by Mike Piazza
In 2004, six weeks after breaking Carlton Fisk’s record for home runs by a catcher, I was humbled by a ceremony that brought the greatest living catchers to Shea Stadium—from left to right, Gary Carter, Johnny Bench, Fisk, Yogi Berra, and Pudge Rodriguez, who was playing against us that night for the Detroit Tigers. I considered the occasion an observance of the toughest position on the field. (© AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
In January 2005, amid a whole lot of pink roses at St. Jude Catholic Church in Miami, I married the love of my life, Alicia Rickter.
I had the privilege of catching Tom Seaver’s last pitch at the closing ceremony for Shea Stadium, after the final game of the 2008 season—my first season in retirement. Seaver remains the only member of the Hall of Fame who was inducted as a Met. I’d love to join him someday. (© George Napolitano/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
Every summer, we take the girls (Nicoletta, in my arms, and Paulina) on a long vacation to Southern California to be near both Alicia’s family and the beach—in this case, Santa Monica.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Countless people warrant thanks for their generous help in putting this work together. The authors wish to especially recognize the following: Vince and Roni Piazza; Vince Piazza Jr.; Danny, Tony, and Tommy Piazza; Alicia Piazza; Tom Lasorda; Dan Lozano; Doc Kennedy; Brad Kohler; Joe Pizzica; Blaine Huey; Eric Karros; Greg Hansell; Mark Cresse; Al Leiter; John Franco; Fred Claire; Bobby Valentine; Martie Wheeler; Clark Wheeler; Allison Hemphill; David Black; Jonathan Karp; Johanna Li; and Bob Bender.
APPENDIX
BATTING STATISTICS
YEAR
TEAM
GAMES
AT BATS
RUNS
HITS
1992
LAD
21
69
5
16
1993
LAD
149
547
81
174
1994
LAD
107
405
64
129
1995
LAD
112
434
82
150
1996
LAD
148
547
87
184
1997
LAD
152
556
104
201
1998
TOT
151
561
88
184
1998
LAD
37
149
20
42
1998
FLA
5
18
1
5
1998
NYM
109
394
67
137
1999
NYM
141
534
100
162
2000
NYM
136
482
90
156
2001
NYM
141
503
81
151
2002
NYM
135
478
69
134
2003
NYM
68
234
37
67
2004
NYM
129
455
47
121
2005
NYM
113
398
41
100
2006
SDP
126
399
39
113
2007
OAK
83
309
33
85
16 Yrs
1912
6911
1048
2127
YEAR
TEAM
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
1992
LAD
3
0
1
7
4
1993
LAD
24
2
35
112
46
1994
LAD
18
0
24
92
33
1995
LAD
17
0
32
93
39
1996
LAD
16
0
36
105
81
1997
LAD
32
1
40
124
69
1998
TOT
38
1
32
111
58
1998
LAD
5
0
9
30
11
1998
FLA
0
1
0
5
0
1998
NYM
33
0
23
76
47
1999
NYM
25
0
40
124
51
2000
NYM
26
0
38
113
58
2001
NYM
29
0
36
94
67
2002
NYM
23
2
33
98
57
2003
NYM
13
0
11
34
35
2004
NYM
21
0
20
54
68
2005
NYM
23
0
19
62
41
2006
SDP
19
1
22
68
34
2007
OAK
17
1
8
44
18
16 Yrs
344
8
427
1335
759
YEAR
TEAM
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
OPS
1992
LAD
12
.232
.284
.319
.603
1993
LAD
86
.318
.370
.561
.932
1994
LAD
65
.319
.370
.541
.910
1995
LAD
80
.346
.400
.606
1.006
1996
LAD
93
.336
.422
.563
.985
1997
LAD
77
.362
.431
.638
1.070
1998
TOT
80
.328
.390
.570
.960
1998
LAD
27
.282
.329
.497
.826
1998
FLA
0
.278
.263
.389
.652
1998
NYM
53
.348
.417
.607
1.024
1999
NYM
70
.303
.361
.575
.936
2000
NYM
69
.324
.398
.614
1.012
2001
NYM
87
.300
.384
.573
.957
2002
NYM
82
.280
.359
.544
.903
2003
NYM
40
.286
.377
.483
.860
2004
NYM
78
.266
.362
.444
.806
2005
NYM
67
.251
.326
.452
.778
2006
SDP
66
.283
.342
.501
.843
2007
OAK
61
.275
.313
.414
.727
16 Yrs
1113
.308
.377
.545
.922
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Claire, Fred, with Steve Springer. My 30 Years in Dodger Blue. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2004.
The Hardball Times writers. The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2009. Chicago: ACTA Publications, 2008.
James, Brant. Mike Piazza. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997.
New York Daily News. Piazza. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2002.
Noble, Marty. Mike and the Mets. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing, Inc., 1999.
Pearlman, Jeff. The Rocket That Fell to Earth. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.
Plaschke, Bill, with Tommy Lasorda. I Live for This. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
Schell, Michael J. Baseball’s All-Time Best Sluggers. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005.
Williams, Ted, with John Underwood. The Science of Hitting. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1971.
The authors would also like to credit the following publications and sites: Baseball Prospectus; baseball-reference.com; Deadspin; Gentlemen’s Quarterly (April 1999); Los Angeles Times; mlb.com; New York Daily News; New York Post; New York Times; Newsday; Oakland Tribune; observer.com; Philadelphia Inquirer; Phoenixville Evening Phoenix; Playboy (June 2003); Sacramento Bee; San Francisco Chronicle; Sporting News; Sports Illustrated; Wall Street Journal.
INDEX
Aaron, Hank, 225, 291, 292, 337
Abbott, Kurt, 234
Abboud, Joseph, 115
AC/DC (band), 29, 204, 264
Acee, Kevin, 166
Acta, Manny, 57
Adande, J. A., 194
Aerosmith, 290
Affleck, Ben, 32
Agbayani, Benny, 201, 205, 216, 231, 240, 251, 255
Alderson, Sandy, 325
Alex (Best Dressed by Alex), 115
Alfonseca, Antonio, 223
Alfonzo, Edgardo “Fonzi,” 227, 231, 247
and contracts, 268
as hitter, 208, 211, 215, 221, 232, 295
and Mets, 205, 241, 256
and World Series, 234
Alice in Chains (band), 327
Allen, Marcus, 119
All-Star Games:
(1993), 118, 119
(1994), 129
(1995), 144–45
(1996), 215
(1997), 226
(2000), 296
(2001), 242–43
(2002), 266–67
(2004), 296–97
(2005), 310
in Japan, 153
Alomar, Roberto, 256, 264, 265–66, 283
Alomar, Sandy, 310–11
Alpine, New Jersey, house in, 199
Al Qaeda, 244
Alston, Walter, 143, 146
Alvarez, Joe, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70–71, 78
Amalfitano, Joey, 135, 163
Amelung, Ed, 20
Anderson, Pamela, 114, 132
André the Giant (wrestler), 26
Andrews, Shane, 219
androstenedione, 204
Angrisano, Juan Pablo, 339
Aniston, Jennifer, 228
Ankiel, Rick, 231
Anthony, Eric, 94
Anthony, Marc, 246
Anthrax (band), 204
Apodaca, Bob, 187, 205, 228
Appier, Kevin, 241
Arizona Fall League, 96–97, 98
Arocha, Rene, 103
Arturo (cigar man), 303, 304
Ashby, Alan, 94
Ashley, Billy, 72, 90, 94, 131, 134, 144, 147
Astacio, Pedro, 94, 95, 96, 101, 136, 151, 162, 256
Atlanta Braves, 192–93, 209–10, 214–16, 220, 222, 228, 247–49
Atlas, Tony, 26
AutoZone commercial, 202
Avila, Al, 48, 56
Avila, Ralph, 48, 56, 57, 255
Baar, Bryan, 86, 87
Babe Ruth league, 17–18, 19
Backlund, Bob, 26
Bad Company (band), 204
Bagwell, Jeff, 166, 175, 198
Baker, Dusty, 3
Bamberger, Michael, 176
Bane, Eddie, 181
Banks, Ernie, 116
Banyacskay, Joe, 27
Barbuscia, Lisa, 161
Bard, Josh, 320, 322
Barfield, Josh, 321
Barkley, Charles, 132
Barrios, Manuel, 177, 181
baseball:
arbitration in, 155, 174
ballpark size, 253
changes in game, 250–53
collective bargaining agreements, 154
“dirty slide rule,” 193, 219–20
equipment modifications in, 252–53
expansion draft in, 171
expansion teams in, 251
Hall of Fame, 316, 337, 339, 343–44
increase in strikeouts, 253
interleague play, 161–62
international competition, 339
Latin American winter leagues, 317
and nutrition, 251
player incomes, 252
player-management balance, 329–30
players’ strike (1994–95), 127, 129–31, 132, 133, 137, 139, 213
players’ theme songs in, 327–28
playoff shares in, 217
power surge in, 253
QuesTec system, 223
revenue sharing, 154
and September 11 attacks, 244–48, 249, 312, 342, 344
social relationships in, 217–18
steroids and drug issues, 156–59, 168, 203–4, 226, 250–51, 252, 253, 264, 268–69, 285–87, 338
and weight training, 251–52
/> World Baseball Classic, 317, 339
Baseball Prospectus, 280
Baseball’s All-Time Best Sluggers (Schell), 295
Baseball Writers of America, 255
Baylor, Don, 111, 162
Baywatch (TV), 131–32
Beamer, Todd, 244
Beane, Billy, 325, 326, 328–30
Beatles, 323
Bechler, Steve, 158
Beck, Rod, 121, 163
Bedrosian, Steve, 100
Bell, Derek, 219, 223
Bell, Jay, 227
Belle, Albert, 154
Belle and Sebastian (band), 263
Beltran, Carlos, 310, 314
Bench, Johnny, 75, 112, 158, 220
and Hall of Fame, 337
record tied by Mike, 267
and Shea event honoring Mike, 1, 2, 294, 296
as top-ranking catcher, 1, 295
Bene, Bill, 53, 63
Benes, Andy, 194
Benitez, Armando, 199, 229
vs. Atlanta, 214, 247, 248, 249
as pitcher, 211, 222, 226, 230, 232, 234, 240, 247, 248, 249, 277
and World Series, 234, 240
Bennett, Gary, 334
Benson, Anna, 305
Benson, Kris, 305
Berg, Dave, 184
Bergeron, Peter, 291
Berkow, Ira, 190
Berman, Chris, 129, 229
Bernaola, Carol, 227
Bernaola, Darlene, 227–28, 262
Berra, Yogi, 1, 233, 294, 295, 296, 317, 337
Bettis, Jerome “Bus,” 131
Beyers, Tom, 60, 63, 67, 72, 75, 77
Bichette, Dante, 141
Biggio, Craig, 198, 253, 343
Black, Bud, 94, 325
Black Label Society (band), 210
Black Sabbath (band), 29
Blades, Bennie, 43
Blades, Brian, 43
Bland, Mike, 27
Blaney, Charlie, 56, 66, 67, 68, 69, 78–79
Blauser, Jeff, 220
Blob, The (movie), 25
Bochy, Bruce, 152, 318, 320–22, 324, 325
Bodet, Gib, 52, 53
Boggs, John, 98
Boggs, Wade, 218
Bold and the Beautiful, The (TV), 132
Bonds, Barry, 169, 243, 293
and All-Star Game, 144, 153, 266
at bat, 230, 256, 265