (11-13) snapped a five-game losing streak, picking up his first victory since Aug. 10. The veteran right-hander had been 0-5 with a no-decision in his last six starts, but had little trouble picking up his 49th victory as a Met after getting spotted a seven-run lead.
The Mets made it an easy night for Trachsel from the first batter. Mike Cameron, who had two hits in the inning, led off with a double and stole third before scoring on Jeff Keppinger's sacrifice fly. A walk to Cliff Floyd and a single by Mike Piazza put runners in scoring position for David Wright, who singled to left for his 34th RBI of the season.
"He wasn't getting over with his breaking ball, and once that happens he's a one-pitch pitcher," Mets manager Art Howe said. "And I don't care how well you throw it, they're going to sit on it."
Richard Hidalgo followed by slamming Capellan's first pitch into the left-field mezzanine for a three-run homer, his 25th roundtripper of the season. Todd Zeile then blasted a 2-1 offering to the deepest part of the left center-field bleachers to give New York a 6-0 lead. Capellan allowed only one homer in 139 2/3 minor-league innings this season.
"At that point, I'm looking for the fastball," Zeile said. "The kid had a reputation of throwing hard. But if you can't get your breaking ball over, you can gear up for the fastball. Guys at this level can hit the fastball. His breaking ball was sharp, he just wasn't throwing it for strikes. The few times he tried to get in the zone he missed with it.
"That allowed us to get into a hitter's count and prepare for the fastball. The kid touched 100 this year [on the gun]. He has good stuff. But at this level, I've never seen anyone get away with a fastball as his only pitch, no matter how hard he throws it."
Capellan also had a sparkling 152-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the minor leagues. But he was pitching on three days' rest and proceeded to walk Wilson Delgado following the homers. After Trachsel bunted Delgado over, Cameron drove him in with a single, making him the second Met to collect two hits in an inning this year. Gerald Williams had two hits in the first inning against Los Angeles on Aug. 27.
The seven runs were the most the Mets had scored in an inning since Sept. 27, 2003, at Florida. It was also the most first-inning runs New York had scored since plating seven on July 31, 2002, against Houston.
Zeile later added an RBI double leaving him two hits shy of 2,000 for his career.
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09/16/2004 7:57 PM ET
Zeile behind plate one last time
Veteran to serve as Glavine's catcher Friday
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Todd Zeile has several goals he wanted to meet before he takes off a uniform for the final time on Oct. 3.
One of them is reaching 2,000 career hits, and he needs two more after hitting a first-inning homer and a fifth-inning double Thursday against the Braves.
Zeile's other objective before calling an end to his 16-year career is to get behind the plate one final time. He began his career as a catcher with St. Louis in 1989, and played 128 as a catcher before the Cardinals moved him to third base. He last caught on Sept. 1, 1990, at Atlanta, with Ken Hill on the mound.
Tom Glavine will be on the mound Friday night when the Mets take on the Pirates at PNC Park. The veteran southpaw has been throwing to Zeile in the bullpen the last few weeks and signed off on the move.
"It's something that's a little exciting," Zeile said. "I'll be a little nervous. Not so much because I'm catching as much as I want to give Glav a chance to win. I just hope he can go nine innings, because I haven't had the opportunity to catch many of the other guys. At least not to a point where I know what their stuff is going to do."
Manager Art Howe has been looking for an opportunity to get Zeile into a game as catcher and was hopeful of doing it at Shea Stadium. Because he wanted him to catch Glavine, though, he was limited. Glavine isn't slated to pitch at home again until the last weekend of the season, and Howe didn't want to take a chance on the game being rained out.
"It's important to him," said Howe, who has also been adamant about keeping Zeile in the lineup until he reaches the 2,000-hit plateau. "I asked him if he wanted to do a whole game or an inning or two, and he said he wanted to do the whole game. He's been working in the 'pen to get prepared.
"[Bullpen catcher] Nelson [Silverio] has been working with him and he looks confident. It's like riding a bike. At first he might be a little rusty, but he should be ready."
Glavine said it would be fun to have Zeile catch him, saying it was "two old guys trying to get it done."
"We've talked about it for a long time now," Glavine said. "I mentioned it to him in Florida a couple of months ago. I have a lot of respect for him as a player. I think it will be neat. He receives the ball well. I don't know how he'll be throwing the ball or how he'll feel after being in a crouch for three innings, but he says he's ready. We'll find out."
Zeile said that catching was what he enjoyed most about the game when he broke in with the Cardinals. He pointed out, as he has in the past, that catching was something that was taken away from him, rather than something he gave up voluntarily.
He said that Joe Torre, then the Cardinals skipper, and he "locked horns" about moving him from behind the plate. The Cards felt that because Torre was able to make the move during his playing days, then Zeile could, too. Terry Pendleton was playing third base at the time, and he was benched the final month of the season so Zeile could learn the position. Zeile said that he and Pendleton, now a coach for the Braves, talked about it Thursday afternoon during batting practice.
Zeile said that once he established himself as an infielder, there was no reason for him to go back behind the plate.
"I've always been a manager's best friend," he said. "With me around, there is no reason to carry a third catcher."
Zeile is one of 23 Major Leaguers who have caught 100 or more games and played 100 or more games at third base. In addition, he is one of only 13 players who caught 100 or games, appeared at third in 100 or more games and also played 100 or more games at first.
His 14 years in between appearances as a backstop is the second-longest gap in Major League history. Gabby Street was a catcher with Cincinnati, the Boston Braves, Washington and the Yankees from 1904-1912. He caught one game 19 years later while managing the Cards in 1931.
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MSGNETWORK.COM
Zeile to make first start behind plate in 14 years
Sep 16, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Todd Zeile will strap on his catcher's gear one last time.
Zeile, who intends to retire at the end of this season, will start behind the plate for the first time in 14 years Friday night when the New York Mets visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He has not caught since 1990 with St. Louis _ his second year in the majors.
"It's exciting," Zeile said Thursday before the Mets played Atlanta. "I think I'll be a little nervous."
The 39-year-old Zeile has spent most of his career at third base and first base. But he's been catching in the bullpen lately, and he told Mets manager Art Howe he would like to catch in a game one more time before he calls it quits.
"It's important to him," Howe said. "I asked him how important it was to him and he said he really wanted to catch again. So, I asked him if he wanted to catch an inning or a whole game, and he said he wanted to catch a full game."
Tom Glavine will be the Mets' starting pitcher Friday, and Zeile has been working with the left-hander.
"I really wanted him to catch here in front of our fans, but he's probably most comfortable catching Tommy," Howe said.
"I'm just hoping Glav goes all nine innings," Zeile said.
The last time Zeile caught in a major league game was Sept. 1, 1990, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It's the second-longest span between appearances behind the plate. Gabby Street, a catcher for Cincinnati, Boston (NL), Washington and the New York Yankees from 1904-1912, caught in one game 19 years after his last appearance while managing the Cardinals in 1931.
Zeile came up through St. Louis' system as a catcher and played 128 games behind the plate. But the Cardinals, then managed by Joe Torre, moved Zeile to third base to make room for future Gold Glove winner Tom Pagnozzi.
Zeile was resistant to the switch, but he became a serviceable third baseman in the big leagues. He's also played quite a bit at first base in recent years.
"It was more the front office," Zeile said. "Joe and I locked horns about it a little bit, too. It's important to me partly because it was something that was taken away from me. Working with pitchers and being involved in the game calling _ I think that's what I enjoyed the most about the game and I've had to live vicariously from the two corner positions."
Zeile has played third, first and the outfield for St. Louis, the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Florida, Texas, Colorado, the New York Yankees, Montreal and the Mets in his 16 seasons _ but hadn't had another opportunity to catch until now.
"Once I got from behind the plate and kept my bat in the lineup and showed that I can handle myself out there, there was never a real need to move me back," Zeile said.
Zeile homered in the first inning Thursday for his 1,997th career hit. He is one of 13 players to play 100 or more games each at catcher, first base and third base. He's even pitched in two games since his last appearance behind the plate, the last time coming earlier this season.
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Zeile for catching
By Bryan Hoch Mets Inside Pitch Magazine Online:
Date: Sep 16, 2004
As the Mets' disappointing season bows to the pursuit of individual achievements, Todd Zeile will score a personal victory on Friday.
Zeile, who last caught in 1990 with the Cardinals, has chirped for some time about wanting to get back behind the dish before he retires at year's end. He'll get that chance on Friday, when he catches Tom Glavine.
"It's exciting," Zeile said. "I'm a little nervous, not as much because I can't do it, but because I still want to give Glav a chance to win."
Zeile came up through the Cardinals farm system as a catcher, catching 128 games (119 starts) in the major leagues before becoming a serviceable corner infielder. Though he hasn't worn the tools of ignorance in a game for over a decade, Zeile has been working with bullpen catcher Nelson Silverio on a variety of drills this season.
In addition to eagerly warming up pitchers in-between innings, Zeile has caught a number of pitchers' side sessions in recent weeks. One of those hurlers was Glavine, who proclaimed Zeile ready for game action and said he wouldn't mind throwing to him.
"It's important to [Zeile]," Howe said. "He wants to catch a whole game. All parties are on the same page, and I'm sure he'll do well."
Howe said that he would have rather had Zeile catch in front of a crowd at Shea Stadium, but plotted out Glavine's starts and realized that the lefthander won't take the hill at home again until the final week of the season.
"Who knows, with our luck we'd get rained out on the last day," Howe said. "He wouldn't even get to catch. I didn't want to wait that long."
Assuming Zeile makes the start Friday, his 14 years between appearances as a catcher will be the second-most in baseball history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Gabby Street holds the mark with 19 years, catching with the Yankees as an active player in 1912. Street caught one game for the Cardinals in 1931, after he'd been managing the club.
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2004
NY Fans Only.com
Todd Zeile has been begging Howe for a chance to catch before he retires at the end of the year, but Howe was reportedly surprised to learn that Zeile hasn't caught since 1990. That could short-circuit his chances, although Zeile has been very enthusiastic about warming up pitchers between innings when the Mets' catcher du jour has been stranded on base.
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09/09/2004 12:26 PM ET
Notes: Zeile closing on milestone
Veteran enters Thursday nine hits shy of 2,000
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
MIAMI -- Todd Zeile gets a little sheepish when asked about trying to reach one more career milestone before he hangs up his glove and cleats for the final time next month.
The well-traveled infielder needed nine hits going into Thursday's game to reach 2,000 for his career. Should he reach that goal, he would become the 85th player in history to reach that plateau as well as the 250-homer and 1,000-RBI mark.
Zeile went 0-for-3 in the Mets' 4-0 victory over Florida on Thursday.
New York manager Art Howe has made it a point of saying that he'd like to see Zeile get those nine hits. That was a big reason why Zeile celebrated his 39th birthday on Thursday by making his 65th start of the season. While Zeile appreciates the effort on Howe's part, he says he doesn't figure to lose much sleep if he ends his career just short of the goal.
"The team is being real good about it," Zeile said. "It's sort of an insignificant goal at the end of a rough season at this point. The numbers never meant a lot to me. But I've come this far so I'd like to find a way to get it done. In the big picture, though, it might mean a little more to some people than it does to me.
"I think life will still be exciting if I reach 2,000 or finish at 1,991 or 1,999. I guess it's something to strive for to round off the end of my career and reach a legitimate milestone."
Howe said he'd also try and get Zeile an inning or two in at catcher before the end of the year, allowing him to play the position he was at when he began his career with St. Louis.
