*All-time saves leader Lee Smith contemplating return*

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Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader Lee Smith, who
retired on July 15th, apparently wants to return now for a 19th
season. 

The right-hander, who turns 40 in December, went 0-1 with five
saves and a 5.82 ERA in 25 games with the Montreal Expos this
year before abruptly retiring in July due to a lack of regular
work. 

"I just want to pitch," Smith told the Rolaids Relief Man
program. "If Eck (St. Louis closer Dennis Eckersley) can do it
at (age) 43, I can do it too.  If needed I'll pitch in the sixth
inning or the eighth inning or the ninth.  I'll pitch the same
way I always have. 

"I was throwing 91 or 93 (miles per hour), but it's tough to go
out there and pitch every two or three weeks," he added.
"Sometimes I didn't even (get to) warm up.  So I just thought
I'd go home and spend the summer with my kids." 

Smith, who has saved 478 games in his 18-year career, is among
the most dominant and consistent closers in the history of
baseball.  Known for his imposing size and demeanor on the
mound, he appeared in 1,022 games, the third-highest total in
history. 

He came up with the Chicago Cubs in 1980 and has spent time with
Boston, St. Louis, the New York Yankees, Baltimore, California,
Cincinnati and Montreal. 

Smith became the all-time saves leader in 1993, recording the
358th of his career in the Cardinals' 9-7 victory over the Los
Angeles Dodgers.  He eclipsed the mark of Jeff Reardon, a
contemporary of Smith's. 

Smith saved 180 games in eight seasons with the Cubs, but was
traded after the 1987 season to Boston, where he compiled 58
saves in slightly more than two seasons. 

The Red Sox traded Smith to the Cardinals on May 4th, 1990 in
exchange for Tom Brunansky.  At 35, Smith saved 27 games for St.
Louis in 1990 before posting 47 in 1991, at the time a National
League record.  He led the NL with 43 saves in 1992. 

He had a combined 46 saves for St. Louis and the Yankees in 1993
and added 33 in 39 opportunities for Baltimore in 1994.  He had
37 saves for the Angels in 1995 before working as a set-up man
for Cincinnati in 1996. 

Smith is 71-92 lifetime with a 3.03 ERA and has averaged nearly
a strikeout per inning for his career. He began as an apprentice
to Bruce Sutter but served as closer for 14 seasons between 1983
and 1995.  He saved at least 25 games in each of those seasons. 

He was named to seven All-Star games and played in two League
Championship Series.