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Watch Mike Piazza take batting practice before Rangers game
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- Watch Mike Piazza take batting practice before Rangers game
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The post Watch Mike Piazza take batting practice before Rangers game appeared first on ClutchPoints .
New York Mets legend Mike Piazza is still much a part of the team . Even though he retired from the league in 2007 after playing 16 seasons.
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Nobody would know that his best years were behind him based on him taking batting practice before the Mets' Saturday game against the Texas Rangers , per Yahoo Sports.
All decked out wearing his famed No.31, Piazza took a few swings. They were so good that the caption on the X post by Yahoo said, "If Mike Piazza keeps it up, the Mets might put him in today's lineup."
In 1992, Piazza made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers . He played with them until 1998 before being traded to the then Florida Marlins .
After one year in Florida, Piazza was traded to the Mets. It was in New York where his fame exploded.
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He became one of the best hitting catchers of his era and a fan favorite. In 2000, Piazza helped lead the Mets to the World Series, before losing to the cross town rival New York Yankees .
It was during that World Series he had a notorious encounter with Roger Clemens. He broke his bat off a pitch before Clemens picked up the broken half and threw it at Piazza.
Along the way, Piazza became known for being a consistent hitter and hitting notable home runs.
In 2023, Mets' Pete Alonso equaled Piazza for the most 30+ home run seasons in franchise history with four.
Piazza concluded his career with the San Diego Padres in 2006 and the Oakland Athletics in 2007. In 2016, Piazza was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
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Mike Piazza's post 9/11 home run still resonates
On September 21, 2001, Piazza etched his name into baseball immortality. Ten days after the 9/11 attacks, the Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves in Shea Stadium.
It was the first baseball game played since the attacks. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Piazza hit a home run to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.
In the process, he sent a strong message of hope and resilience for a city and a nation that was hurting.
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Related: Rangers' Jacob deGrom shares 'really cool' reaction to Citi Field return
