Mike Piazza Retires

[Canelek]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... eball.html

In his prime, Mike was one of the most feared hitters in the game, and one of my all time favorite Mets. Too bad he couldn't have retired in NY, but like most, he felt he could squeeze out a few more years. 5 years till Cooperstown!

[noel]

Too bad the Dodgers were too stupid to keep him forever.

I always really liked Mike.

[Canelek]

I don't think the Dodgers are eligible for the Hall in 5 years though. They will need to wait in line with the Red Sox.

[Trek]

Too bad the Dodgers were too stupid to keep him forever.

I always really liked Mike.

I agree and I wish he had a little more left in him.

[Canelek]

He played a pretty good long while! As a catcher, that is certainly impressive. Being 6'5 must be even tougher crouching all day...not to mention the myriad of other dings those guys take behind the plate. I remember being at a Dodger game when the Mets were in town. He took the full brunt of a follow-through from Beltre to the head. Sent him reeling and bloody. It was not pretty! Then there are the foul balls....not such an easy position.

Problem is, Mike was just a great hitter--but not a good fit at catcher. Sure, he handled pitchers well--above average, I would say. And he was as tough as they come. However, he had an awful average of catching base stealers. More often than not he would bounce the ball to 2nd. Of course, the Mets tried him at first to no avail. Imagine what kind of numbers he would have put up if he was a natural at any other position...

Anyway, he is a great underdog story and his farewell game at Shea when they played all of his highlights and presented him with gifts...well, that choked me up a bit. He meant that much to me as a sports icon and the face of the team I love(in a prison way).




(and let's not forget the Pert commercials!) Oh that mullet!

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

It is simply AMAZING what the Hall of Fame class could be like in 2013. It is a very strong possibility you could have the 2 juicers Bonds and Clemens...and then Piazza, Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, Pedro all on the ballot at the same time. Holy mother of all votes!

[Canelek]

Smoltzy, Tommy, Maddux, Pedro and Piazza will all be first-ballot no-brainers though!

[Winnow]

Smoltzy, Tommy, Maddux, Pedro and Piazza will all be first-ballot no-brainers though!

If Randy Johnson didn't want to get to 300 wins, he'd be on the ballot as well. He needs 12 more.

[Trek]

Smoltzy, Tommy, Maddux, Pedro and Piazza will all be first-ballot no-brainers though!

If Randy Johnson didn't want to get to 300 wins, he'd be on the ballot as well. He needs 12 more.

Doubt he makes it


Also I get 200 when Webb doesnt make 20 wins this year

[Winnow]

Smoltzy, Tommy, Maddux, Pedro and Piazza will all be first-ballot no-brainers though!

If Randy Johnson didn't want to get to 300 wins, he'd be on the ballot as well. He needs 12 more.

Doubt he makes it

Randy Johnson is a lock for first ballot the Hall of Fame. If you mean 300 wins. I doubt he'll get it this year.

[Trek]

Yeah I mean 300 wins. There is no reason he shouldnt get in the HOF

[Xyphir]

Smoltzy, Tommy, Maddux, Pedro and Piazza will all be first-ballot no-brainers though!

The BBWAA have been quite stingy lately, so I'd be surprised to see more than four elected in one year. I'd guess Maddog has the best shot. Piazza is the best offensive catcher of all time, almost a shoe in first ballot. Check the list of all-time OPS leaders and see who's ahead of him. Most are either in the HoF, will be in the HoF, or are banned/shunned from the game (Joe Jackson, Mark Mcgwire). Glavine and Pedro also have a decent shot, but may not make it on the first ballot.

Smoltz's election will be devisive. Don't get me wrong, he's got plenty of superlatives. Despite being drafted by the Tigers, he's pitched in the majors for one team his entire career. He's been the rock and leader on this team a long time. When they needed someone in the bullpen, he filled that role amazingly well. When they needed him in the rotation, he went back to being a starter. But he has only one 20 win season and will fall well short of 300 wins in his career (currently at 206). In is defense, he's the only pitcher to win 200+ games and record 150+ saves. He also has over 3,000 Ks, but that's not an automatic (See Bert Blyleven). You could compare him to Eckersley, who had 149 wins as a starter and saved 390 games. Eck was elected as a reliever though. It may take 3-5 years to get Smoltzie in, but he's one of the true gentleman playing today. He'd have my vote.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

if Smoltz does not end up as a 1st ballot HoF, then every writer whose ballot he does not appear on should have their voting privileges revoked.


A rundown of some numbers (I am omitting his first year with the mid-year callup and this year, but NOT the years he actually was injured and played only part of the year)

13 years starting.....average of 15 wins per year with a high of 24 and a Cy Young

3.25 career ERA

3011 K's

Career WHIP 1.17

Career BAA .235

154 Saves with NL record of 55

Averaged 48 saves per year



15-4 Postseason record

2.70 Postseason ERA

Holds MLB record for most postseason wins and K's with 194.

[Xyphir]

You also need to take into consideration the other people eligible. If the Big Unit, Maddog, Clemens, Glavine, Pedro, and Schilling are on the same ballot, Smoltz will be compared to those guys since they're all in the same era. I'd put Smoltz at the bottom of that list or near the bottom. If Bonds is up too, then you have the potential for have several players who will get in the HoF, but probably not on the first ballot. That would mean that the voters would have to put them all on the ballot and they've been notorious lately of only electing one or two players. Close behind those guys are Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina. Kevin Brown and David Wells will also be eligible in a few years, but I don't think those guys get in to Cooperstown.

[Canelek]

Oh I can't see Wells, Mussina nor Brown making it.

[Trek]

I think Mussina has a shot, he was a very good pitcher for a long time. Wells....feh, Brown should not have much of a shot.

[Canelek]

Brown's biggest claim to fame is being a primadona bitch like Bonds.

[Zamtuk]

Also I get 200 when Webb doesnt make 20 wins this year

haha, i have two friends with the exact same bet. 100 a piece on theirs though.

[Winnow]

Randy Johnson:

-five Cy Young Awards (1 AL, 4 NL)
-pitched a perfect game (has your favorite pitcher pitched a perfect game?)
-Threw no-hitter
-struck out the side on 9 pitches (has your favorite pitcher ever done that?)
-10 time all star
-World Series MVP
-In 2001, he became the first pitcher to record three wins in a single World Series since Mickey Lolich
-Led the league in ERA four times (1995, 1999, 2001, 2002)
-Led the league in Strikeouts (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
-Won Triple Crown (led league in wins, ERA and strikeouts) (2002)
-11.12 strikeouts per 9 innings over career (1st overall)
-struck out 19 batters in a game, struck out 20 batters in another game
-288 wins (only lacking stat and still not bad as he closes in on 300)

-With 4,663 strikeouts, Johnson needs nine to tie Roger Clemens for second place behind Nolan Ryan, who has 5,714. (as of May 25th, 2008)

Smoltz wouldn't even get a sniff if it was between him and The Big Unit.