Brandon Eddy

Buzz: Piazza May Retire
By Brandon Eddy - Feb 26, 2008 9:35 am

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, free-agent Mike Piazza may retire if he doesn’t sign with a team before the end of spring training.

Piazza, who missed half of last season with a shoulder injury, hit .275 with eight HR and 44 RBI.

…this is very sad for me to see piazza retire even though i knew this day was coming…he was my favorite player even before he turned around the Mets…i can’t wait for the day to see his No. 31 retired in Citi Field…

…added to by Matthew Cerrone

…i still have doubts that piazza’s number will actually ever be retired…i’d do it, but i have doubts the Mets will…

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57 Comments »

Comment by Xavier22
2008-02-26 09:36:55

About time Mike. Now sit back and relax; you’ve earned it.

 
Comment by dave27
2008-02-26 09:37:26

For Tampa to be considering Bonds…Piazza makes so much more sense, espcially being a Florida guy. Would reunite him with Cliffy and allow him to get a few more big hits against the Yankees if nothing else…

Comment by ScottN
2008-02-26 09:44:09

Bonds would put fans in seats–even just to boo him–Piazza won’t. A low cost Bonds actually makes some business sense for a team like the Rays.

Boy, if Piazza could actually play first base, he wouldn’t be the worst addition to a bench that is missing some right handed thump. Alas, we all know he can’t.

Hope that the Mets have already been in touch and asked that he announces his retirement with a Blue-and-Orange backdrop. That 98-2000 run was a great ride, and it wouldn’t have happened without him.

 
 
Comment by therealsince86
2008-02-26 09:39:22

If only he could still field at all. I would welcome him back.

Anyone know what the Mets payroll for this year is?

Comment by franco45
2008-02-26 09:45:03

Its about $136 million or $137 for actual payroll (I think some of the cash received in the Delgado deal might offset that number a little).

For average annual value of the contracts, it’s more like $142.

 
 
Comment by Steve In Tampa
2008-02-26 09:42:44

Talk on sports radio here in Tampa has the Rays possibly interested in Lofton and Piazza, and as already mentioned Bonds rumor

 
Comment by DerekBellsMustache
2008-02-26 09:43:09

sign him to a one day contract so he can retire as a Met

 
Comment by realist718
2008-02-26 09:43:17

I’m surprised no AL team wants to try him out at DH? He can obviously still mash the ball if he doesn’t have to worry about subjecting his body to playing the field.

 
Comment by Jaded1983
2008-02-26 09:48:03

Does anyone currently wear 31? Id love to see the Mets retire his number on opening day of Citi field if he does indeed retire this year.

Comment by cpai76
2008-02-26 09:56:04

Before any Mets Numbers are retired #17 better be retired 1st

Comment by eddie kranepool society
2008-02-26 10:01:36

Right on #17 before 31 but # 7 Edward Emil Kranepool before anyone else. I’d say Koos 36 before Piazza as well

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Comment by Xavier22
2008-02-26 11:49:30

#7 will be retired the day after Jose Reyes retires.

 
Comment by metsomniac
2008-02-27 05:06:51

if the Mets retire 17, 31, 7 (unless it was for HOF Reyes), and 36 they would might as well change their name to the Yankees

 
 
Comment by dave27
2008-02-26 10:08:12

Agreed on 17. Eddie Kranepool? If they retire Kranepool’s number they sohlud give Charlie Samuels a number and retire that too. You don’t get your number retired for a mind-bogglingly long career of complete and total mediocrity.

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Comment by plasto
2008-02-26 10:26:58

Retire 17. Then Retire 31.

 
Comment by mackey_sassers_arm
2008-02-26 10:58:18

31, then 17, then hopefully 57, 5, and 7.

I would also like to see Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner honored in some way at citi field.

 
Comment by 1-18-31-7
2008-02-26 11:32:13

i guess mike piazza needs to get a job with SNY before he gets the respect he deserves.

 
 
Comment by jimyager
2008-02-26 12:24:20

When you think of the METS the first name and number that come to mind is Tom Seaver # 41 and the Piazza and #31. Piazza has done more for this team than any other players since. If he didnt bring the star power back to the Mets them we would have ggotten Galvine, Pedro, Beltran or Santana. Piazza turned the Mets into a serious team that wanted to win, rather than the joke of New York and being known as “the other New York team”. After the final game at Shea they should have Piazza day. LONG LIVE MIKE a first time HOF’r. I think he will break Seaver’s record and get the most votes.

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Comment by atl0nym4
2008-02-26 22:05:14

14 37 31 41 42

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Comment by pcmetsfan07
2008-02-26 09:53:16

I think it’s fitting that my Mets calendar fact for today is the 10-run comeback in 2000 against the Braves where Piazza crushed a homer in the 8th inning…Rocker’s first game back at Shea after the comments….great stuff

31 should be retired as soon as possible

Comment by LetsGetMetsmerized
2008-02-26 10:20:27

1) The Mets were down 7 runs, not 10
2) It was not Rocker’s first game back at Shea, in fact, he pitched the night before in a 6-4 Braves win and got the 8th inning in order. He did not pitch the night of the comeback.

Where do you post you these facts of the day?

Comment by retire17&8
2008-02-27 09:05:01

Actually, they were down 8-0 and scored 10 runs in the bottom of the 8th. The greatest regular season game I ever went to…maybe you should check your facts before you comment…

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Comment by Joebaby
2008-02-26 09:57:47

The second Piazza makes it official that he’s hanging them up, the Mets ought to sign him to staff and somehow, some way, keep him in the organization….either as a coach, broadcast…whatever.

No one is wearing 31 now, my guess is it gets officially retired as soon as Piazza retires.

Comment by K-Hern
2008-02-26 10:05:47

agreed, Piazza is a great on-air personality

 
Comment by SamInNorthCakalakey
2008-02-26 10:07:06

Nah, he’ll wind up in a booth somewhere. He has to much personality for staying in the shadows while others get all the credit.

 
Comment by gomets6091
2008-02-26 10:08:48

considering the Mets have only ever retired Seaver’s number*, I highly doubt they’d retire Piazza’s number right away. They ’should’ retire it, but I imagine it will take them a few years if they do it at all.

*as a player…I know they retired Stengel & Hodges as well as Robinson, but none of them ever played for the Mets

Comment by MetsLv31
2008-02-26 10:42:07

** Hodges finished his career with the Mets, though his number is clearly retired for his coaching and not his playing.

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Comment by NYMetz6986
2008-02-26 10:13:23

theyll prob wait until he goes into the hall of fame to retire his number 31…i read the other day that carters number 8 is out of circulation bc he is in the hall…why not just retire it if your gonna do that…and while theyre at it, stop giving keiths number 17 to crappy players and just reitre that as well.

Comment by Jaded1983
2008-02-26 10:20:29

is there a reason why the mets dont retire numbers?

Comment by mackey_sassers_arm
2008-02-26 11:00:16

Benny Agbayani didn’t play long enough.

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Comment by metsomniac
2008-02-27 05:07:34

HA HA

 
 
Comment by No_Brain_Willie
2008-02-26 11:03:07

because they enjoy being 2nd class citizens in NY by not recognizing their heroes. Even if the yankees retire every jersey, atleast the mets can do is pay homage to the aforementioned players.

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Comment by dave27
2008-02-26 10:26:01

The Mets will retire Piazza’s number this year - next year in CitiField, all of the games will be sellouts…so why waste an opportunity to draw extra fans to see the Pirates at Shea?

 
Comment by boozermetsfan
2008-02-26 10:33:14

if the mets can invite Andres Galaraga and Bret Boone to Spring Training for them to retire, they can invite Big Mike.

I hope he can get a job if he wants as DH somewhere as long as it’s not for the Skanks.

I would like to see him replace Maz as the color analyst on the Mets post game shows on SNY. Matt now that you have some pull you should make it happen buddy.

 
Comment by teledingo
2008-02-26 10:42:32

I still blame Mike Lowell for this. To this day I dont understand why Lowell was given a pass for being so stupid, inexplicable, and bush league in TACKLING Piazza at third base.

 
Comment by fyffem
2008-02-26 10:44:58

Bring him back as a much needed power bat off the bench. He could probably still rake.

 
Comment by ScottN
2008-02-26 11:03:56

When it comes to numbers retirements, I hope what the Mets are thinking is that it would be nice to usher in the new ballpark with retired numbers from all the Mets WS appearances.(besides ‘69, covered by Seaver). It would make perfect sense for those three numbers to be Koosman’s 36 for ‘73, Mex’s 17 for ‘86, and Piazza’s 31 for ‘00. Hopefully they do that the day after we raise the ‘08 World Series flag…

Comment by phoola
2008-02-26 11:30:11

Look, I can tell how adored he is by fans around here but frankly Mike Piazza never got us a championship. I think it would denegrate Seaver and Hodges and any awesome player who follows (perhaps Wright and Reyes in 2030?) to retire his jersey. Mex and Carter both got us the ring but the issue with them is neither were truly career Mets (Hernandez more than Carter). Remember John Franco wore #31 before Piazza ever did, and he was certainly a career Met - not that he deserved having his number retired for that reason but then again neither does Ed Kranepool (for whom I have professed lifelong man-love but get real, look at his stats.) I get sick of hearing from Yankee fans about all their historic greats, but frankly all the numbers they have retired (with the exception of Rizzuto and possibly Billy Mrtin) they are all monster players who have a slew of MVPs or some other awesome career record. Piazza?

Also not to argue with the poster above but didn’t Cookie Rojas wear #8 as a coach?

 
 
Comment by NickA33
2008-02-26 11:22:25

I agree that there are other numbers that should be retired prior to Piazza’s number. But I also have no doubt that #31 will be retired to Citi Field. Pizza is one of the best offensive catchers of all time, he’s a definite HOF’er and he’ll be given the proper send off from the Mets organization if he does retire.

Comment by bonatom
2008-02-26 12:09:13

To bad he will have a LA Dodgers hat on in the HOF

Comment by Hit The Weights Zeile
2008-02-26 14:08:52

LA - Games - 726, HR 177, Hits 896
NY - Games - 972, HR 220, Hits 1028

you might want to rethink your post.

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