In the name of charity, Garth Brooks [ tickets ] will don the uniform of the New York Mets during baseball's spring training. Last year, during a seven-week spring training stint with the San Diego Padres, Brooks reportedly helped to raise $1.8 million for his Touch 'em All Foundation, which generates funds to benefit children's charities.

Brooks, 37, is scheduled to join the Mets at its Port St. Lucie, Fla., training facility on Feb. 20, and will begin training with the Mets' position players the following day, according to the Associated Press.

Mets' players Robin Ventura, Turk Wendell, Al Leiter and Dennis Cook are among those who are involved with Brooks' foundation, and the Mets' organization is expected to kick in a substantial donation this year as well, the AP reported. More than 65 Major League Baseball players pledged money to the foundation last year for each hit, home run, stolen base, RBI, strikeout or save they logged.

Major League Baseball has generally viewed Brooks' presence as a good public relations asset. During Padres' spring training, he often signed many autographs before and after games, and he held some impromptu singing performances as well. (Though in 22 at-bats, Brooks mustered only one hit.)

During a December appearance on the TNN talk show "Crook & Chase," Brooks, the best-selling artist in the history of country music, said that he was contemplating retirement from touring so that he could devote more time to his family. He also indicated that he planned to stay out of the public eye for much of 2000.