Mike DiFelice #8

Mike, an original Ray, started 228 games for the Rays as the backup to catcher John Flaherty in the Rays first four seasons. His career percentage of throwing out base stealers (35.4) is the best career mark in club history. An excitable sort, DiFelice was ejected three times during his Rays career, tied for second most (with Carl Crawford) among Tampa Bay players, behind only Greg Vaughn (4). In January 2007, Mike became only the 16th inductee into the University of Tennessee Baseball Hall of Fame. He lettered from 1989-91 as a catcher and relief pitcher. In 1990, he placed among the top 10 in the SEC in hitting (.353), home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.624). He earned second-team All-SEC honors that season and went on to finish his career with a .308 batting average, 123 hits, 17 home runs and 82 RBI. His UT pitching totals included a 3-1 record and four saves...The avid hunter and fisherman has traveled as far as Saskatchewan, Canada to hunt Whitetail deer and as far as Venezuela to fish. Over the course of Mike's baseball career, the DiFelice family has been involved with many charities including the Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters (Tampa Bay Chapter) and MLB Children's Trust.

2007

For the 3rd straight season saw part-time duty with the New York Mets due to injuries...had two tours with the Mets starting a total of 11 games behind the plate...Began the season at AAA New Orleans but joined the Mets briefly, July 29-Aug. 2, when Sandy Alomar, Jr., was designated for assignment...joined the Mets Aug. 12 when Paul LoDuca went on the disabled list and remained with the club the rest of the season...Started five consecutive games, August 14-18, when Ramon Castro was injured as well...caught win #301 for Tom Glavine and contributed a 2-run triple in the 8th inning of the Mets' 6-2 win over Washington on August 19...In his first game he was 1-for-3 with a double and picked a runner off third base in the Mets' 10-4 win over the Marlins on Aug. 12...in his first start he was 2-for-4 with an RBI double as the Mets beat Pittsburgh, 5-4 on Aug. 14...Collected a season-high 3 hits in the Mets' 5-2 win over the Dodgers on Aug. 24...it was his 13th game with 3+ hits, first since Aug. 11, 2003 with KC vs. the Yankees...During his career, has thrown out 136 of 416 attempted base stealers, a 33.0% success rate...Among active catchers (min. 500 games) he ranks 5th behind Ivan Rodriguez (43.3%), Henry Blanco (41.0%), Jason LaRue (36.5%) and Brian Schnieder (36.3%).

2006

Started nine games at catcher...Had his contract purchased by the Mets on Aug. 4 from Norfolk (AAA) of the International League...Before joining the Mets, he played in 39 games with Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League and in two games with Norfolk...At Binghamton, he had seven games with two hits and one game with three hits, July 3 vs. New Hampshire...Hit safely in 22 of 39 games he played for the B-Mets...Went to Spring Training with the Washington Nationals...Was released by Washington on March 27 and signed with the Mets on May 31.

2005

The last sounds of the season intended for DiFelice's ears were the boos directed at him at Shea Stadium on the final day. The reason: he wasn't Mike Piazza. DiFelice had spent most of his career -- 512 games and 1,473 at-bats -- to that point, proving as much. He is a defensively-skilled reserve catcher. If the Mets platoon behind the plate, he will not be part of the plan. And if they import a regular catcher, chances are DiFelice won't be the on-roster understudy. He could have another season as a part-time Triple-A catcher, though.

2003

Was 1 of 2 non-roster invites to make the Royals Opening Day roster...made an Opening Day roster for the 6th-straight season...Hit .254 in 62 games for KC, going 48-for-189 with 29 runs, 16 doubles, 3 home runs and 25 RBI...Made his Royals debut on April 4, starting behind the plate and going 1-for-4 with an RBI...Hit his 1st homer of the season over the Green Monster at Boston on April 29...His 2nd homer of the year proved to be the game-winning hit in the Royals 4-0 victory at Baltimore on May 4...Had a 6-game hitting streak snapped at Seattle on May 21...Went 0-for-4 vs. San Francisco on June 13, snapping a 6-game hitting streak from May 27-June 7, during which he hit .429 (9-for-21)...Set a season-high with 3 hits at Cleveland on June 24, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI...Recorded his career-best 16th double on Aug. 8 vs. New York with a 3 RBI game...his total surpassed his previous best of 13 in 2000 with Tampa Bay...stole 3rd base for his 1st stolen base of the season in the same game... Hit a career-best three doubles in the game vs. New York on Aug. 11 as KC broke the club record with 11 doubles in the game (previously nine at Chicago, May 13, 1979)...the 2 teams also combined for an A.L. record 19 total doubles and a club record 21 combined extra-base hits...Was ejected in the 1st inning of the Aug. 16 game vs. Minnesota by home plate umpire Jerry Layne after arguing a call at the plate...was given a 2-game suspension by Major League Baseball for the incident...Threw out 30 percent of opposing baserunners, throwing out 16 baserunners, while allowing 37 stolen bases.

2002

Returned to the Cardinals after spending the previous 4 seasons with Tampa Bay and Arizona. ...Made his 1st career postseason appearance with the Cardinals, playing in 1 game against the Giants in the Championship series (0-1)...Played in 70 games and made 51 starts behind the plate... caught 21 of Matt Morris' 32 starts and 4 of the Cards' 8 shutout wins...Had 1 pickoff and threw out 9 of 32 (28 percent) would-be base stealers...Went 2-for-5 on Opening Day vs. Colorado on April 1...drove in the Cards' 1st run of the season with a 2nd-inning single and crushed a 415-foot solo homer in the 4th...Had a 3-for-4 game with a single, double, homer and was hit by a pitch on April 6 at Houston...teamed with Eli Marrero to hit back-to-back homers in the 8th inning...Batted .345 (10-for-29) with 5 doubles in 11 games played in the month of July...Delivered a key 2-out, 2-run single in the 6th inning of 5-1 win on July 18 vs. San Francisco...Matched his season high with 3 hits at Pittsburgh on July 20...Singled, walked, scored a run and picked a runner off 2nd base in a Sept. 8 win vs. Chicago.

2001

Batted .208 in 48 games with the Devil Rays before a July 25 trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks...Compiled a season-best six-game hitting streak from May 26-29...Went 3-for-4 with two runs at Oakland on May 29...Went just 1-for-21 (.048) in 12 games with Arizona...Was optioned to Tucson (AAA) on Aug. 24 and batted .346 (9-for-26) with 1 home run in 7 games...Was released by the Diamondbacks on Sept. 4.

2000

Made 57 starts and established career highs in runs (23) and doubles (13) and matched his career best in home runs (6)...his batting average dipped from .307 in 1999 to .240...20 of his 49 hits went for extra bases...nailed 30% (15-of-50) attempted base stealers, but tied for second among A.L. catchers with eight errors...batted .294 with four home runs before the All-Star break and just .179 with two homers after the break...celebrated his 31st birthday with a 3-for-4 performance 5/28 vs. SEA (his leadoff HR in the eighth inning broke a 3-3 tie and began an 11-run, 10-hit inning for the D-Rays)...equaled his career high with an eight-game hitting streak 6/21-7/13.

1999

Batted a career-best .307 - 71 pts higher than his career average entering the season...was batting just .214 on June 20, but hit .350 (43-for-123) with five homers and 21 RBIs over his final 34 games...ended the year with a season-best seven-game hitting streak...belted a career-high six home runs...gunned down 41% (16-of-39) would-be base stealers on the year...made 50 starts behind the plate posting a 4.58 ...catcher's ERA"...the D-Rays had a 5.28 ERA with other catchers...tied his career high with four hits 8/4 at SEA...had a career-high five RBI 7/1 at BOS...batted .393 (24-for-61) with 12 RBIs against the four A.L. playoff teams.

1998

Was selected by Tampa Bay in the Expansion Draft and started 75 games for the Devil Rays...ranked third in the American League by nabbing 37% (29-of-78) attempted base stealers (the A.L. average was 28%)...D-Rays pitchers worked to a 4.21 ERA with Mike behind the plate, the fourth-best mark among A.L. catchers with at least 81 games...began the season with a career-best eight-game hitting streak (9-for-24, .375)...ranked ninth in the A.L. with a .281 BA on 0-2 counts (9-for-32)...hit the first three-run homer in the history of Tropicana Field on 4/4 vs. Chicago's Carlos Castillo.

1997

Opened the year at Arkansas and played just one game there before a promotion to St. Louis...made 81 starts - tops among major league rookie catchers...Cardinals pitchers posted a 3.68 ERA with him behind the plate - third-best in the N.L. and fifth-best in the majors...nailed 35% (34-of-96) attempted base stealers...paced the club with a .322 (19-for-59) batting average with runners in scoring position, the second among major league rookies...after going 1-for-21 in his first eight games, clubbed his first big-league homer on 5/8 off Phillies' Mike Mimbs...batted .255 (61-for-239) after his 1-for-21 start...had a career-high four hits 5/24 at SF.

1996

Was productive in his first full season at Triple-A...hit at or above the .300 mark for most of the season and ended the year at .285..hit .301 vs. LHP, but eight of his nine home runs came off righties...erased 37% (23-of-62) of attempted base stealers...hit .316 in May, .310 in June and .314 in July...earned a late-season promotion to the big leagues and made his debut as a ninth-inning defensive replacement on 9/1 vs. COL...made his first start on 9/25 at PIT and garnered two hits and an RBI.

1995

Began the season at Arkansas and batted .341 at Ray Winder Field, but hit just .198 in Travelers' road games...earned an August promotion to Triple-A Louisville.

1994

Moved up to Double-A Arkansas and established career highs in nearly every offensive category...threw out 46% of would-be base thieves.

1993

Opened the year at Springfield (A) and also spent time at St. Petersburg before a shoulder injury ended his season in June.

1992

Split time between Hamilton and St. Petersburg (A)...threw out 20 of 45 (44%) basestealers...hit .368 in July.

1991

Batted just .210 in his first pro season, but threw out 37% of attempted base thieves at Hamilton (A).