Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph Piazza /piːˈɑːtsə/is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1992–2007. He played most notably for the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, while also having brief stints with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics. A 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner at catcher, Piazza produced strong offensive numbers at his position; in his career, he recorded 427 home runs—a record 396 of which were...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth4 September 1968
CityNorristown, PA
CountryUnited States of America
Nobody wanted me. Scouts told me to go to school, to forget baseball. Coaches said, 'You're never going to make it.' I appreciated their honesty, because I think when someone tells you something you may not like, you have to use that as fuel for motivation.
I have gone from a player who thought he would spend his whole career with one organization to a player who's been with three organizations in a week. It's like rotisserie baseball.
You can't get real happy or real depressed when you play baseball. Baseball is a great sport in that it offers a player a lot of opportunities for atonement.
Never let your dreams go away.
I'm playing baseball because I love it, not because I need the money or attention. That is why I've been so dedicated. I've accomplished a lot of things no one ever thought I could, and I've done it from hard work.
I was a last round draft pick. Nobody wanted me. I could count the amount of scouts that told me to go to school, to forget baseball.
focus, discipline, relying on training, trying not to take things personally, playing hard every day and hustle.
I still think the division and league are wide open. It's not like the American League, with the Yankees and Boston, or Chicago, who are all extremely stacked.
To get a game snatched like that is gut-wrenching, really.
I'd definitely take a lot less to play for a good team. This won't be my first bite from the apple. I would like to get back to the World Series again.
No-hitter or not, that's a tough way to lose - period. To get a game snatched like that, it's gut-wrenching, really.
One umpire was looking at the other, ... I don't think they had the greatest position. ... I guess he gets the advantage because he's a Gold Glover.
We got a great count on him, and then we jammed him. Maddux said at the end of the inning, 'That was awesome. You called the right pitch at the right time.' Nice to hear.
Next thing you know, ... two runs have scored.