Piazza Says Ciao
Mike Piazza Career Retrospective
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By David Horne, Sports by the Numbers co-author
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Mike Piazza released a statement announcing his retirement yesterday. Piazza, who is a lock for the Hall of Fame, said that, "It has been an amazing journey - I walk away with no regrets."
Come on Mike, not even one? Like not winning the 2000 World Series?
Still, what a career he had - and the accolades are pouring in from some pretty elite players. Tom Glavine, who was both a teammate and an adversary of Piazza's, said that, "He was certainly the greatest hitting catcher of our time - and arguably of all time."
Mets manager Willie Randolph said, "It's the end of a Hall of Fame career" - and Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, "To put yourself in the same ballpark with what a guy like Roy Campanella did is saying something - and Mike is definitely up there with what Roy did."
Braves catcher Brian McCann, who can swing a pretty big stick himself, said that, "If I'm half the hitter he was, I'll have a pretty successful career."
No arguments here - Piazza was a great player.
Take a look at his career using Sports by the Numbers:
1 The number of shots (1) he got at a title. He made it to the Fall Classic as part of the Subway Series in 2000, but his Mets lost to the Yankees - and now he joins a long list of great players who never got a ring.
2 The number of times (2) he placed second in league MVP balloting - in consecutive seasons, 1996-97. He never won the award.
8 He hit only (8) triples in his career - so if you saw him leg one out in person, it was a rare sight indeed. Only twice did he hit two triples in a season - 1993 and 2002.
10 He made (10) consecutive starts for the N.L. in the All-Star game - and was selected for the mid-summer classic 12 times overall. He also won (10) Silver Slugger Awards.
17 Only slightly more frequent than legging out a three-bagger was the number of times he swiped a bag - (17) in all during his 16 major league seasons. He stole a career high five bases in 1997 - and he was thrown out stealing 20 times in his career.
31 Piazza's jersey number - now who should retire it first, the Dodgers or the Mets?
40 He hit a career high (40) homeruns for the Dodgers in 1997 - and then he did it again in 1999. He hit 30 or more homeruns nine times.
62 He was drafted in round (62) of the 1988 June Draft - as a favor to his dad, who was friends with Tommy Lasorda. Only seven players drafted in round 50 or higher that season made it to the majors.
80 His career RBI total is among the top (80) in baseball history - Piazza drove home 1,335 runs. Six times he broke the century mark in a season - including a career high 124 runs twice, in 1997 and 1999.
201 He got a career high (201) hits in 1997. His total was third among league leaders - and for all the big numbers he put up in his career, the only times he led the league in anything at all were in 1995 and 1999. He posted a league best 13.6 at bats per homerun ratio in 1995, which was a good thing, and he hit into a league high 27 double plays in 1999, which was not such a good thing.
273 He hit (.273) in his only World Series appearance - and he went deep twice. He hit six career post-season homeruns - but he also made the last out of the 2000 World Series.
308 He retires with a lifetime (.308) average - high enough to rank among the top 15 for all active players in the game today.
318 He hit (.318) as a rookie for the Dodgers in 1993 - and earned N.L. Rookie of the Year honors.
362 He hit a career high (.362) in 1997 but only placed third in the batting title race behind Tony Gwynn and Larry Walker - he did, however, tie Bill Dickey's major league record for the highest average in a season for a catcher.
396 He hit a major league record (396) homeruns as a catcher.
427 He hit (427) homeruns in his career - a total that places him among the top 40 in major league history.
545 No doubt about it - he was a slugger, as his (.545) career slugging percentage indicates.
638 He posted a career high (.638) slugging percentage in 1997 - the same season he posted a career high 355 total bases.
Good luck Mike, glad you went out scandal free.
Mike Piazza released a statement announcing his retirement yesterday. Piazza, who is a lock for the Hall of Fame, said that, "It has been an amazing journey - I walk away with no regrets."
Come on Mike, not even one? Like not winning the 2000 World Series? Still, what a career he had - and the accolades are pouring in from some pretty elite players. Tom Glavine, who was both a teammate and an adversary of Piazza's, said that, "He was certainly the greatest hitting catcher of our time - and arguably of all time."
Mets manager Willie Randolph said, "It's the end of a Hall of Fame career" - and Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, "To put yourself in the same ballpark with what a guy like Roy Campanella did is saying something - and Mike is definitely up there with what Roy did."
Braves catcher Brian McCann, who can swing a pretty big stick himself, said that, "If I'm half the hitter he was, I'll have a pretty successful career."
No arguments here - Piazza was a great player. Take a look at his career using Sports by the Numbers:
1 The number of shots (1) he got at a title. He made it to the Fall Classic as part of the Subway Series in 2000, but his Mets lost to the Yankees - and now he joins a long list of great players who never got a ring.
2 The number of times (2) he placed second in league MVP balloting - in consecutive seasons, 1996-97. He never won the award.
8 He hit only (8) triples in his career - so if you saw him leg one out in person, it was a rare sight indeed. Only twice did he hit two triples in a season - 1993 and 2002.
10 He made (10) consecutive starts for the N.L. in the All-Star game - and was selected for the mid-summer classic 12 times overall. He also won (10) Silver Slugger Awards.
17 Only slightly more frequent than legging out a three-bagger was the number of times he swiped a bag - (17) in all during his 16 major league seasons. He stole a career high five bases in 1997 - and he was thrown out stealing 20 times in his career. 31 Piazza's jersey number - now who should retire it first, the Dodgers or the Mets?
40 He hit a career high (40) homeruns for the Dodgers in 1997 - and then he did it again in 1999. He hit 30 or more homeruns nine times.
62 He was drafted in round (62) of the 1988 June Draft - as a favor to his dad, who was friends with Tommy Lasorda. Only seven players drafted in round 50 or higher that season made it to the majors. 80 His career RBI total is among the top (80) in baseball history - Piazza drove home 1,335 runs. Six times he broke the century mark in a season - including a career high 124 runs twice, in 1997 and 1999.
201 He got a career high (201) hits in 1997. His total was third among league leaders - and for all the big numbers he put up in his career, the only times he led the league in anything at all were in 1995 and 1999. He posted a league best 13.6 at bats per homerun ratio in 1995, which was a good thing, and he hit into a league high 27 double plays in 1999, which was not such a good thing.
273 He hit (.273) in his only World Series appearance - and he went deep twice. He hit six career post-season homeruns - but he also made the last out of the 2000 World Series. 308 He retires with a lifetime (.308) average - high enough to rank among the top 15 for all active players in the game today.
318 He hit (.318) as a rookie for the Dodgers in 1993 - and earned N.L. Rookie of the Year honors.
362 He hit a career high (.362) in 1997 but only placed third in the batting title race behind Tony Gwynn and Larry Walker - he did, however, tie Bill Dickey's major league record for the highest average in a season for a catcher.
396 He hit a major league record (396) homeruns as a catcher. 427 He hit (427) homeruns in his career - a total that places him among the top 40 in major league history.
545 No doubt about it - he was a slugger, as his (.545) career slugging percentage indicates.
638 He posted a career high (.638) slugging percentage in 1997 - the same season he posted a career high 355 total bases.
Good luck Mike, glad you went out scandal free.
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