Don't worry, there aren't going to be any April Fool's Day jokes in this spot today. But that doesn't mean I wasn't tempted to write one.
I was all set to do a squawk about how the mainstream media finally interrogated Mike Piazza about steroid use. But who would believe that would ever happen? April Fool's Day jokes have to have at least little bit of plausibility!
Speaking of which, Squawker Jon and I were yakking on the phone last night, and we watched the end of "Shea Goodbye" on SNY. Jon got a little peeved when I pointed out how, well, different, Piazza looks now than in his heyday.
But it's true - Piazza has been slimmer, and less muscle-bound, since at least the spring of 2004, when he showed up at spring training with a guru in tow and talked to reporters about how the catcher was learning yoga and eating raw food. And no, this isn't a joke, either - the New York Times did a story on his new interests back then.
Incidentally, 2004 was the year MLB started steroid testing. It was an interesting coincidence that Piazza (and Jason Giambi, for that matter), seemed much less muscular that year, wouldn't you say?
Yes, yes, I know. Squawker reader KM, among others, is going to tell me to give the Piazza thing a rest. And I would, if Mike were some ordinary retired Met. But Piazza is one of the faces of that team's franchise. He is set to catch Tom Seaver's first pitch at the new Citi Field. He is also set to go into the Hall of Fame. I think it's kind of a big deal to have it confirmed whether his records are legitimate or not.
Besides, it's not like there isn't some other Hall of Fame catcher the Mets could use to catch that first pitch. Gary Carter complained on WFAN yesterday about being snubbed for that, and for the Shea Stadium closing. I know Carter is kind of a clown, but he does have a World Series ring, something Piazza lacks. Plus, we know Carter achieved his numbers cleanly.
At least Roger Clemens will play no part in the Yankees' Opening Day festivities. Thank goodness.
What do you think? Leave us a comment!
At least the Mets didnt buy Mike Piazza a hummer. Yanks can take credit for ruining baseball and the environment.
ReplyDeleteAnd since your so worried about team records..isn't Babe Ruth's tainted because he never played against black players? Uncle Mike was there..he remembers.
Now that was pretty freakin' stupid, Ryan.
ReplyDeleteC'mon, are you actually being serious? It wasn't The Babe's fault that baseball was segregated back when he played. I guess we'll never know if he would've been as good against black players, but I'd place a bet that he wouldn't have rolled over and died, either.
BTW, if the Yankees supposedly ruined baseball, then the Mets surely ruined NY by their pathetic existence. A-Rod can be called A-Roid and A-Fraud all day, night, tomorrow and next week, but he's just one guy. The entire Mets organization have, for the most part, been nothing but a bunch of cheap replacements for the Dodgers adn Giants; just a bunch of hacks and frauds if there ever were any.
Too bad they can't just relocate to Utah or some other place like it.
Im sorry...is New York ruined??
ReplyDeleteIf the Mets moved who would you turn your misplaced anger towards?
AFraud / Aroid i can gauruntee is going to last a little longer than next week...you Yanks will enjoy that one for at least 9 more years.
Nice signing, you were paying him 16 mil, he opts out of his contract, you swear that you wont take him back, then you panic and DOUBLE what you were paying him before just to get him back, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE ELSE WANTED HIM. Thats pathetic but im glad its working out.
Enjoy the season.
No, allof NY isn't ruined, only the portion occupied by the Mets and their fanbase.
ReplyDeleteIf they move, my wish will be fulfilled. I'm not angry, just amazed how such a fruitless organization can be allowed to fester so long and actually garner support!
If the Mets left town alogn with the fanbase, the collective I.Q. of this city would probably increase exponentially - perhaps as much as three times what it is right now.
No one wanted A-Rod? C'mon, that's just a lie. Many fans in Boston and Met fans were all hoping to have their teams sign him when he made his announcement to opt out of his contact with the Yankees. When that didn't happen and he came back to the Yankees, he was back to being A-Fraud again.
Like I said, Ryan, he's just one person and nine years is nothing compared to the 47 years the Mets have polluted this town.
I was going to say something, but Ryan O nailed it! Kudo's on the grandpa mike comment!
ReplyDeleteAnd to be fair, no one wanted Arod. the yankees were bidding against themselves. the interesting thing is that a lot of yankee fans didn't want arod either, including many on the old daily news squawker site, lisa in particular made some scathing remarks about him. although all was forgiven when he re-signed.
km
Ryan: Babe Ruth did so play against black players. There were postseason barnstorming tours.
ReplyDeleteI realize, as a Met fan, you may not recognize that word. "Postseason," that is.
But in those days, players put all-star teams together and went around the country and played exhibition games against local sides for a little extra money.
Sometimes it was all-white teams against all-black teams. In such games, the black pitchers didn't pitch any better against the Babe, statistically speaking, than the white pitchers did -- and (I can't believe I, a Yankee Fan, am using this phrase) "you gotta believe" they were trying hard to stop him.
After one such tour, when a team led by Dizzy Dean had finished playing a team led by Satchel Paige (and Paige's team won more), Diz, a Southerner through and through but not a bigoted bone in his body, said, "Satch, if you and me was on the same team, we'd clinch the Pennant by the 4th of July, and then I'd take you fishing until World Series time."
No, Ryan and KM, I wasn't there. I read books. Anybody can do it. One of them was "The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs," and it tells of the Babe's appearances against black all-star teams -- the ones for which we can find records, anyway.
And, as the Anonymous after you points out, the Babe didn't ask to play in segregated baseball. Unlike Cap Anson, who was as much behind the color line as anyone when it was established in the 1880s, the Babe never said, "Don't you dare bring (black men) into this game, or I won't play."
As for who Yankee Fans would turn their anger to if there were no Mets... gee, whoever could it be... the Red Sox.
Uncle Mike, i figured out who you are. You are Steve Somers evil twin who is a yankee fan (thereby evil)....except with more dated references (Cap Anson, timely!). I picture you as Steve Somers but instead of a mustache you have a goatee (because thats what evil twins have). But alas you are most likely old enough to be Steve Somers father.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous guy as well as most younger yankee fans remind me of a child of a celebrity. With the sense of entitlement and aura that you are better than everyone else when you have accomplished nothing. Alec Baldwin would call you "A Rude Little Pig!"
Ryan, truth is you have no idea how old any of us really are.
ReplyDeleteBut you and KM keep making assumptions! It's quite entertaining watching you guys fumble around with baseless conjecture.
Thats why I do it! Entertainment :)
ReplyDelete