81.   Up stepped Jorge Posada, the rookie backup catcher, who, like Curtis, had unsuccessfully tried to bunt a runner over two innings earlier.

82.   When he was due in the on-deck circle the next inning, the backup catcher Vance Wilson emerged.

83.   Wilson gets little time off because the Mariners made their backup catcher Chris Widger instead of the more experienced Chad Kreuter.

84.   With a capable backup catcher in Tom Prince, Russell is already thinking about Piazza as a designated hitter.

85.   With the weak-hitting Ausmus on-deck and no backup catcher left because Zaun had been used in the eighth, Blum was allowed to hit.

86.   Backup catcher Doug Mirabelli, acquired in a Tuesday trade with Texas, was in the lineup for the second straight night.

87.   Backup catcher Todd Pratt screamed in anger when he saw a backpage story in the New York Post criticizing the Mets for not beating up Clemens.

88.   Backup catcher Keith Osik and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed Tuesday to a two-year contract.

89.   Backup catcher Paul Bako was traded Tuesday from the Houston Astros to the Florida Marlins for cash and a player to be named.

90.   Backup catcher Todd Pratt yelled in anger when he saw a story in the New York Post criticizing the Mets for not beating up Clemens.