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 major leagues as his father, Vince, was good friends with Dodgers’ coach and later Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda.

Lasorda gave Piazza the opportunity to be batboy on occasion, where Piazza would have the chance to work with players and coaches on his swing. Growing up in Pennsylvania, Piazza spent countless hours training and refining his swing, as his father built him a batting cage in his own backyard.

Piazza’s offensive abilities were evident early on, as one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen in Ted Williams concurred when paying a visit to a young Piazza at his home while in Pennsylvania for a card show appearance.

After attending the University of Miami and Miami-Dade Community College, Piazza was selected by the Dodgers in the 62nd round of the 1988 Draft due to a recommendation by Lasorda.

Having previously played first base in junior college, the Dodgers decided to convert him to catcher, as that position would give him a greater chance of reaching the majors due to his offensive profile.

The slugging right-handed hitter made his presence known in his rookie season of 1993, when he hit 35 home runs, drove in 112 runs and posted a 153 OPS+ en route to unanimously winning the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award. He became the first National League rookie to hit 35+ home runs and post an OPS+ of at least 150, with only Albert Pujols (2001) joining that list since.

Piazza quickly became one of the more prolific and clutch power hitters in the sport. From his rookie season of 1993 through the 1997 season, Piazza was tied with Mark McGwire for the 11th-most home runs in the majors (167), and posted the fifth-highest wRC+ among qualified hitters with a 162 mark.

While Piazza’s stardom continued to rise, tensions grew between the All-Star catcher and the Dodgers organization in regards to a new contract. On May 14, 1998, the Dodgers traded Piazza along with Todd Zeile to the defending World Champion Florida Marlins for five players, which included Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla and Gary Sheffield.

A mere eight days later, Piazza was on the move yet again in what became a defining day in New York Mets history. The club acquired Piazza from the Marlins in exchange for Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall and Geoff Goetz.

In 109 games with the Mets in ’98, Piazza slashed .348/.417/.607 with 56 extra-base hits and 76 RBI. Piazza’s 168 wRC+ is the highest single-season mark in Mets history (min. 400 plate appearances).

Acquiring Piazza helped change the outlook and landscape of the Mets organization, giving the club a bona fide superstar in the middle of their lineup. The club rewarded Piazza with a seven-year, $91 million contract after the season, which was the richest deal in major league history at the time.

In his ensuing seven seasons with the Mets, Piazza gave Met fans countless memories, including a go-ahead, 3-run home run in the eighth off Terry Mulholland in the Mets’ 10-run inning against the Atlanta Braves on June 30, 2000, a go-ahead, two-run home run off Steve Karsay in the eighth in the first major sporting event held in New York ten days after the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and breaking Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk’s record for most home runs hit by a catcher with his 352nd blast as a backstop on May 5, 2004.

Among all time Mets, Piazza ranks first in slugging percentage (.542), second in OPS (.915), third in home runs (220), third in RBI (655) and sixth in fWAR (28.2).

Piazza was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in his fourth year on the ballot in 2016, receiving 83 percent of the vote. He joined Tom Seaver as the only two players in the Hall of Fame that were enshrined with a Mets cap on their plaque.

The 12-time All-Star is one of fourteen players in major league history with 400+ home runs and a career batting average over .300, and his career 143 OPS+ is the highest among 66 catchers who recorded a minimum of 5,000 plate appearances and played at least sixty percent of their games behind the dish.

This January, Piazza can be seen on a new FOX reality competition show called “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” in which sixteen celebrities endure some of the harshest, most grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process.

Pete Dadds / FOX

Along with the show, Piazza will also be getting back into the dugout as Team Italy’s manager for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. After representing Italy as a player in the inaugural WBC in 2006, Piazza is eager to help promote the game and showcase some of the younger Italian talent on a big stage.

From Norristown, Pennsylvania, to the hallowed halls of Cooperstown, Piazza’s journey from a late-round pick as a favor to the family to the greatest hitting catcher of all time is one of the greatest examples of resiliency in sports history.

I had the privilege of speaking with Piazza in early December, where he spoke about his early career development, tenure with the Mets and upcoming competition series.

MMO: Where did your love of baseball originate from?

Piazza: Growing up in the seventies was a little different than kids today. They have a lot more distractions with computers and video games. It was just a different time.

We were more into riding bikes, building forts, playing baseball and having pickup games. Going to a baseball game was part of my youth and for a lot of people growing up around the same time.

Growing up in Philly, I was fortunate to watch the great Phillies teams of the seventies; my dad had season tickets. We’d go down and watch [Mike] Schmidt and [Larry] Bowa. I was looking at something online, and that’s what I love about online is that you get to go back and see history with [Greg] Luzinski, [Garry] Maddox and Bake McBride, players and teams I used to watch as a kid. That was something for me.

Right away, it was something I always wanted to do. I always wanted to be a baseball player from a very young age.

MMO: It’s well-documented how influential and crucial Tommy Lasorda was for your career. What did having Lasorda in your corner mean to you?

Piazza: Tommy was amazing. My dad was a little younger than Tommy, and they basically grew up together. They knew each other in Norristown, and Tommy went into baseball, and my dad had to do what he had to do. They always remained close.

I remember when Tommy was the third base coach for the Dodgers; I think it was ’76 before he became the manager. My dad would call him over on the third base-side, and they’d be talking. And I remember being so very impressed that he knew somebody on the team.

I think I was around twelve when I became batboy, and Mark Cresse was a coach and put me in the cage. I think there was a rain delay and there was a cage underneath the stadium in the tunnel, and I started hitting off Manny Mota and Cresse. Tommy was extremely impressed and, at that point, knew I had some talent.

It wasn’t a perfect journey. [Laughs.] No journeys to the big leagues are ever easy, but for me, it was interesting.

He was always in my corner. Even when I got older, he’d send me spikes, gloves and equipment. When I went into junior college, he was trying to get me to the right spot where I could develop. Obviously, he convinced the Dodgers to draft me and change positions and the rest is history.

He was everything to me, and there’s no question that if it wasn’t for him, I would have probably not made it to the big leagues.

MMO: One of the jaw-dropping moments early in your 2013 autobiography, “Long Shot,” was when you write about the day Ted Williams showed up at your home and watched you take batting practice in your backyard. What do you remember about Williams’ visit to your home?

Piazza: That was an amazing experience. My father was very close with the former Dodgers and Orioles scout Ed Liberatore, and Eddie was very close with Joe DiMaggio and Williams.

There was a card show at the George Washington Motor Lodge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Ted Williams was there signing autographs. Eddie Libertore was talking with him at breakfast one day and said, “My buddy, Vince, has got a kid. He’s a pretty good hitter, and he’s got a cage in his backyard. He practices in his backyard.” And Ted Williams said, “Let’s go see him hit.”

The next thing I know, Ted Williams is coming to my house! I didn’t sleep the night I found out, it was an amazing experience. I have to tell you, aside from just the mechanical part of hitting, which he was working on and complimented my swing, there was also a lot of mental things that were sort of tattooed in my memory.

It was definitely an inspirational moment, a watershed moment in my career that inspired me to work hard. A lot of the lessons he taught me I still teach today and relay to kids today in my coaching.

MMO: How difficult was the transition going from a first baseman to a catcher in your late teenage years? And you went to the Dodgers’ Dominican academy initially to learn the position, is that right?

Piazza: That’s correct. Look, it was definitely difficult for me. I was fortunate at the time that I had a pretty good arm, and I always threw the ball pretty well. There were times when I was actually pitching at fourteen or fifteen, and Claude Osteen, who was the Phillies’ pitching coach and a former Dodger, saw me pitch and said, “I think Mike could pitch as well.”

I was fortunate to have a decent arm, but to sign as a catcher and really have to convert was really difficult. I was fortunate that I was able to have good coaching; I had Johnny Roseboro and Kevin Kennedy, who were my first two catching coaches. They worked with me religiously in blocking balls and throwing and the other intricacies of the position.

One of the first guys that I caught was a guy named Tim Scott, who pitched for the Expos, and was very patient with me. Another guy, Mike Hartley, was in the big leagues for a little bit. I remember these guys were so patient with me and inspired me.

I knew I was raw and had a lot of work to do, but I had great coaches and people in my life who inspired me from Tommy on down. Not everybody was a big fan, of course; there were always people that you’re never going to convince, but fortunately, I had the right people in my corner. I was blessed to have them looking out and helping me.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

MMO: One of those people who you seemed to have in your corner was coach Reggie Smith, who fought hard for the Dodgers to consider you as a prospect. He was also the one who went to your home to bring you back to Vero Beach after you initially decided to quit baseball. How did Smith aid in your development?

Piazza: I think Reggie and I had some really interesting similarities. We gelled right away with the hitting part and had a connection with Ted Williams; Reggie Smith came up with the Red Sox when Williams was the hitting coach there.

There was a real connection, and I think we had the same philosophy. Reggie was able to look at my swing and refine it in a way. He didn’t really change it, but he was able to refine it.

In order to get quicker on the pitch inside, he taught me at the time how to make my swing more compact, more off the hips, and not so much of the bat lag. My swing was a little long, and he was able to refine it and taught me some drills that really helped.

When I was having my problems in the Dodgers organization and wasn’t playing a lot and clashing with some of the coaches, they were going to release me. He was in a meeting, and they were like, “Piazza, non-prospect. We should release him.” And Reggie was like, “Let me tell you something, you release this guy he’s going to come back to bite you in the butt. He has something you cannot teach. You cannot teach power. You can’t teach power, and you can’t teach speed.” He said, “I’m sorry, I just do not recommend releasing a guy that has power.”

They finally relented and gave me a 300-at-bat season, and I went to Bakersfield the next year (1991) and hit 29 home runs. That was a turning point in my life.

If it wasn’t for him looking out for me and going to bat for me, pardon the pun, my life would probably be different.

MMO: It’s been well-documented but that eight-day period between May 14, 1998, and May 22, 1998, in which you were traded twice must’ve been a whirlwind for you. What were your initial reactions to being traded to Florida, and then New York eight days later?

Piazza: That was a very interesting time in the game and in my life personally. It was a little bit frustrating being young and coming up with the Dodgers and thinking I would be there my whole career. And then the Dodgers getting sold and for some reasoning that I don’t understand, we just clashed.

My contract was up, and the Dodgers gave me a two-year deal to get me to free agency because they knew they were selling the team, and then they would wait until the next owners took over.

I don’t know why it was, I have no idea why we clashed. Looking back, I think both of us made mistakes; we were both ego-driven and proud.

At the end of the day, as an athlete, the same competitiveness and drive that allows you to excel at a certain level on the field, you can’t extinguish that when you’re talking about your contract because it’s personal. At that point, I took it personally that they didn’t feel that I was worth what I thought I was worth. I was a little bit immature, and we both said something, and it didn’t work out. It was difficult at the end of the day.

It was only because the Marlins were dismantling their World Series team that they were able to pull off the trade for Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson and [Jim] Eisenreich. They justified and thought the trade would be good for them. I went to Florida and played for Jim Leyland for a week, and I really enjoyed that. It wasn’t an easy week and then ended up in New York.

I do believe a certain amount of life is throwing it up to fate and realizing things don’t happen by accident. I was able to let that control part go and say I’m going to end up where I’m going to end up.

I ended up with the Mets and had a little bit of a tough start and was really exposed to New York sports in a very intense way right off the bat. But after a while, I played hard and the fans started embracing me.

To be embraced as a Met, by a fanbase that doesn’t necessarily embrace players that are not from their team and coming up through the team, to me, is my biggest accomplishment. Not the home runs as a catcher, not my average, not anything else. To be embraced by the Mets fans as an outsider more or less, and coming up with the Dodgers, even though they had a connection to Brooklyn, that’s the thing I am most grateful for.

There are not too many guys who come here that don’t come up through the Mets organization that the fans embrace.

MMO: Did playing in a big market like Los Angeles help make the transition of playing in New York any easier?

Piazza: They’re two entirely different experiences, that’s for sure. I don’t know if it helped, but I’ve said before that I feel that I’m one of the few athletes in basically the history of sports that was able to be in my prime in L.A. and New York effectively. There’s not a lot of guys who can say that.

With that said, the transition to New York was very difficult. It was just different. I grew up with the Dodgers, and the fans embraced me even when I struggled and were patient with me. And then when money got involved it turned very quickly. [Laughs.] I was sort of ostracized and kind of run out of town.

I will say that playing there is not easy, but it’s less difficult than New York only because New York you have seven papers and fourteen or so columnists. It’s a different experience, no question about it.

For me, it was something that I needed to really guard my armor and prepare for and concentrate on. It was a lot of pressure! I had sleepless nights and nights where I was really nervous about my performance, but I was able to focus and get through it. As I’ve said before, it’s something I’m very, very grateful for.

MMO: You were such a feared hitter and seemingly always came through in the clutch. You own a career OPS over .900 with both runners-in-scoring-position and two-outs and runners-in-scoring-position. Can you talk a bit about your approach at the plate, especially in those higher-leverage situations?

Piazza: It’s interesting you say that. I had a discussion with Dwight Howard on the show about this. There were guys that I knew that I would listen to if we were facing a Greg Maddux or Randy Johnson, and on that day, you could tell that they really didn’t want to be in the lineup. I had the opposite approach. I always felt to be the best I wanted to beat the best. I wanted to be out there in the gladiator arena with the best and going up against the best pitchers.

I also had a gift of focus, and I hope you see it on the show. I saw it at times as, for lack of a better word, the eye of the tiger. I tell kids when I got between the lines a switch went on in my head and I became a different person. Maybe it was schizophrenia, I have no idea. [Laughs.]

I turned into a machine, and I had this feeling that when I failed, I almost became physically sick. I hated the idea of going 0-for-4 and striking out a couple of times. After a game, I was miserable, and it made me sick. It was like this feeling of disgust and resentment if I didn’t do well. That’s why if I got one hit, I wanted to get two; if I got two, I wanted three; if I got three, I wanted four. I never threw those at-bats away later in the game.

There were times where if it was late and close and guys were on, I looked in the stands and I loved it. I reveled in it, and I was like, this is what I’m here for. This is what I’m meant to be and where I’m supposed to be. You have to embrace that as an athlete, and so many athletes don’t understand that, or at least they’re not able to develop that feeling and maturity or ability to want to be on the line, in the box or on the mound with the game on the line.

For me, that was what we did it for, and I had this ability or gift to recognize that.

MMO: I’ve had the chance to interview several pitchers that you caught on the Mets in Glendon Rusch, Al Leiter, Pat Mahomes, Dennis Cook and Steve Trachsel. They all have spoken so highly of your defensive abilities in regard to setting a big target and being a really good pitch framer.

During your career, you were criticized at times for your defense. Yet, with the increased reliance and use of analytics, I feel as if that narrative has turned because of your framing and blocking skills. I’m curious what your take is on your defensive acumen as a catcher, and what you felt your strengths and weaknesses were?

Piazza: That’s a good question. I think because I was a main cog in the lineup, there was probably more scrutiny on my defense because I think there were some coaches who thought I shouldn’t be catching, or at least I’d be best served DH’ing or playing another position.

The best catchers in history like Iván Rodríguez and Johnny Bench [were great at] throwing, and throwing runners out is a very important part of catching, and I’ve never shied away from that. However, there’s a lot more to catching than just having a great arm. Benito Santiago, I was a huge fan and used to love to watch him throw from his knees, and I actually replicated that a little bit and tried it myself.

Once I started catching a lot of games, Tommy Lasorda always made the joke when I wanted or needed a day off, he’d say, “I don’t have a bat long enough for you to hit from the bench.” [Laughs.]

When the pitcher is out of the game, I’m still throwing the ball back to the other pitchers, so my arm strength started deteriorating rather rapidly in my thirties just from use. You only have so many bullets in the holster.

But getting back to my point, yes, throwing runners out is important, and I think that’s something I was most scrutinized for or for not being able to do, especially later in my career.

As you mentioned, there are other things like blocking the plate, which is something I never shied away from, and I got racked good a couple of times; there are some great collisions online. I was never shying away from that. Catching popups, blocking balls in the dirt, just catching the ball or framing, whatever you want to call it. I was larger than most catchers, so guys liked to throw to me.

Coming up with a veteran staff when I came up with the Dodgers in ’93, I had Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross, Tom Candiotti, Jim Gott, Roger McDowell, Steve Wilson, guys that were really demanding. I was blessed because they were very patient with me, but they were also very hard on me as well. That baptism in fire was great for my career as a catcher.

I also had this feeling, like if I grounded into a double play and I went out there with my head up my butt or just pouting, the pitcher was going to see that. I needed the pitcher to know that I was one hundred percent looking out for him and trying to get him through that game. Even with guys that I didn’t necessarily get along with all the time. I took active pride in that.

I knew I had some shortcomings defensively, but I always felt like there were other things I wanted to overcompensate for. I’m glad and blessed that these guys noticed that. It makes me feel really good.

MMO: The Mets were the first team to play a game in New York since the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11th. Your go-ahead, 2-run home run in the eighth against the Braves is a moment that will forever be etched in time. What memories do you have from that night, and how did you keep your composure during such an emotional time?

Piazza: I was raised in a very religious household, an Italian, Slovakian household. I still believe in prayer, and I believe in mediation, and believe me, it took all that feeling and ability to lift it up to a higher power and let go. We have a tendency in life to want to control every single minutia aspect of our lives, and there are some things we just can’t control.

Before that game and arriving to the stadium and going through all the feelings of that week of just wondering if we should be there, was very difficult emotionally. It’s hard enough to play a major league sport under normal circumstances, but under those circumstances, it was absolutely terrifying in a way because we’re not used to this emotional trauma.

To get out there and then start the program and hear the bagpipes, man, it was heart-wrenching. I didn’t even know if I could play that night. To just look up and pray and say God, please let me get through this night.

The game became secondary until the game started, which I thought was really cool. We all just wanted to get through the night, and I don’t mean rushing through, but we just wanted to get through without any further emotional stress or injury or whatnot. And remember, we were off for a week, so we were a little bit out of our playing shape, or at least the intensity of the everyday experience.

There was a lot of anxiety. But in the end, as I’ve said, it was just blessed. God got me through it and I was in the right place at the right time. I just let it go, and the moment happened.

I can only point it up to my faith, I really can. I don’t remember anything about it; it was almost like I was in a trance-like state and was just very blessed to come through at that moment.

I’m very honored that people still really enjoy it and I’ve always tried to treat that moment as a moment of respect. It’s very flattering and anybody that comes up to me when I’m in public, I’m always blessed and love to listen to people’s stories about that night as well.

MMO: Putting that momentous home run aside, which was bigger than baseball, is there a home run you hit with the Mets that still vividly sticks out in your mind to this day?

Piazza: I had some great moments. And that’s what I love about the Internet: you can go back and share in things.

The 200^th home run against Billy Wagner in the Dome for me was great. A couple of home runs I hit down the stretch in ’98 because those home runs for me were sort of turning the crowd in my favor. The fans were finally realizing that they knew I was starting to rise to the occasion.

It’s funny, when I was playing well down the stretch in September, somebody put a sign up at Shea that said, “100 million is a bargain,” or something like that. At that point, I was like, This is good, I’m starting to make some progress here. Because everyone was like, is he worth the money? Is he not worth the money? These debates were going on ad nauseam for me every day. So, when someone put that sign up, I was like, This is good, this is good. [Laughs.]

The 2000 season and ’99 season, and hitting with John Olerud and Edgardo Alfonzo, and the great players I played with. I say this all the time, but you can’t have personal success because baseball is such a team game; you can’t drive in yourself every time. If you hit 35 solo home runs, you have 35 RBIs. I needed guys on base. I played with the Roger Cedeño, Rickey Henderson, Olerud and Alfonzo, and these guys were out there all the time. They gave me those opportunities.

We had a lot of fun and had great characters on those teams. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t want to come to the ballpark because I just enjoyed laughing with these guys.

Special moments, special times and went by way too fast. I always love to go back. I miss it dearly.

MMO: You certainly don’t have to answer this, but I’m curious if you and Roger Clemens ever spoke and tried to mend fences after all of the history you two had?

Piazza: I have no problem talking about it. I believe in forgiveness. If he ever wanted to reach out, I would talk to him. I have no problem. And if he doesn’t want to, that’s fine, too. We’re not playing golf any time soon; we’re not buds or anything.

As I’ve said before, it was a difficult time in my life as well, that’s something you don’t ever take for granted. When you’re talking about not just injuring but even worse, it could’ve been a lot worse situation. It could’ve been a career-ending injury if he hit me in the eye. It’s something I’m very sensitive to and still am for that matter.

Time moves on, and I’ve always been very philosophical about things like that. I think it was a challenge in my life and my career that I went through. I tried to handle it as well as I could. You’re never going to make everyone happy, that’s part of life too.

No, we’re not really friends. If he wanted to reach out, I’m not going to run away from anything. I’ve always been accountable, and I always felt like I wanted to be there. It is what it is but it’s fine. I don’t lose sleep over it.

The home run I hit off Jeff Nelson in that game (Game 2, 2000 World Series) was one of my most proud home runs, to be honest with you. Think about the dichotomy there, the paradox there.

And putting all the incidents aside with Clemens, taking all that out, it was really frustrating because I felt like we really had a shot to be a miracle team. We’ve could’ve been the second Miracle Mets. Even though they say it wasn’t the Yankees’ greatest team, that would’ve been a moment that we really wanted to give to the fans.

I always thank God for being there and having the opportunity. Even though we fell short we were there and that’s something I will always take away.

MMO: Al Leiter was convinced that if you guys took Game 1 you were winning the Series.

Piazza: I felt the same way. I don’t know how the analytics crowd talks about momentum, but I believe in momentum. And we had momentum. You could look at the Timo Pérez not scoring on Zeile’s hit, if the ball went out it would’ve been a home run.

We just kind of hit a wall and it was frustrating, no question about it. But it gave a great moment for the city and I’m always a glass half-full guy.

Aug 27, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; Former Major League catcher Mike Piazza at Old Timers Day at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

MMO: What did you think of Old Timers’ Day?

Piazza: I thought that was great! I’m involved with the alumni, and I love our history. We have some cool things coming up. Retiring Jerry Koosman’s number a few years ago was great, obviously, Keith’s number was great last year, the Old Timers’ game was great.

I thought everybody enjoyed it. I didn’t realize and I do realize how out of shape we all are. [Laughs.] The funniest thing was after the end of two and a half innings, everyone was like, “I’m not going back out there anymore. I’m done!” [Laughs.] Maybe next year we can have a little bit of a better system.

I made fun of Al Leiter because I was like, ‘Dude, you couldn’t even throw me a freaking strike!’ I think he was afraid of giving up a home run, and then he couldn’t even throw a strike. Get a BP guy in there!

It was a great first re-engagement of the Old Timers’ Game. The guys really loved it, and the response was good, so hopefully it’ll be an annual thing now and we can modify it or refine it a little bit to at least make it a little quicker maybe. But the fans didn’t care. It’s just something I hope becomes a tradition again.

MMO: Tell me about your involvement in the upcoming FOX reality series “Special Forces.” How did that come about and what can viewers expect from the series?

Piazza: Incredible experience, it changed my life in a way. It was really an incredible experience as far as the intensity and authenticity of the show. It was one hundred percent authentic, there weren’t any cuts or let’s do this again or craft services or smoothies or air conditioning. It was straight-out intense from day one until the end of the show.

I met some great people on that show and have all become very close. I just tell people to watch it! I think they’re going to enjoy it and think they’re going to laugh and cry.

There were some amazing moments, and I was impressed with everybody. I was impressed with the people who weren’t professional athletes on the show, they showed a lot of guts and determination. It was a real rewarding experience in watching the human spirit.

Pete Dadds / FOX

MMO: Did you undergo any special training prior to shooting?

Piazza: I work out still. I went to the gym this morning, and I consider myself in decent shape. I’m not, by any means, an elite athlete or what I would consider in elite shape. But I did try to up the intensity a few months out going into that.

But there was nothing you could do to prepare for that!  [Laughs.] Literally nothing unless you did the exact exercises.

It was hard; just running in sand with boots on was hard. Getting to the drills was hard. It was pretty intense, and I think people are going to be pretty surprised with the things we had to do, and the bravery and courage the people showed. I was very impressed.

MMO: You’re also managing Team Italy for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. How’s the preparation been? Do you have any aspirations to coach or manage in the majors one day?

Piazza: I really enjoy trying to grow the game worldwide. Anybody who knows me well knows that I’ve always enjoyed that tournament. And now that it’s coming back, I think it’s great.

We have an incredible group of guys. Our philosophy on building this team was a little different than in years past; we may not have the most established major leaguers. We’re going to have guys that are close to the big leagues. I wanted a team that was a little younger, a little hungrier.

We have some really interesting guys. It’s a little fluid right now because we haven’t finalized the roster, but we’ve named the roster, and I think it’s online. We’re going to have some Italian guys, we’re going to have some native Italian guys who we are very proud of playing over here in the minor leagues. I think it’s an amazing opportunity to grow the game.

As far as my philosophy of managing, I have the two-time Minor League Manager of the Year Blake Butera, who manages for the Tampa Rays. He’s more or less my co-manager because, quite honestly, I’ve been a little out of the game for a while, and the trends are different, the scouting is different, the analytics are different. I would be kind of crazy not to have an amazing staff. Chris Denorfia, who played for Team Italy, he’s the Double-A manager for the Rockies, he’s on my staff.

I really feel if I was going to do it (manage in the majors), it would definitely take a lot of commitment. I don’t think you can go into managing and take it in a way that’s not 100 percent authentic. I would have to go back and re-learn a lot of these trends or sort of get a crash course into how the game is different today. There are a lot of similarities; of course, it’s the same game, but I wouldn’t be able to do this if I didn’t have an incredible staff.

Blake is like my co-manager; he’s more or less going to be helping me tremendously, which I need. The tournament itself has a lot of interesting rules with pitching and pitch counts, so I need a lot of help with that.

I would say not right now, [but] I never say never. I don’t know if this experience turns out to be a positive experience. But it’s like building a coalition, if these guys say, hey, Mike, we’d love to work with you, we’ll take it from there.

We have a lot of work to do, we’re in a very tough bracket, and the teams are very difficult. Cuba and Taipei are good, and the Netherlands, so we don’t have a cakewalk.

We have a good team; we’d love to get out of that bracket and get to Tokyo, which would be a hell of an accomplishment for us. But first things first, we have to hopefully get out of that bracket.

We have our day off first, so we’re going to play four days in a row, which is really difficult, whereas other teams have a day off in the middle. We’ve been given a really tough pool to ride. It’s going to be tough for us, we’ve got our hands full.

MMO: Thanks so much for some time today, Mike. It was great speaking with you.

Piazza: My pleasure, man.

Follow Mike Piazza on Twitter, @mikepiazza31

The post MMO Exclusive: Hall of Fame Catcher, Mike Piazza appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Photo Credits: Reinhold Matay, USA Today

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. The teams he played the longest for were the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (five years) and Atlanta Braves (five years). McGriff registered 2490 hits over his career, as well as 493 home runs and 1550 runs batted in. The left-handed first baseman owns a career slash line of .284/.377/.509, which is good for a .886 OPS.

Overall, an immensely successful career ending in well-deserved enshrinement to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Notable individuals that were not elected are Don Mattingly, Curt Schilling, Dale Murphy, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens. Mattingly was the closest as he received eight votes, while Schilling and Murphy registered seven and six, respectively. Bonds and Clemens each received fewer than four.

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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 4,000 batters over his big-league career, Piazza struck out twice. He batted .364, had an on-base percentage of .440, and a slugging percentage of .955. He hit four home runs, each of them with import.

The intensity of this duel ratcheted up exponentially on July 8, 2000. That’s when Clemens fired a pitch that nailed Piazza just above the brim of his helmet, concussing the perennial All-Star backstop and prompting very strong ill feelings.

The Fall Classic opened to a thriller in the Bronx — marked by Mets baserunning blunders and a late Yankee rally that ultimately led to a 12th-inning walk-off. If that didn’t offer enough drama, Game 2 brought about the pinnacle of the Clemens-Piazza saga to the ultimate stage.

What occurred with two outs in the top of the first, with Piazza up and Clemens the starting pitcher, is not lost on Mets and Yankees fans alike. It’s been relived and replayed countless times over the past two decades. Piazza swung at a Clemens pitch and broke his bat on a foul ball. The meat part of the bat ended up in Clemens’ grasp. Piazza jogged to first. Clemens flung the meat part of the bat back in Piazza’s vicinity.

A bewildered Piazza walked towards Clemens as the benches cleared. He was as much perplexed as he was angry. On the field to umpires and after the game to the media, Clemens cried confusion. He thought the jagged piece of wood was the baseball. About as believable as him claiming he never used steroids.

The only thing as lousy as Clemens’ excuse was that he was inexplicably allowed to remain in the game. “The Rocket” proceeded to have a typically vintage outing: eight shutout innings, two hits, no walks, and nine strikeouts.

It wasn’t until he was out of the game that the Mets began hitting. Unfortunately, they started hitting after the Yanks had built a 6-0 cushion against starter Mike Hampton as well as relievers Glendon Rusch and Rick White.

Piazza began a furious, but ultimately futile comeback with a two-run homer that caromed off the left-field foul pole. Two singles and two outs later, Jay Payton connected for an opposite-field home run off Mariano Rivera.

A 6-5 Yankees victory was secured when Kurt Abbott struck out looking one batter later, but all anyone remembers from this night — and perhaps from this World Series — is the moment when a brief, but red-hot rivalry reached new and bizarre heights.

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Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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 should too, even it might mean more to the public than the players.

Here a rundown of the more memorable moments in a quarter century of the Subway Series, seen through orange and blue-colored glasses of course.

June 16, 1997

The first regular-season meeting was Dave Mlicki‘s finest hour.

The 29-year-old started on this historic occasion and all he did was become the only Met to throw a shutout at Yankee Stadium—current or previous. Although he allowed nine hits and two walks over 119 pitches and managed a 1-2-3 frame once, the he struck out eight Yankees and dodged any trouble.

Bernard Gilkey scored three times, crossing the plate on a John Olerud double off Andy Pettitte in the first as the Mets jumped out to a 3-0 lead. They added two on an Olerud seventh-inning single and another on Gilkey’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly. The Yankees had more traffic on the bases in the ninth. But despite three singles, Mlicki stayed preserved his scoreless effort—striking out Derek Jeter to finish off the 5-0 win and earn bragging rights over the defending world champs.

July 10, 1999

It had been 124 straight games in which the Yankees won after taking a lead into the eighth. But that wasn’t going to stop the Mets, nor were six home runs. Even if it took facing Mariano Rivera at the end.

Matt Franco defied the odds with a single to right field that brought in Rickey Henderson and Edgardo Alfonso to put an exclamation point on the best Mets win in Subway Series history. A Mike Piazza moon shot in the seventh inning (which traveled 482 feet) was countered by the power of Yankee bats.

Rivera came out of the bullpen to close with his team up by a run. Yankee victories usually followed. But with the bases full and two outs, Franco hit for Melvin Mora and fell into an 0-2 hole. After taking a ball that was questionable at best, he swung at the next pitch—a single in the hole between first and second. Paul O’Neill‘s throw came in too late and the Mets had a sensational 9-8 walk-off victory.

July 8, 2000

There was no secret that Mike Piazza owned Roger Clemens. Seven hits and three home runs in 12 at-bats. It was also no secret that Clemens threw hard and inside. In the top of the second in the nightcap of a two-stadium doubleheader, Piazza strode to the plate. Clemens used this intimidation tactic again–only this time he took it too far. His 92 mph fastball veered in the direction of Piazza’s head. Piazza ducked, but the ball hit him square on the helmet, just above the bill. Piazza fell onto his back, eyes closed at first, and then opened. His expression was blank.

“I really can’t say I have respect for him right now,” Piazza said. It set the stage for Act II that fall.

2000 World Series

It was Yankees in five, but it could’ve been so much different. Poor baserunning in several instances and a blown save by Armando Benitez were costly in a heartbreaking 12-inning loss. Then came the Clemens-Piazza rematch, broken bat toss and all.

It was a no-win scenario for the Mets, as Clemens inexplicably never received retribution and pitched eight shutout innings. The Mets came to Shea Stadium down 0-2 and finally got a win behind great pitching from Rick Reed and late offense from the likes of Benny Agbayani and Todd Zeile. They were back in the series, but only for a day. Derek Jeter hit out the first pitch of Game 4 and Al Leiter was the tough-luck loser as the resourceful Yankees rallied to take Game 5. Mike Piazza’s ninth-inning series-ending fly out to Bernie Williams in deep center field was the best indication that the Mets were close, yet still so far.

June 15, 2002

Roger Clemens wore 22 on his back, but it might as well have been a target. The ire of most Shea Stadium fans and most Mets personnel was about to be exercised with him returning as a starting pitcher in a National League park. With no universal DH rule in sight, Clemens was set for retribution two years too late. Shawn Estes (a San Francisco Giant back in 2000) would deliver the payback in the top of the third for one of the more highly-anticipated hitting pitcher at-bats.

Estes was on point all day, walking one and fanning 11 over seven shutout frames. But this was a time he missed. His pitch sailed behind Clemens’ back. Never was a strikeout so unsatisfying for so many. It turned out revenge was a dish best served at the plate. Estes took “The Rocket” deep in the fifth and so did Mike Piazza an inning later in an 8-0 victory.

May 21, 2005

This doesn’t initially register as a “Subway Series moment” because it was so beyond the realm. Dae-Sung Koo had no fear facing Randy Johnson. Or he didn’t know any better. The 35-year-old pitcher stepped into the batters’ box from the left side. He defied conventional wisdom by making contact against Johnson with to deep center field. It went out of the reach of Bernie Williams and Koo ended up with a double to the incredible joy of David Wright, among others. Some 55,800 at Shea witnessed a miracle of sorts.

Then José Reyes bunted, seemingly to advance Koo 90 feet. With Yankees catcher Jorge Posada lingering from the plate, Koo (wearing a jacket and having a weighted ball in his pocket) broke for home. Showing baserunning intrepidness not seen in ages, he dove head-first to avoid Posada’s tag. Did Posada get him in time? Umpire Chuck Meriwether said no. We’ll leave it at that.

May 19, 2006

It’s one of the enduring memories of David Wright. Hitting a drive to deep center field, leaping several times as it drifted toward the warning track, and celebrating after it went beyond the reach of Johnny Damon. As the ball landed near the wall, it brought in Paul Lo Duca and ensured a thrilling victory in one of the best games in the history of the Subway Series—a series that carried extra significance for the Mets as they enjoyed one of their best regular seasons in recent memory with the emergence of their new face of the franchise.

Wright faced Rivera with the score 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth. On a 2-2 pitch, Rivera threw his patented cutter down in the strike zone. The Mets’ future captain delivered the signature moment in his young and bright career and the team was on its way to a division title.

June 27, 2008

Carlos Delgado came out of a slump in historic fashion—setting the Mets’ single-game record for RBIs in a 15-9 rout.  It was the first of a cross-town, two-stadium doubleheader, but Delgado helped make Yankee Stadium feel like Shea. With the score tied at four in the fifth, Delgado drove in two with a double into the right-field corner. His next opportunity came in the next inning with the bases loaded. One swing turned a relatively close game into a blowout—a no-doubt grand slam to right-center.

His 443rd career homer put him ahead of Dave Kingman on the all-time list, the same man who held the one-game franchise mark for RBIs…at least for an hour. Delgado didn’t ease up when it was 12–5 in the eighth. Instead, he added to his impressive RBI total. Locking in on a LaTroy Hawkins pitch, he rocketed it into right-field stands that were now half-empty, and many of those left were in orange and blue.

June 12, 2009

You know the Subway Series has meaning when a regular season loss still stings. I needed a drink just to help me while researching on Baseball Reference. For those who saw it, I’m sorry. For those actually at Yankee Stadium, my sympathies. For those who didn’t see it, just don’t watch. Here it is in painful detail:

The Yankees were down a run in the ninth with men on first and second. Francisco Rodriguez had one out to get. Alex Rodriguez popped a ball up in the vicinity of second baseman Luis Castillo, who drifted over to his left for a seemingly easy game-ending catch…only for it to clank off the heel of his glove. Derek Jeter scored, Mark Teixeira scored. Yankees 9, Mets 8. The career of Castillo and the ’09 season never recovered. That’s enough of this game. I’ll drop it. Ugh, too soon.

May 28, 2013

Matt Harvey continued his stellar first full season with ten strikeouts and one run allowed, but he encountered tough luck.

Hiroki Kuroda’s seven shutout innings, followed by David Robertson’s easy eighth, made Harvey prime for a loss. That Yankee lead fell by the wayside in a rare spurt of Met offense. Following in concert with the other 28 major league clubs, the Mets honored Mariano Rivera in his farewell season by having him toss out the series finale’s honorary first pitch. Rivera also threw the last pitch—but not in the ceremonial fashion he was used to.

His reentrance onto the Citi Field mound came with the Yanks up 1–0 entering the ninth—a customary scenario in his brilliant nineteen-year career. When he departed the hill, it was with his Yankees having lost 2–1 and having not recorded an out. Three straight hits—by Daniel Murphy, Wright and Lucas Duda—engineered the winning rally against Mo.

September 12, 2021

This game temporarily rekindled the ol’ tension and combativeness. The Mets opened the three-game series with a 10-run outburst, followed the next night by an emotional 8-7 Yankees victory on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Then came the finale: Francisco Lindor‘s initial signature Mets moment.

For all the struggles that transpired during his debut season in Queens, his three-homer night may be a turning point. His first home run in the bottom of the second turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. His next in the sixth increased the Met lead to two. After exchanging some words with the other side (backed up by Javy Báez) an inning later, Lindor backed up the talk with more action: a tie-breaking blast to deep right field that put his team in front for good.

The post A Look Back at 25 Years of the Subway Series appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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 current state of the game but also bring a smile to all of our faces. Naturally, I landed on videos of Mike Piazza crushing home runs off Roger Clemens.

To say that Piazza owned Clemens in their head-to-head matchups is an understatement. When looking specifically at regular season play, the Mets’ Hall of Fame catcher collected eight hits off the Rocket in 19 at-bats. He collected 10 RBI in the process, with five of those eight hits going for extra bases (one double, four home runs).

Thanks to the gloriousness that is YouTube, I’ve successfully located all four of these home runs, which are below for us to enjoy on what will likely be a stressful day of waiting.

June 6th, 1999: Two-Run Shot at Yankee Stadium

Whenever we think of the 1999 Mets, we think about how dominant they were in all aspects, but they entered this game against the Yankees with just a 27-28 record. New York jumped on Clemens early, scoring seven runs in three innings. The right-hander was responsible for all seven, which he allowed in just 2 2/3 innings of work.

This was the first of Piazza’s home runs in this epic matchup, and this two-run dinger served as a decent exclamation point as Clemens’ night was coming to an end quicker than he wanted.

July 9th, 1999: Three-Run Homer at Shea Stadium

This homer helped break a 2-2 tie at Shea Stadium and was vintage Piazza, wasn’t it? Not only did that baseball get smoked on a line, but him leaning back to admire his work after his follow-through was just magnificent. I mean, you can tell by the video that Todd Pratt enjoyed every minute of this sequence, too.

The above game was the series opener between these two clubs. After the Yankees took two of three in the Bronx the previous month, the Mets took two of three at Shea, including a dramatic walk-off hit from Matt Franco the next day.

June 9th, 2000: Grand Slam at Yankee Stadium

What’s a better way to kick off the scoring in a big game than with a grand slam? I’m not really sure, but judging from the above video, it looks like a great idea — especially when it’s a moonshot off Piazza’s bat. This gave the Mets 4-0 lead in the top of the second, and they’d never give it up as they eventually won, 12-2. Clemens lasted five innings but surrendered nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits.

Of course, these two met again a month later, with Clemens hitting Piazza in the head with an upper-90s fastball. That was followed by the infamous broken bat incident during the 2000 World Series that October, as well.

June 15th, 2002: Solo Homer at Shea Stadium

It wasn’t until I pulled all these videos together that I realized Piazza hit for the home run cycle against Clemens over a three-year period. That’s pretty cool. Especially after everything that happened between these two during the 2000 season, it had to feel good for Piazza to tag him once more for a round-tripper.

The Mets won this game 8-0, and this wasn’t the only homer Clemens surrendered that day. While he evaded a Shawn Estes pitch as a hitter, Estes hit his own homer off the right-hander. In 11 games started against the Mets for his career (70 innings), Clemens was just 3-6 with a 4.89 ERA.

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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 a ten-time All-Star, three-time World Series Champion, seven-time silver slugger, World Series MVP, and ALCS MVP. Ortiz finished his career with 541 home runs and 1,768 runs batted in.

Ortiz will be honored alongside Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, and Buck O’Neil in Coopertown this July.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa failed to earn the votes needed in their 10th and final year of eligibility. Bonds finished with 66.0% of votes, Clemens with 65.2%, Schilling with 58.6%, and Sosa 18.5%. Schilling lost 54 votes from 2021.

Players need 75% of the votes to enter the hall.

Their next chance to enter will be in December on the Today’s Game Committee ballot. Ten names will be presented before the 16-person voting committee.

Multiple players saw increases. Scott Rolen is trending toward induction in the next year or two with 63.2% of votes. Todd Helton received 52.0% of votes and Billy Wagner received 51.0%. Only seven of the 30 players on the ballot received over 50% of the votes.

Wagner has seen a steady increase since joining the ballot in 2016.

Billy Wagner continues to make progress in getting voted to the Hall of Fame:

2022 – 51%
2021 – 46.4%
2020 – 31.7%
2019 – 16.7%
2018 – 11.1%
2017 – 10.2%
2016 – 10.5%

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) January 25, 2022

Eleven players fell off the ballot with less than 5% of the votes. Those players are Joe Nathan, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Howard, Mark Teixeira, Justin Morneau, Jonathan Papelbon, Prince Fielder, A.J. Pierzynski, Carl Crawford, and Jake Peavy. Crawford and Peavy did not receive a vote.

Alex Rodriguez led all first-year candidates with 34.3% of voters putting him in. Jimmy Rollins was second with 9.4%.

Next season will be the final year for Jeff Kent. He will be a long shot to make it after garnering only 32.7% of votes.

Expected to be on next year’s ballot are Carlos Beltran, John Lackey, Matt Cain, and Jayson Werth. Beltran is by far the most compelling candidate to make the Hall of Fame his first chance. He accumulated 70.1 career WAR which ranks only behind Rodriguez and Rolen on the current ballot.

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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 @baseballhall, here's the 2022 @officialBBWAA Hall of Fame ballot: pic.twitter.com/tesaStndwI

— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) November 22, 2021

Some notable things to keep in mind, which are illustrated in the above picture, are the players appearing for the first time and those appearing for the final time. Hall of Fame ballot rookies includes the likes of Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, Jake Peavy, A.J. Pierzynski, Alex Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins, and Mark Teixeira.

Players appearing on the ballot for the 10th and final time are all of our favorite controversial dudes, which include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa.

While there was a ceremony in Cooperstown this past September for the latest inductees, it was for the 2020 class of Derek Jeter and Larry Walker. No player received the necessary 75% of the vote in 2021 to enter baseball immortality.

The results of this year’s vote will be revealed by the BBWAA via MLB Network on January 25th, with the potential induction ceremony slated for July 24th at 1:30 pm ET.

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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 what led up to the defining moment of the Mets’ greatest team.

After an exhausting NLCS with the Astros, it was expected that New York would have an easier time against Boston — coming off a dramatic playoff win of its own. Not so. The Mets were playing from behind very quickly: losing the first two games at home before taking the next two in Boston, but falling at Fenway in Game 5. That put them in a desperate situation against the soon-to-be Cy Young and MVP winner in the American League.

Roger Clemens looked the part, too. Through four innings, he didn’t allow a hit. He gave up two runs, which allowed the Mets to tie it in the fifth, but was otherwise dominant over seven frames. Controversy ensued when Clemens was removed for a pinch-hitter with the Red Sox threatening in the top of the eighth. Whether or not Clemens asked out because to a blister on his pitching hand or it was manager John McNamara‘s decision to replace his star pitcher, we’ll never know.

The Red Sox took the lead following a key seventh-inning throwing error by Ray Knight, but New York immediately jumped on Clemens’ replacement, Calvin Schiraldi. Lee Mazzilli singled and was safe at second when Schiraldi’s throw on Lenny Dykstra’s bunt couldn’t be handled cleanly by Spike Owen. A sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk loaded the bases for Gary Carter. On 3-0, Carter swung and lined it deep enough to left fielder Jim Rice to allow Mazzilli to score.

The Mets had a terrific chance to win in the ninth, starting with a walk and another botched defensive effort by Boston on a bunt. Howard Johnson, after initially attempting to move the two runners over, struck out. Fly-outs by Mazzilli and Dykstra sent the game to extras.

Red Sox center fielder Dave Henderson led off the 10th and added to his postseason heroics with a home run to left field. If that wasn’t enough of a back-breaker, Boston added to its lead with Marty Barrett‘s single to score Wade Boggs.

Backman and Hernandez flew out to start the bottom of the 10th to bring Boston within one out of its first title since 1918 and the Mets to within one out of a colossal disappointment.

The rest is, well, miraculous. Carter single, Mitchell single, Knight single, Stanley wild pitch, Mookie’s grounder. A sequence for the ages which carried them to an improbable win and a Game 7 victory two nights later.

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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 than 4,000 batters over his lengthy big-league career, Piazza struck out just twice. He batted .364, had an on-base percentage of .440, and a slugging percentage of .955. He hit four home runs, each of them carrying its own importance.

The intensity of this duel of two superstars was ratcheted up ten-fold on July 8, 2000 when Clemens drilled Piazza with a pitch just above the brim of his helmet, concussing the perennial All-Star catcher and prompting strong ill-feelings.

If Game 1’s extra-inning thriller — highlighted by costly Mets baserunning and a late Yankee rally to prevail in the 12th — didn’t offer enough drama, Game 2 brought about the pinnacle of the Clemens-Piazza saga on the ultimate stage.

What took place with two outs in the top of the first is not lost on Mets and Yankees fans alike, re-lived countless times over the past two decades. Piazza broke his bat on a foul ball. The meat part of the bat ended up in Clemens’ grasp. Piazza jogged to first. Clemens flung the jagged piece of wood back in Piazza’s vicinity.

Both benches emptied as Piazza walked towards Clemens, as much perplexed as he was angry. On the field and after the game, Clemens’ claimed he had confused the bat with the ball, which is about as believable as his claim that he never used steroids.

Once the soap opera subsided and “The Rocket” inexplicably was allowed to continue, Clemens proceeded to have a typically vintage outing: eight shutout innings, two hits, no walks, nine strikeouts.

It wasn’t until he was out of the game when the Mets began to hit. Unfortunately, they began hitting after the Yanks had built a 6-0 cushion against Mike Hampton, Glendon Rusch, and Rick White.

Piazza began a furious, but ultimately futile comeback with a two-run homer that caromed off the left-field foul pole. Two singles and two outs later, Jay Payton connected for an opposite-field home run off Mariano Rivera.

A 6-5 Yankees victory was secured when Kurt Abbott struck out looking one batter later, but all anyone remembers from this night — and perhaps from this World Series — is the moment when a brief, but red-hot rivalry reached new and bizarre heights.

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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 (16 votes shy of election) and Bonds and Clemens sitting pat at 61.8 percent and 61.6 percent, respectively (60.7 for Bonds and 61.0 percent for Clemens last year).

All three top vote-getters have controversy attached to their candidacies — steroid implications for Bonds and Clemens, character issues for Schilling. Whether future voting sessions open the doors for these three is to be determined, but — moral inadequacies aside — they do have history on their side.

Former Brooklyn Dodgers great and Mets skipper Gil Hodges is the only player in MLB history to receive over 50 percent of BBWAA votes in a single year and pass through the 15-or-10 year voting window without gaining induction.

The rest of this year’s ballot saw considerable gains made among the next wave of Hall hopefuls, as well as a shade of stagnancy for others.

Rockies standout Todd Helton (29.2 percent in 2020), former Mets closer Billy Wagner (31.7 percent), and third baseman Scott Rolen (35.3 percent) all saw their candidacies receive jolts in the arm, with Helton picking up 44.9 percent of the vote, Wagner jumping to 46.4 percent, and Rolen breaking 50 percent (52.9) for the first time.

Two more former Mets — Jeff Kent and Gary Sheffield — saw their induction hopes raised this year, as did former Mets killer Andruw Jones. Kent’s vote percentage increased from 27.5 percent to 32.4 and Sheffield’s total jumped from 30.5 to 40.6 percent. Jones saw a substantial gain, going from 19.4 percent last year to 33.9 percent in 2021.

Omar Vizquel‘s support dropped from 52.6 percent in 2020 to 49.1 percent this year, and Manny Ramirez stuck exactly where he finished last year’s tally — at 28.2 percent.

Players who didn’t receive the necessary five percent of votes to remain on the ballot are as follows: Aramis Ramirez, LaTroy Hawkins, Barry Zito, A.J. Burnett, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, Nick Swisher, and Shane Victorino.

Despite no players being elected from the 2021 class, last year’s inductees — Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons, and Marvin Miller — will be celebrated this July in Cooperstown, along with the litany of baseball legends lost over the past 10 months.

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