There is little debate when talking about the greatest offensive catcher of all-time, which we know is Mike Piazza. One thing we can debate (at least as Mets fans), however, is which season was Piazza’s best while in Queens.
From 1998-2002, Piazza averaged just shy of 36 home runs and was the driving force in the middle of a Mets’ lineup which saw two deep playoff runs in 1999 and 2000.
When it came to the postseason, Piazza certainly had his share of offensive struggles for New York. But there is no denying that without his constant regular-season heroics, particularly in ’99 and ’00, those Mets’ teams would not have even made it to the playoffs.
Not only were those seasons significant from a team standpoint, but they were also Piazza’s best as a Met. So now the question remains — which season ranks as the HOF catchers’ best with New York?
If we want a clearer answer to that, then let’s take a dive into the superstar’s numbers.
In 1999, Piazza appeared in 141 games for the Amazin’s hitting .303 with 40 HR, 124 RBI, a .361 OBP, while slugging .575 with a modest .936 OPS. On top of being a hitting machine, he also scored 100 runs and amassed 307 total bases. According to FanGraphs.com, only Ivan Rodriguez (1999 AL MVP) had a higher WAR (6.8) than Piazza (4.5) among qualified catchers in 1999.
The 2000 season saw more of the season success at the plate for the slugger. Playing in 136 games, Piazza mashed to the tune of a .324 average, with 38 homers, 113 RBI, a bodacious .398 OBP, while slugging .614 with a monster 1.012 OPS. He finished second in WAR among catchers with 5.8 (via FanGraphs.com) and was third in the NL MVP voting to Barry Bonds.
The argument can be made for either of these all-time seasons being Piazza’s best while donning the orange and blue, but the one which stands above the other is 2000.
There are a few reasons ’00 is superior to his ’99 campaign. Piazza’s regular season heroics in 2000 put the Mets’ in a position to secure a postseason spot which would lead to a run to the World Series. Piazza would lead the charge by finally breaking out of his postseason struggles in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In five games, he hit a mammoth .412 with 7 hits (2 home runs), a .545 OBP, a 1.487 OPS, and 16 total bases. Piazza was a driving force in helping secure the 4th NL pennant in Mets’ history.
Combine that performance with the fact Piazza would find himself in tops of the MVP voting for the last time in his career, and it becomes easy to see why the 2000 season stands above the rest in his illustrious Mets’ career.
