Mets Steal Zeile From Texas

December 12, 1999 / 5:18 AM EST / CBS/AP

The delay in signing the glut of free agent pitchers cost the Texas Rangers a productive third baseman late Saturday night when the New York Mets stunned many throughout the game by signing Todd Zeile.

Zeile will move to first base to replace the departed John Olerud.

As if that weren't an odd enough twist -- Zeile has played just 76 games at first base in his 11-year major-league career -- a bizarre news conference ended with the Mets in the front of the room and a glum-looking Doug Melvin, Texas' general manager, sitting at a back table attempting to explain how the Rangers lost Zeile when they appeared to have been closing in on a deal just five hours earlier.

Said Zeile: "If things had moved a little sooner in Texas, I probably wouldn't have been in a position to speak with Steve (Phillips, the Mets' GM)."

Zeile signed a three-year, $18 million deal with a limited no-trade clause.

How Zeile, who batted .293 with 24 homers and 98 RBI for Texas last season, landed as Olerud's replacement in New York is a study in the volatile and unpredictable nature of baseball's winter meetings.

Zeile told the Rangers toward the end of the 1999 season of his interest in re-signing, and even purchased a house in Texas with a Nov. 15 closing date contingent on his re-signing with the Rangers. But while Zeile, 34, was anxious to commit, the Rangers weren't in such a hurry because they were conversing with free agent right-hander Aaron Sele and attempting to determine the market for the pitching help they needed.

Melvin acknowledged as much in attempting to explain how he lost Zeile.

"We weren't prepared to go three years (early in the negotiations) because we had other things we were doing," Melvin said. "We were discussing pitchers. There was some sentiment whether to sign Todd or go with two pitchers.

"That doesn't mean we're going to sign two pitchers, but we weren't going to sign two pitchers and Todd."

The Mets contacted Zeile after Olerud signed with Seattle on Wednesday and floated the idea of Zeile changing positions. Zeile was intrigued by the idea and, in doing his homework on the Mets, contacted catcher Mike Piazza, with whom he played in Los Angeles in 1997 and 1998.

"In general, I asked him for an overall description of the ballclub," Zeile said.

"We played together in LA and knew how that tam was, and he told me that in the situation in New York, a lot more guys were on the same page. He said there was good camaraderie, that often 10 or 12 guys at a time would go out and do things together."

Zeile spoke with Piazza on both Thursday and Friday, but still appeared set to sign with Texas on Saturday morning. Late Friday night, Melvin finally offered him a three-year deal with a no-trade clause in the first two seasons followed by a 15-team no-trade clause in the third year.

Given that and the fact that Melvin met the request of Zeile's agent, Seth Levinson, to increase the base salary to more than that of New York Yankees' third baseman Scott Brosius (three years, $15.750 million), Melvin left Friday night's meeting believing he was closing in on a deal.

"We were led to believe that if we could (meet those demands), we would get the deal done," Melvin said.

But Phillips became more aggressive on Saturday, and he had one thing working for him that Melvin didn't: New York City.

"The fact is, I have always wanted to play in New York," Zeile said.

"I've always loved playing there, whether it was against the Yankees or the Mets. In the world of sports, there is no place that compares to New York City for an athlete. Challenges come along with it, but with challenges, there are great rewards."

One of them, from Zeile's perspective, is the opportunity to play with a team he feels is championship-caliber and the chance to join an infield considered the finest in the majors.

Phillips said he thinks Zeile will make the transition from third to first base easily.

"I think that given his athletic ability, the transition will not be difficult," Phillips said. "He has had experience in changing positions (Zeile broke into professional baseball as a catcher) and we've had experience with it with Fonzie (Edgardo Alfonzo) moving from second base to third base. Cookie Rojas (the Mets' infield coach) is a big help."

It is a bold move by the Mets, who took just four days to replace Olerud.

"When we looked at our options once John Olerud made the decision to sign with Seattle, we quickly had some conversations with Seth Levinson," Phillips said. "As we started to evaluate our other options, with him having played at first base, we realized that this was the way to go.

"He's had 90-plus RBI in each of the past four years, and we realized he would be a nice complement to our lineup and, in our minds, a very good first baseman. After evaluating some of the discussions we had (Friday), we moved very quickly to put something on the table. We're very glad to have him on board."

When the Rngers' group broke for dinner about 6 p.m. Saturday, they still thought they were only a couple of hours away from a deal with Zeile. When Zeile and his agent went to dinner, though, he was still undecided. Sometime between 8 and 9 p.m., he finally decided that he could not resist the lure of New York City.

"Obviously, we had a hole to fill," Phillips said.

"They're different players, John and Todd. They're different, but I think we've probably got a little more pop with what Todd can do. We're glad to get the hole filled, and we worked with the money we had set aside for Olerud."

Translation: The Mets now will continue their search for pitching and a slugging outfielder. One nice thing about signing a free agent first baseman, as Phillips said, is that he still has chips to use in trade for a pitcher or outfielder.

And might that outfielder be Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr.?

"From what I heard, (rumors) got out of control in the lobby today for something that's not happening," Phillips told SportsLine. "We met with Seattle, but there is nothing imminent."

Asked if he's made a formal offer for Griffey, Phillips declined to answer -- he only re-emphasized that he doesn't consider the Mets to be players in the Griffey sweepstakes.

At least, not as Saturday night faded into Sunday morning.