It’s no secret that newly elected Hall of Famer Mike Piazza will enter the sacred halls of Cooperstown on Sunday, July 24 2016 wearing a New York Mets hat instead of a Los Angeles Dodgers hat. It’s also no secret that the greatest offensive catcher in Dodgers franchise history has been very outspoken against the team that drafted him in the 62nd round (1,390th overall) of the 1988 First Year Player Draft – a round that doesn’t even exist anymore.
But be that as it may, Piazza is a former Dodger and he is now a Hall of Famer which, according to team policy, makes him eligible to have his number retired and displayed over Dodger Stadium for the rest of time. The question is, should the Dodgers do so? What do you think?
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NO.
I voted NO – I might have changed that to YES if he was going in wearing a Dodger cap. However, I still remember him blaming Vin – no ones blames Vin and gets my vote for retiring his number. At my age, can’t remember what he blamed Vin for – could look it up but then it would remind me and p— me off again 🙂 Agree that Junior should have had 100% but then I thought Greg Maddux should have also.
I voted “yes.” Regardless of how Piazza himself feels, his best stats were as a Dodger. He was given a chance in baseball because of the Dodgers. He established himself as a Dodger. He learned to catch in the Dodger system. If we are to ever win the man back into the good graces of the organization, his number needs to be retired and the organization needs to extend the olive branch to him.
Someone has to be mature about it, and I don’t think Piazza will try, but maybe Magic Johnson can reconnect with Piazza. The Fox ownership was 3 owners ago for heaven’s sake.
Plus, he signed for us at CBR. And that was a class move in my opinion, (‘cuz it was right in the middle of the controversy with his book). He could have ducked us all, but he didn’t.
Well… he did to one of us. 😮
Ron, did you come up empty that day? That’s messed up.
Wasn’t me. I actually got him twice that week. : )
I know who it was.
can’t vote on the link because it’s not strictly a yes or no question. Yes, if he apologizes to Vin Scully, otherwise NO! ?⚾️?
hell no
I voted “no” since he played eight years with the Mets and seven with the Dodgers and produced more HR, RBI, etc with the Mets.
Has nothing to do with attitude in my opinion. It has to do with years of service with a team. I’m not sure winning him back is an acceptable motive to retire his number.
The day of retiring uniforms by a team may be over because of free agency. Clayton may be eligible if he plays all or most of his career with the Dodgers.
Harold, it’s my opinion that if the player made significant contributions to the team and he gets in the HOF, then his number should be retired. Pedro Martinez wouldn’t qualify. Neither would Maddux. Never was there any thought of Gary Carter, Marichal, Jim Thome, etc. But with Piazza, he was the best player on the club for five years and THE face of the Dodgers from 1993 until he day he unceremoniously was traded in 1998. I find him very worthy of having his number retired. I know my comments hint that the gesture would possibly help mend fences with the club, (and I see nothing wrong with that), but the purpose of retirement of his number shouldn’t be to bring him back, just simply honor his achievements to the team.
I voted Yes because his performance while a Dodger was worthy of selection. I’ll never forgive Fox for dealing him. I love Vin, but the feud between the two of them shouldn’t diminish his performance as a Dodger.
I voted yes simply based on his body of work. As Evan stated, Piazza wouldn’t be the major league ballplayer he was without the Dodgers teaching him the right way. He especially wouldn’t have gotten his shot without the vote of confidence that Tommy gave the organization to draft him.
I say no because he turned his back on the fans of LA! He was more concerned about his treatment by ownership than his concern for all who cheered him for the years he was a Dodger! He doesn’t want to be associated with the Dodgers, I say good riddence!
I think retiring Piazza’s number would only add to the embarrassment that most Dodger fans feel about the Dodgers trading him to the Marlins.
I voted no. If he chose to wear a Dodgers cap, I would have said yes. But why retire his number and make Joc choose another number when he didn’t want to go in as a Dodger?
I thought I read somewhere that it wasn’t up to the player anymore what team they would be going in as when inducted.
Here’s how it works:
“As of 2015, inductee biographies on the Hall’s website for all players and managers, and executives who were associated with specific teams, list a ‘primary team’, which does not necessarily match the cap logo. The Hall selects the logo ‘based on where that player makes his most indelible mark.'”
Absolutely not!
He’s a big baby. He didn’t get his way when all the Dodgers did was offer him the richest contract in baseball history at that time. I hope he moves to that dumpy city as well!!!
He doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Vince Scully…