We Still Love Ya, Mike

Buster Olney writes in his blog on ESPN that Mike Piazza looks like he's moving in "super slo-mo." He does. Something is gone - I don't know what, but he's just not the same Mike Piazza. Other than occasional flashes of the old Mike, usually in the form of a tape-measure home run, he just doesn't look like the same guy out there. The spark is gone. Maybe the injuries have finally taken their toll. Maybe he's just tired. Who knows?

I don't know what Mike is planning on doing at the end of this season. I'd actually be surprised if he goes off to an AL team to DH. Maybe he'd be up for that if he could occasionally catch a game here and there. But the more I look at him, the more he looks like a guy whose just waiting for the season to be over. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he just hung up the catcher's mitt in exchange for an announcer's mic. Can you imagine how cool it would be to listen to a game called by Keith Hernandez and Mike Piazza? I think it'd be great if the organization could find a way to keep him around (just not behind the plate, please).

Anyway, I just hope that Mike knows that Mets fans love him, and always will. It's sad to see him struggle; it's downright heartbreaking to see him stop struggling and give up. Which is how he looks right now - like a guy calling it in.

Still, he's the guy that got us to the playoffs in '99, and to the Series in 2000. I'll be the first to suggest retiring the number 31. So when I rant about us needing to think about getting a new catcher, it's nothing personal. Neither DeFelice nor Castro will ever be half the player Mike was.