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Author Topic: Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons  (Read 1337 times)

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Offline Ralph Wiggum

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Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons
« on: May 20, 2008, 04:55:23 PM »
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3405188

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Mike Piazza is retiring from baseball following a 16-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 was time to start a new chapter in my life," he said in a statement released Tuesday by his agent, Dan Lozano. "It has been an amazing journey ... So today, I walk away with no regrets.

"I knew this day was coming and over the last two years, I started to make my peace with it. I gave it my all and left everything on the field," he said.

The 39-year-old Piazza batted .275 with eight homers and 44 RBIs as a designated hitter for Oakland last season, became a free agent and did not re-sign. He was not available to discuss his decision, according to Josh Goldberg, a spokesman for Lozano.

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 was one of those hitters who could change the game with one swing. He was certainly the greatest-hitting catcher of our time and arguably of all-time," said Atlanta pitcher Tom Glavine, Piazza's former teammate on the New York Mets.

Piazza finished with a .308 career average, 427 home runs and 1,335 RBIs for the Dodgers (1992-98), Florida Marlins (1998), Mets (1998-05), San Diego Padres (2006) and Oakland Athletics (2007).

"It's the end of a Hall of Fame career," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "It was a privilege to manage him for the short time that I did."

Piazza's 396 homers are easily the most as a catcher, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Carlton Fisk is second with 351, followed by Johnny Bench (327) and Yogi Berra (306).

See you in Cooperstown, Mike. :cheersmate:
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Offline Wretched Excess

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Re: Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2008, 05:40:37 PM »

he had a great career.  and I still haven't forgiven the dodgers for trading him.

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Offline Odin's Hand

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Re: Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2008, 06:46:31 PM »
I'd be surprised of he doesn't have some sort of degenerative cartilage problem in his knees before it's all said and done. He was a damn-good 2-tool hitter though.
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Offline BlueStateSaint

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Re: Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2008, 05:34:47 PM »
He also could call a pretty good game for his pitchers.  He wasn't as aggressive in his pitch calling as, say, Paul LoDuca or Brian Schneider, but he could call a good game.

There's a thread on MetsBlog that concerns SNY possibly hiring Piazza as an analyist.  I agree with that.
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Offline john c calhoun

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Re: Mike Piazza Retires after 16 seasons
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2008, 02:32:20 PM »
hard to believe he's been around that long...

adios mike...

you were a good one !!
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