I meant to get this up earlier, but haven't had time.
Mike Piazza announced his retirement a couple of days ago from MLB. After 16 seasons, including 12 as a MLB All-Star, he hangs it up.
His stats speak for themselves, check them out here.
My feelings on Piazza? He brought some respectability to a sorry franchise when he was traded to the Mets 10 years ago. I remember a lot of big moments, and I was there at Shea when he hit the home run against the Braves at the first game in NYC after 9/11. It is even more memorable since it was the first baseball game that my oldest son ever attended.
It wasn't always that way. When he played in LA, I wasn't really a big fan. He was an exceptional hitter, and I saw him late at night when the Mets played on the West Coast. Then he is traded to NY, via a side-trip to FLA, and the rest is history. Tough as nails. Hard playing. And maybe the strongest guy I've ever seen muscle a ball out to the opposite field.
Some will say he was a liability defensively, but they only tell half a story - pitchers will tell you he called a good game and he was solid behind the plate. The only big negative was his erratic throws. Some would say that it was to easy to steal on #31. Well let me clarify - players steal bases off pitchers, not catchers.
Now he waits until Cooperstown calls. First ballot? Likely. One of my favorite ballplayers forever. Absolutely. Have a good life, Mike.
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