Mike Piazza announced his retirement from baseball this afternoon.
Now let the debate begin – was Mike a Dodger or a Met and what cap should he wear when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Piazza came up through the Dodger system and established himself as the best offensive catcher in the game while in Los Angeles. However, he played more games and accumulated more numbers in his years with the Mets.
In his statement, Piazza was clear as to how he thinks of himself:
“Last but certainly not least, I can’t say goodbye without thanking the fans,†Piazza said. “I can’t recall a time in my career where I didn’t feel embraced by all of you. Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and Miami—whether it was at home or on the road, you were all so supportive over the years.
“But I have to say that my time with the Mets wouldn’t have been the same without the greatest fans in the world. One of the hardest moments of my career, was walking off the field at Shea Stadium and saying goodbye. My relationship with you made my time in New York the happiest of my career and for that, I will always be grateful.â€
Yes Gary Carter felt the same way – and still identifies himslef more with the Mets than with the Expos, but Carter only played a few years with New York while Piazza played the bulk of his career here. Personally, he is a Met and should go into the HOF wearing a Mets cap.
If Piazza doesn’t go into the HOF as a Met, especially after his comments – something is wrong. Though (they say) the players doesn’t have the choice which hat he will wear – they really do. Just as if someone campaigns for the HOF Veterans Committee for induction, so too does a first round imply of the hat they will wear. With Piazza’s comments, he has sent a clear signal to the HOF writers – based on time played and his impact on the TEAM, not just individual achievements, he will enter as a Met – retire 31 – and give due to a MET at Citi-Field not a Dodger – no matter what their civil actions were or color of skin happened to be.