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Stats
Year
|
Team
|
Gm
|
AB
|
Run
|
Hit
|
2B
|
3B
|
HR
|
RBI
|
SB
|
CS
|
BB
|
SO
|
Avg
|
Obp
|
Slg
|
TB
|
SF
|
1992
|
LA
|
21
|
69
|
5
|
16
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
12
|
.232
|
.284
|
.319
|
|
0
|
1993
|
LA
|
149
|
547
|
81
|
174
|
24
|
2
|
35
|
112
|
3
|
4
|
46
|
86
|
.318
|
.370
|
.561
|
|
6
|
1994
|
LA
|
107
|
405
|
64
|
129
|
18
|
0
|
24
|
92
|
1
|
3
|
33
|
65
|
.319
|
.370
|
.541
|
|
2
|
1995
|
LA
|
112
|
434
|
82
|
150
|
17
|
0
|
32
|
93
|
1
|
0
|
39
|
80
|
.346
|
.400
|
.606
|
|
1
|
1996
|
LA
|
148
|
547
|
87
|
184
|
16
|
0
|
36
|
105
|
0
|
3
|
81
|
93
|
.336
|
.422
|
.563
|
|
2
|
1997
|
LA
|
152
|
556
|
104
|
201
|
32
|
1
|
40
|
124
|
5
|
1
|
69
|
77
|
.362
|
.431
|
.638
|
|
5
|
1998
|
LA
|
37
|
149
|
20
|
42
|
5
|
0
|
9
|
30
|
0
|
0
|
11
|
27
|
.282
|
.329
|
.497
|
|
1
|
|
FLA
|
5
|
18
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
.278
|
.263
|
.389
|
|
1
|
|
NYM
|
109
|
394
|
67
|
137
|
33
|
0
|
23
|
76
|
1
|
0
|
47
|
53
|
.348
|
.417
|
.607
|
|
3
|
|
TOT
|
151
|
561
|
88
|
184
|
38
|
1
|
32
|
111
|
1
|
0
|
58
|
80
|
.328
|
.390
|
.570
|
|
5
|
1999
|
NYM
|
141
|
534
|
100
|
162
|
25
|
0
|
40
|
124
|
2
|
2
|
51
|
70
|
.303
|
.361
|
.575
|
|
7
|
2000
|
NYM
|
136
|
482
|
90
|
156
|
26
|
0
|
38
|
113
|
4
|
2
|
58
|
69
|
.324
|
.398
|
.614
|
|
2
|
2001
|
NYM
|
141
|
503
|
81
|
151
|
29
|
0
|
36
|
94
|
0
|
2
|
67
|
87
|
.300
|
.384
|
.573
|
|
1
|
Career Totals
|
1258
|
4638
|
782
|
1507
|
228
|
4
|
314
|
975
|
17
|
17
|
506
|
719
|
.324
|
.579
|
2685
|
17
|
||
162 gm
Avg
|
|
|
597
|
101
|
194
|
29
|
1
|
40
|
126
|
2
|
2
|
65
|
93
|
.325
|
.580
|
346
|
2
|
|
Career
Highs
|
|
152
|
561
|
104
|
201
|
38
|
2
|
40
|
124
|
5
|
4
|
81
|
93
|
.362
|
.431
|
.638
|
355
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How Acquired: The New York Mets acquired Mike from the Florida Marlins on May 22, 1998, for outfielder Preston Wilson, pitcher Ed Yarnall and pitcher Geoff Goetz. Piazza is signed through 2005.
2000 Season: The leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, Piazza led the Mets to the World Series in 2000, batting .324 with 38 home runs and 113 RBIs for New York. His 38 home runs marked the sixth straight year he has belted 30 or more homers. Included in Piazza's 38 home runs were three grand slams, tying a New York Mets club record set by John Milner in 1976 and Robin Ventura in 1999. This was also the fifth straight year Piazza has driven in 100 or more runs. From June 14-July 2, Piazza had at least one RBI in 15 straight games (28 total), shattering his own club record and the second longest such streak in major league history (Ray Grimes, 1922 Chicago Cubs). Mike pieced together a 21-game hit streak from June 7-July 3. His 72 RBI prior to the All-Star Break were the most in club history. For the year, Piazza finished tied for tenth in the league in batting average, tenth in home runs, ninth with a .614 slugging percentage and first with a .377 road batting average. He was third with an RBI every 4.3 times at-bat and tied for sixth with a home run every 12.7 times at bat.
History: A 62nd round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the June 1988 free agent draft, Mike Piazza has a history of hard work and dedication to the game of baseball to thank for his success in the sport. Originally a third baseman, Piazza was advised to take up catching by family friend Tommy Lasorda. He made his major league debut on September 1, 1992 at Wrigley Field and went 3-3 with a double and a walk against starter Mike Harkey. Piazza hit his first major league homer on September 12, 1992, a three-run blast to right field at Dodger Stadium off of Steve Reed of the Giants. In 1993, Piazza was the ninth unanimous selection for Rookie of the Year in the 44-year history of the National League award after leading the Dodgers in batting, home runs and RBIs. His 35 long balls set the mark for homers by a rookie catcher, surpassing Matt Nokes' 1987 mark of 28. He was Los Angeles' lone representative in the All-Star Game. Piazza would make his first All-Star Game start in the '94 midsummer classic. After the players' strike, Piazza came back strong, finishing second to Tony Gwynn of San Diego with a .346 average, leading to his third straight All-Star selection and receiving the Silver Slugger award. Mike won another in 1996, finishing second in the MVP voting to Ken Caminiti of the Padres after batting .336 with 36 homers and 105 RBIs. He was the '96 All-Star Game MVP after going 2-3 with a double, homer and 2 RBI. 1997 was a banner year for Piazza, as he posted career-bests in average (.362), slugging percentage (.638), home runs (40), RBI (124), hits (201), doubles (32), total bases (355), runs scored (104) and stolen bases (5), and won the NL player of the month honors twice (July & August). He began the 1998 season with Los Angeles, but was dealt on May 15 to the Florida Marlins, who turned him around to the Mets a week later. Piazza finished 4th in the NL in hitting and led the majors with 4 grand slams, and earned a selection to his sixth consecutive All-Star Game. In '99, Mike pieced together a 24-game hit streak and became the first catcher to hit 40 or more homers in a season twice. He homered in 4 straight games to tie a club record and was again selected to the All-Star Game on the way to the Wild Card and a hard-fought NLCS against Atlanta.
Background: Piazza graduated from Phoenixville High School in Pennsylvania, where he was the league MVP and an American Legion MVP. Mike was drafted solely as a courtesy to family friend Tommy Lasorda in the 62nd round of the June 1988 draft by the Dodgers. Originally a first baseman, Lasorda converted Piazza to a catcher in order to convince the Dodgers to give him a contract. He has teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal and Rebecca Lobo to found dunk.net, a custom athletic shoe and apparel company.
Not-So-Vital Statistics
Did you know? Mike wears #31 because of Keith Hernandez. When Piazza got to the Dodgers, he requested a number in the 30s, and was about to be assigned #36 when the equipment manager remembered that Roger McDowell had yielded #31 in favor of #17, which was available since Bobby Ojeda had moved on to Cleveland. Both McDowell & Ojeda wore #17 to honor Mex. Piazza actually hoped to wear lucky #13, but settled for #31. Piazza enjoys playing the drums and guitar, and has sat in with heavy metal bands Anthrax and Motorhead. His favorite band is L.A. Guns. "They rock," Piazza says. Piazza was a batboy for the Dodgers when they came into Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium in the 1970's. Mike once received personal instruction from baseball legend Ted Williams in his backyard when Piazza was 12. He was the first American-born Dodgers player to attend camp in the Dominican Republic, where he went to learn the catching trade. Mike has appeared on numerous television shows, including "Baywatch", "Beverly Hills 90210", "Married...with Children", "Jeopardy!" and "The Bold and the Beautiful". His latest appearance on "Jeopardy!" raised thousands of dollars for the "Leiter's Landing" charity. During the 2000 season, he was romantically linked to Playboy's Playmate of the Millenium, Darlene Bernaola. Piazza shot a television commercial during spring training 2001 with former quarterback Terry Bradshaw. The spot for 10-10-220 features Piazza hitting a ball out of Dodger Stadium on a bet and shattering Bradshaw's windshield.