Mike Piazza’s journey of going from a 62nd-round draft pick (1,390th overall) at the behest of a Hall of Fame manager, to switching positions late in his teenage years and becoming the greatest hitting catcher of all time is one of near improbability. For Piazza, 54, baseball was a way of life and something he innately knew he was destined for. From a young age, Piazza had access to the...
There is only one new entrant into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The man who is receiving that distinct honor is Fred McGriff. He was selected by the Contemporary Era committee, this committee was comprised of 16 individuals, all of which voted for him. To gain entry, nominees needed at least 12 votes from the 16 electors. McGriff, who endured a 19-year career, played from 1986 to 2004....
It would’ve been hard for anything to exceed the hype of the first All-New York World Series in 44 years, but the personal confrontation between the Mets’ power-hitting catcher and the Yankees’ most renowned starting pitcher did just that. Few hitters gave Roger Clemens as much trouble as Mike Piazza. The pair faced off 25 times. Against a pitcher who would strike out more than...
When interleague play was conceived, it was for match-ups like this. The concept itself has been greatly diluted over time and the annual Mets-Yankees series had lost some of its initial steam. But when both teams are thriving and the drama is high, it can feel like it did in the early days. Last year’s three-game set at Citi Field certainly had that intensity and this upcoming meeting...
Look, there’s no way around it — today is going to be a tense one as MLB and the players union meet to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. We’re just hours away from regular-season games starting to get canceled, and none of these thoughts are fun ones. With that said, I was wondering what we could talk about today that’d not only take our mind off the...
Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports David Ortiz is the lone player elected to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz received 77.9% of the votes to be elected first-ballot. Ortiz played 20 years in the major leagues. He started his career in Minnesota in 1997 where he’d play six years then finish it as a star in Boston for 14 seasons. In his career, the first baseman and designated hitter was...
As you gather around the dinner table for Thanksgiving with friends and family later this week, you’ll have something good to debate, like who should be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for the Class of 2022 and who shouldn’t. Here’s a look at who is on the ballot for this year, courtesy of Hall of Fame vote tracker, Ryan Thibodaux: As just announced by...
What more can be said? In books, in films, and in memories, October 25, 1986 is among the greatest days in the history of the universe for Mets fans and among the worst for Red Sox fans (albeit it’s a lot easier for them to take now). What unfolded in the bottom of the 10th inning has been relived and dissected to a tremendous degree. But how did it get there? Here’s a brief recap of...
It would’ve been difficult for anything to exceed the hype of the first World Series pitting two New York teams in 44 years, but the personal clash between the Mets power-hitting catcher and the Yankees’ most renowned starting pitcher did just that. Few hitters gave Roger Clemens as much trouble as Mike Piazza. The two faced off 25 times. Against a pitcher who would strike out more...
For the first time since 2013 and for the ninth time in its 85-year history, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America did not elect any candidates to the National Baseball Hall of Fame this year (full voting results). Right-handers Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens and outfielder Barry Bonds came closest to the necessary 75-percent voting threshold, with Schilling receiving 71.1 percent...
With voting results set to be announced on Tuesday night (MLB Network, 6 PM EST), it’s beginning to look more and more likely that no player on this year’s National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot will gain the required 75 percent of votes necessary for election. According to the industry’s premier Hall of Fame ballot tracker (a spreadsheet of public BBWAA votes curated and...
A Mets-Yankees game carries with it certain importance, especially within the New York City area. But Saturday, July 8 brought added historical significance. June 11’s rainout created a unique day-night doubleheader: an afternoon game at Shea Stadium followed by an event game in the Bronx – the first time in 97 years the same teams played on the same day in two different ballparks....
