No Mets Plans To Retire Piazza's Number

[MFS62]

http://www.metsblog.com/2009/08/15/news-no-plans-to-retire-piazzas-number/

How do you feel about that?

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Do. Not. Care.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think Mark Hale is literally making something of nothing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd prefer that they not retire his number.

[stevejrogers]

="Benjamin Grimm"]I'd prefer that they not retire his number.

Even if the Hall has him in a Met cap on his plaque?

[metsmarathon]

if they retire it, it should be retired as both franco and piazza's number.

[Benjamin Grimm]

="SteveJRogers"] ="Benjamin Grimm"]I'd prefer that they not retire his number. Even if the Hall has him in a Met cap on his plaque?

Even if. What happens on a plaque doesn't change what Mike accomplished in a Mets uniform. And I just don't think it was enough.

[Frayed Knot]

Piazza at least fits the sort-of defining conditions of being a Met more than half his career, being at or near the top of several team records, and is headed to the HoF (as opposed to Hernandez and Carter who miss out on all 3, and 2 of those 3 categories respectively).

That said I'm fine if they don't and would probably vote no if they left it up to me.
And, yeah, the H-o-F plaque insignia has absolutely nothing to do with it.

[G-Fafif]

The Mets released a lawyerly statement stating the obvious: If we're going to retire his number, we'll let you know. I'd say it will be more "when" than "if," with the caveat being the impact of Mike's name emerging in any steroid-type stories. If he's implicated with a hundred other players, the impact lessens. If it's somehow more nefarious than that, they may want to hedge their bets.

But barring some truly horrific revelation, I sense the Mets are waiting for when they can make the most hay of this, like when they don't have a new ballpark and when they don't fancy themselves a contender and thus need to sell tickets. He parted amicably, he came back last year in the almost explicit role of "our greatest position player ever" and they've never pretended his prior accomplishments didn't exist. It will happen and, as far I'm concerned, it is merited.

[nymr83]

I don't think they should retire it. The decision of whether or not to retire a player should be based, I think, solely on what that player did with the team. what he did elsewhere doesn't count. Piazza, as a Met, doesn't stand up to Strawberry, whose number hasn't been retired.

[Valadius]

He absolutely deserves to have his number retired. Period.

[Benjamin Grimm]

He absolutely doesn't. Period. Exclamation point!

I win!

[G-Fafif]

All punctuation aside, Piazza's Dodger, et al days have nothing to do with any of this.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Right, it's about his Mets years, and not enough of them came during Mike's prime.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

The person who will go down as the greatest hitting catcher played for our team. Put his number on the wall.

I think it's s timing issue. If he's in Cooperstown with the NY on his cap, I suspect that's when. And in the four years until that happens, anything that can come out probably will be out. If still clean, and in the Hall, I suspect they'll do it.

[Frayed Knot]

I think they'll do it too.
I'd just prefer they not.

[Guest sharpie]

No.

He was a fine player as a Met, our best player for several years, but lets not get all MFY about it, give the number to someone else and move on.

[Guest Kong76]

I kind of look at it with the slam dunk rule. If you're going to share wall with
Seaver, it has to be a slam dunk. There haven't been any slam dunk players
worthy of number retiring since. There are a scant dozen players who are lay
ups for number retiring and if you start putting up the lay up numbers it dilutes
the one number that was a thundering slam dunk.

This may be a departure of stances I've taken in the past, but that's how I
look at it nowadays.

[bmfc1]

Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history. If we're going to hold him up to the standard of Tom Seaver, then no, he's not there. But if we're going to do that, then the Baseball HOF should be limited to those that match the standard of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.

I wonder if this is a reaction to his alleged use of steroids or the fact that he didn't pound on Clemens' head. Piazza brought glory to the Mets when they needed it the most. He also brought us some of our most cherished moments as Mets fans. And let's not forget that he helped get the Mets to the WS. Mike Piazza deserves to have his number retired by the Mets.

[Benjamin Grimm]

]Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history.

So far, anyway. But still not good enough (or, more importantly, for long enough) to get his number retired. I'd prefer to avoid the slippery slope; it should be a VERY exclusive honor.

I'd retire Keith's number before Mike's. And Maybe even Darryl, Mookie, and Koosman. But I'm not in favor of retiring any of those numbers either.

Leave it as it is until and unless David Wright or Jose Reyes gets about 2000 hits (or more) as Mets.

[Guest Kong76]

bmfc: or the fact that he didn't pound on Clemens' head <<<

I forgot about the being a pussy factor.

(just joking, sorta)

[Guest Kong76]

bmfc: He also brought us some of our most cherished moments as Mets fans. And let's not forget that he helped get the Mets to the WS <<<

I have no fond memories of the 2000 World Series. As a matter of fact, it
made me sick the showing that the Mets put up. It was embarrassing and the
only good that's come of it thus far is it was the last time the Yankees won
the World Series.

Nine years later I've never watched those games over again that I taped.

[Frayed Knot]

One problem is that they've painted themselves into a bit of a corner by having Carter's #8 & Piazza's #31 exist in this state of de-facto retirement, and it seems to me that the longer they live in a world where they won't retire those jerseys at the same time they refuse to re-issue them the more skittish they'll become to do either.

[nymr83]

Jeremy Reed is out there wearing #18 and they're worried about re-issuing Carter's number?
Carter was only a Met for 5 years, retiring his number would be NUTS. Strawberry, Piazza, Franco, and Koosman have better claims of deserving it. Maybe Al Leiter too.
Carter was an Expo and, much to his chagrin, is in the hall with the right hat.

[ashie62]

I'm not big on retired numbers, but if they are going to I need to accept that in the era of free agency some under consideraton may not have a long string of years as a Met to consider.

Under that caveat..I don't have a problem with a Piazza retirement. I suspect if the Mets can put some fannies in the seats with a few manufactured retirement days they eventually will.

[G-Fafif]

Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work.

But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.

[Guest Kong76]

I'd like to rent out a time share of Greg's head one year for a ten game home stand.

Just to see what it's like.

[G-Fafif]

="Kong76":256wmamm]I'd like to rent out a time share of Greg's head one year for a ten game home stand. Just to see what it's like.[/quote:256wmamm] A tempting offer, but I fear it's in no shape to accept visitors.

Kong76 Aug 16 2009 06:14 PM

I mean it metsffectionately, and mine is hardly in shape for a ten day stay elsewhere.

seawolf17 Aug 16 2009 06:38 PM

I heard they also have no plans to retire 64 for Elmer Dessens either.

Edgy DC Aug 16 2009 07:08 PM

="bmfc1":13vlj5lq]Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history.[/quote:13vlj5lq] Our rankings suggest Strawberry accomplished more. Ashie62 Aug 16 2009 08:53 PM ="Edgy DC":1ucgvr99] ="bmfc1":1ucgvr99]Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history.[/quote:1ucgvr99] Our rankings suggest Strawberry accomplished more.[/quote:1ucgvr99] I guess "great" is subjective to one degree or another My "great" would be Straw..someone younger, maybe Piazza, younger still Wright? A Boy Named Seo Aug 17 2009 01:12 AM ="G-Fafif":23zwqnu6]Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work. But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.[/quote:23zwqnu6] Well put. I know most won't care about this, but when the great Patrick Viera left Arsenal, they gave his #4 to the young kid Cesc Fabregas, and when Thierry Henry, the greatest scorer in team history, was sold to Barcelona, Theo Walcott took it over. No mothbolling. No retirement. But a lineage. JCL's said as much on MBTN. Love Mike, but that's what I'm for. Fman99 Aug 17 2009 06:32 AM ="A Boy Named Seo":3bdsfh1x] ="G-Fafif":3bdsfh1x]Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work. But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.[/quote:3bdsfh1x] Well put. I know most won't care about this, but when the great Patrick Viera left Arsenal, they gave his #4 to the young kid Cesc Fabregas, and when Thierry Henry, the greatest scorer in team history, was sold to Barcelona, Theo Walcott took it over. No mothbolling. No retirement. But a lineage. JCL's said as much on MBTN. Love Mike, but that's what I'm for.[/quote:3bdsfh1x] ABNS:soccer::SJR:Yankees metirish Aug 17 2009 08:40 AM I think one big difference with soccer is that there is no real history of retiring player numbers , maybe because until recently numbers went with the standard 1 to 11 for the starting team. Certain numbers carry a certain history and legend with them....number 7 at Man Utd ....Best , Robson , Cantona and Ronaldo......Viera to Fabregas could be seen as " this is the successor" to Viera......

[Guest Kong76]

I mean it metsffectionately, and mine is hardly in shape for a ten day stay elsewhere.

[seawolf17]

I heard they also have no plans to retire 64 for Elmer Dessens either.