So Mike Piazza has retired from baseball, and while some sources claim it's after 19 big-league seasons, and others swear it's been 15, the great tome of knowledge Baseball-Reference.com makes it quite clear it's been 16 years, since Piazza debuted before his Rookie of the Year season of 1993.
But that's not really all that important, is it? No. What is important is this:
Mike Piazza is a Hall-of-Famer.
Sure, because of the peccadilloes of a handful of BBWAA voters, he may not be first-ballot, but don't kid yourselves, Piazza will find a place in the Hall. Here are some career numbers:
.308/.377/.545 lifetime batting line, 142 career OPS+, 2,127 hits, 427 home runs, 1,335 RBI, a Rookie of the Year, All-Star Game MVP, 12 All-Star Game appearances (10 consecutive), 10 consecutive Silver Slugger awards, and 12 seasons with at least 100 games behind the dish.
Not. Freakin'. Bad.
But there is a greater question: Is Mike Piazza a Dodger, or a Met?
He's spent one more season in New York than he did in LA (he also played 5 games for Florida, and a season apiece in San Diego and Oakland). He played 877 games in Dodger Blue, and 972 for Mr. Met. He racked up 2,707 at-bats for LA's favorite ballclub, and 3,478 for NY's second-favorite.
His three best seasons, using the OPS+ metric, were as a Dodger: 1997 (185), 1995 (172), and 1996 (166). His best season in New York was 2000 (155). But, went to his only World Series with the Mets, though he finishes his career sans ring. He's known for some emotional moments near the end of the 2001 season, when New York needed to cheer again.
According to Wikipedia's entry on the Hall, the rules regarding which cap a player enters the Hall wearing are, ultimately, up to the Hall:
"In light of rumors that teams were offering number retirement, money or organizational jobs in exchange for the cap designation, the Hall decided to change the policy. Although the decision-making process would be a mutual responsibility, the Hall, not the players, would have the final say in such matters."
So Piazza himself will not be able to simply choose. Someone... a committee, presumably?... will have to look at his career and decide just who is Mike Piazza: a Dodger, or a Met?
I know my feelings. He played better ball in L.A. than he did in New York. He won the one truly prestigious award of his career--the NL Rookie of the Year--wearing Dodger blue.
Mike Piazza's a Dodger. NY fans will hate that, but them's the breaks. Hopefully, the Hall will do the right thing when it comes time to enshrine the (arguably) best-hitting catcher ever to play Major League Baseball.
But that's not really all that important, is it? No. What is important is this:
Mike Piazza is a Hall-of-Famer.
Sure, because of the peccadilloes of a handful of BBWAA voters, he may not be first-ballot, but don't kid yourselves, Piazza will find a place in the Hall. Here are some career numbers:
.308/.377/.545 lifetime batting line, 142 career OPS+, 2,127 hits, 427 home runs, 1,335 RBI, a Rookie of the Year, All-Star Game MVP, 12 All-Star Game appearances (10 consecutive), 10 consecutive Silver Slugger awards, and 12 seasons with at least 100 games behind the dish.
Not. Freakin'. Bad.
But there is a greater question: Is Mike Piazza a Dodger, or a Met?
He's spent one more season in New York than he did in LA (he also played 5 games for Florida, and a season apiece in San Diego and Oakland). He played 877 games in Dodger Blue, and 972 for Mr. Met. He racked up 2,707 at-bats for LA's favorite ballclub, and 3,478 for NY's second-favorite.
His three best seasons, using the OPS+ metric, were as a Dodger: 1997 (185), 1995 (172), and 1996 (166). His best season in New York was 2000 (155). But, went to his only World Series with the Mets, though he finishes his career sans ring. He's known for some emotional moments near the end of the 2001 season, when New York needed to cheer again.
According to Wikipedia's entry on the Hall, the rules regarding which cap a player enters the Hall wearing are, ultimately, up to the Hall:
"In light of rumors that teams were offering number retirement, money or organizational jobs in exchange for the cap designation, the Hall decided to change the policy. Although the decision-making process would be a mutual responsibility, the Hall, not the players, would have the final say in such matters."
So Piazza himself will not be able to simply choose. Someone... a committee, presumably?... will have to look at his career and decide just who is Mike Piazza: a Dodger, or a Met?
I know my feelings. He played better ball in L.A. than he did in New York. He won the one truly prestigious award of his career--the NL Rookie of the Year--wearing Dodger blue.
Mike Piazza's a Dodger. NY fans will hate that, but them's the breaks. Hopefully, the Hall will do the right thing when it comes time to enshrine the (arguably) best-hitting catcher ever to play Major League Baseball.
