May 20, 200817 yr BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Mike Piazza is retiring from baseball following a 19-season career in which he became one of the top-hitting catchers in history. "After discussing my options with my wife, family and agent, I felt it is time to start a new chapter in my life," he said in a statement released by his agent, Dan Lozano. "It has been an amazing journey." The 39-year-old Piazza was not on a team this season. Taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 62nd round of the 1988 amateur draft, Piazza became a 12-time All-Star, making the NL team 10 consecutive times starting in 1993. He finished with a .308 career average, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBIs for the Dodgers (1992-98), Florida (1998), New York Mets (1998-05), San Diego (2006) and Oakland (2007). Piazza retires I didn't realize he was around for 19 years. makes me feel old again.
May 20, 200817 yr Piazza put up some crazy numbers from the catchers position http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/piazzmi01.shtml That 185 OPS+ in 97 is sick. Obviously his defense left a lot to be desired, but this guy is a HOF. He is most definitely a fantasy HOF'er, he was easily the consesus #1 pick in the mid 90's, the advantage he gave over other catchers in the league was crazy
May 20, 200817 yr I wouldn't want him on my team as my catcher. But I concede willingly that he belongs in the Hall, first ballot.
May 20, 200817 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 20, 2008 -> 04:54 PM) 62nd round. as a favor to Lasorda since it was his Godchild or at least a son of his friend
May 21, 200817 yr He's the catcher on my team of players that I suspect used steroids. Edited May 21, 200817 yr by Middle Buffalo
May 21, 200817 yr QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ May 21, 2008 -> 02:53 AM) He's the catcher on my team of players that I suspect used steroids. And Ivan Rodriguez isn't?
May 21, 200817 yr QUOTE (knightni @ May 21, 2008 -> 01:12 AM) And Ivan Rodriguez isn't? I'm saying that I suspect that Piazza's numbers are likely inflated by PEDs. He fits the profile. http://talkingbaseball.blogspot.com/2004/0...dsweve-all.html I don't remember seeing his name on any of the lists published, though. He was once accused of taking another kind of injection in the rear, but I don't believe that. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/...mets_piazza_ap/ Canseco pointed a finger at IRod, then Rodriguez came to camp looking like Olive Oyl a few years ago.. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/08/...ain672510.shtml So far, Canseco's been pretty right on, so I believe IRod is a user.
May 21, 200817 yr i love piazza... i'm gonna miss that guy. and it's strange now that i'm getting to the point where pretty much all the guys i grew up with are either retired or just about to (Frank)
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