Piazza seeks trade to AL club (Newsday)

I've been yelling the Mets MUST do this (for the best offer) by mid-2004, and now it seems likely to happen this winter. The man can still hit ... and that's it.

Could it be... for A-Rod? Or will Mike P head to Fenway and hit 60 homers?

While the Dodgers trade of The Avowed Heterosexual is easily one of the worst trades in baseball history, I've never gotten the whole "I *must* play catcher" thing from the alleged juicer. Until I saw this in the article you linked: One of the whispers after he was traded was that all he cared about was records, that he more concerned with breaking hitting records as a catcher instead of helping the team. He's always been a lousy catcher, so why the insistence?

The Mets are gonna suck in 2004, aren't they? (I have no animus against them, just curious)

I don't know, it seems to me, Mr. Piazza, is only interested in breaking records. He really hasn't been an effective catcher, for some time now. Why wasn't he moved to first base, like two seasons ago?

Sadly, I indentify, Mike Piazza as a Met. His defection has put a sour taste in my mouth.

The Red Sox won't want him- they are strong at catcher and have a number of good DH possibilities. He'll get his record regardless of where he plays. I like him as a Mets fan, but won't particularly miss him either. He hasn't ever come across as a self-centered record chaser- he plays hard and mostly well except for a poor record of throwing out runners. He wants to stay a catcher because that's his position, he likes the challenge, and that identity is important to him. That's selfish and admirable in a way, but I guess he feels he gives his team an advantage in offensive numbers from that position which make up for his liabilities. I expect the Mets will finish near or above 500 this year as Howe has a fairly solid record of turning things around with young talent, so he may want to stick around-his concern is that there was no one in the line up to make them pitch to him when he came back last year. If they convince him they'll get someone else to go with a hopefully healthy Floyd he may want to stay.

Hey we will take him. The Orioles could use a little (acutally a lot) of pop in the lineup somewhere. Things might be looking up some if we manage to get Piazza and then sign Vlad.

thanks

The "selfish" charge against Piazza has little if any basis. He has an ego, sure, but he's a gamer, as the cliche goes. As a receiver, he's "bad" only in allowing steals (tho it IS time for him to become a part-time catcher). It's his privilege to prefer DH to 1B, especially since it expedites the better course of the Mets using payroll for young players on the way up than Piazza in his declining years (same reason Houston should seriously think of letting Bagwell walk).

Art Howe is a push-button manager at best; his "track record" is of letting Billy Beane make decisions. The Mets' 2004 will depend on who's playing for them.

[ November 17, 2003, 07:19 AM: Message edited by: Bill W ]

OK, disclaimer: my memory is really fuzzy about this.

My abiding memory of Mike Piazza is when he was at bat for the Mets in a playoff (?) game. The Mets had a runner on third in a crucial situation. A wild pitch allows said runner to score. Does Mike Pizza lead the scrum at the plate in celebration? The hell he does--he looked petulant that the game didn't end because of a hit from him. He made no move to the plate, just stood there.

A vile slander, I'm sure, but I remember at the time that my friend and I were "amazed" at his reaction.

That was the last game of the regular season against Pittsburgh in 1999; it put the Mets in a wild card tie -- I was in the stands. I didn't see his face, but sounds like much ado about little.

Yeah, the selfish tag has followed Piazza around for quite some time. Frankly, the way he's moaned about possibly playing first base and the fact that it could cost him the record for homeruns by a catcher seems to lend credence to that oft-repeated characterization of him. He's always struck me as a bit of a loser; that alone makes him perfect for the Mets.

Cant say I disagree with alot of what is said above but I do love watching him power a ball to the right center alley. (OK I admit too I dont mind looking at him too )

If Piazza were overrated offensively AND as atrocious behind the plate as Jeter is at shortstop, he'd be perfect for the Stankees.

Since Piazza needs 4 (?) HR for the catcher record, he will break it via P/T duty.