One more curtain call for Mike Piazza! He signed with the Padres. Last week's rumors about him and the Skanks proved hollow. For that alone, he rates a standing ovation.
One now, two later. He's scheduled to compete against us in seven separate games, four in April in San Diego, three in August at Shea. I will go clap-happy in front of the television when the Mets are at Petco and have just now made plans to do it again from a seat in Queens.
Not that I'll be using the seat when he comes to bat. Never had much use for it before, why start now?
Mike could have done us some real good by going to the Blue Jays and exterminating certain A.L. East bacteria, but then we wouldn't get to see him in his old house. By August 8, I may not be terribly enthused at the prospect of watching him take one of his old batterymates deep, but right now I wouldn't forsake him that pleasure.
Mets 10 Padres 1 — yeah, that's doable.
As for the rest of the time, Mike Piazza will be up too late to be included in this edition. Something like half of his games will merit the ol' (n) in the next morning's papers. Damn you San Diego for your inconsiderate choice of time zone. Yes, the Internet is the Denny's of communications vehicles, open at all hours, but nobody Back Here really has much idea of what goes on Out There. As far as we know, Barry Bonds is six homers shy of 500 and two hat sizes short of gargantuan.
Distance notwithstanding, I'll do my best to keep tabs on our erstwhile catcher and heroic figure. I did the same for Fonzie when he crossed the continent. It took me a couple of years to not pay attention to Giants games for his performances. I don't know that Mike has a couple of years, but whatever he does, I hope he does it well and, if he can help it, not at our expense too much.
I sure wish someone could explain to me why Mike will be playing for the Padres this season.
We gave up a decent pitching prospect for a catcher who is marginally (at best) better at throwing out base-runners and has no power. And we're paying LoDuca two or three times what we could have spent to retain the greatest and probably most popular Mets player of all time.
The WS celebration will be a little less enjoyable without #31 there.
No ticket for me, oh Blog Brother? Feh!
From the Met fan perspective, this really is a perfect destination for Mike. He won't play for the Yankees, won't haunt us as a Phillie, can only do damage to us seven times, yet isn't vanishing into the Whatever Zone of American League baseball.
Needless to say I wish him all the best. Still, Petco's not going to inflate his stats any, not with those dimensions. I see a lot of home runs turning into long singles.
“…vanishing into the Whatever Zone of American League baseball”
I was hoping Mike would end up in the AL. Besides regular DHing being good for him, he would never face us. I could root furiously for him the 12 or so times his club faced the Chokees. And maybe it would force me to actually pay attention to the junior circuit after all these years.
No ticket for me, oh Blog Brother? Feh!
I thought some things are implied. When it comes to dates like August 8, let's just say you and I are living in the same convent and our schedules are in sync.
You want to wave the picture of the Mic while I do the Pizza or vice-versa?
Good thing I chose that “Champion Pack” that includes San Diego. With my luck, Doug Mirabelli will be playing.