Feb
23
2012

Morning Grind: Piazza Should Have His Number Retired Regardless Of HOF Results

An article by Clayton Collier

Last week we learned from Dave Lennon of Newsday that the Mets are waiting for Mike Piazza to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for them to retire number 31. For me, that takes away from the honor of retiring someone’s number. It should not be about if someone else sees him as a great player, it should be about how Piazza impacted the New York Mets from 1998-2005. If they look at the mark he left on solely the Amazin’s,–and they should– then his number should have already been retired long ago.

It is no question that Piazza will go into the Hall of Fame, –likely as a Met as well– but the principle of the fact that the Mets want to wait until a group of several hundred writers confirm what the rest of us already know makes the honor less special. It sends a message that they want to see others approve of him as an all-time great before they go ahead and retire the number.

In recent years, when Greg Maddux and Frank Thomas called it a career following the 2008 season, the Braves and Whitesox wasted no time in immortalizing their star players on the walls of Turner Field and Comiskey Park. They didn’t care what Peter Gammons or Jon Heyman thought of these players’ careers. They saw what they gave to their respective franchises as enough for them to honor them permanently by retiring their number.

Even the Mets themselves retired Tom Seaver’s 41 in 1988 before he was inducted into the Hall. At the time of his number being retired, of course everyone knew he was making it to Cooperstown. The Mets saw his accomplishments as good enough for them, why don’t they think the same of Piazza. Why does arguably the greatest hitting catcher of all-time have to be proven to his old club that he is worthy of having his number plastered in left field? Did he not do enough for the Amazin’s over his eight years in Flushing?

It should be about his contribution to the Mets, not what accolades or recognition he receives because of it. And why Fred Wilpon, Sandy Alderson or whoever is in charge of that cannot see this is beyond me.

About the Author: Clayton Collier

Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com

8 Comments + Add Comment

Alex68 February 23, 2012 at 9:30 am

In recent years, when Greg Maddux and Frank Thomas”

no offense clayton, but comparing those 2 to the piazza situation is a bit of a stretch… maddux and thomas won awards, were the face of the franchise in terms of pitching and hitting for many years.. piazza was here for about 6 full seasons, but i get your point in that the mets should embraced piazza more..
- trs86 February 23, 2012 at 9:43 am
  
  Yeah only comparisons there are really that they all should be first ballot HOF.
Metsie February 23, 2012 at 11:01 am

I wonder if they are waiting for him to be inducted or just saving it up as another Marketing gimmick for next year (like the return of banner day) to get people to come out even if we have a horrible season this year!
Tracey February 23, 2012 at 8:57 pm

great post Clayton-totally agree!
- Clayton Collier February 24, 2012 at 9:30 am
  
  Thanks Tracey! Appreciate it.
RickyR February 24, 2012 at 3:54 am

I agree that they should retire his number, but i think the Mets are not totally convinced that he will enter the HOF as a Met, which apparently carries more weight in the Mets minds. The whole HOF voting process is a joke IMO why are baseball writers the chosen ones to determine who gets in.
- Clayton Collier February 24, 2012 at 9:33 am
  
  I think the reason the writers choose is because they in theory have covered these players from when they were drafted to the day they retired. They are supposed to know both the players and baseball during the era of that given player best. There are positives and negatives to the process.
  - Metsie February 24, 2012 at 11:45 am
    
    Well the other reason is that it is the writers who usually write the history books as well!
    
    You need to have someone outside of baseball itself make the selections. Too many politics if the League itself picks, Then you get lesser players elected in because politics get in the way and you get players who shouldn’t be but are because the team they played for is not represented as much as another.
    
    You can’t let the active players vote nor can you merely let the existing HOF members vote because then you get friends voted in as opposed to guys that deserve it.
    
    If you let the Fans pick then only popular players will get in as opposed to the cream of the crop! Look at how the All Star voting goes do you really think the best players make it? The Popular ones sure do regardless of the year they are having!
    
    SO really what is left?
    
    the press! Unfortunatly the press these days isn’t quite as good as it was when this decision to have them vote was originally made!

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