Mets to honor Piazza on Saturday with jersey patch
This past weekend, as he took his place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Mike Piazza was unsparing in his affection for New York and the Mets, calling it a "great pride and joy" to be just the second player to sport a Mets cap on his plaque in Cooperstown.
On Saturday, the Mets will return the favor to their newly enshrined alumnus, retiring his No. 31 and outfitting their jerseys for their evening affair against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field with a patch in his honor.
Mets will wear a special patch on Saturday to honor Mike Piazza (via @AdamRubinESPN). pic.twitter.com/cZdUHxjRLd
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) July 26, 2016
Famously selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, Piazza was traded to New York a decade later and, over parts of nine seasons in Queens, endeared himself to the borough with his prolific power. Piazza, a Pennsylvania native, ranks seventh in franchise history in WAR (24.5), and third in OPS+ (136) and home runs (220).
"No fans rock the house like Mets fans," Piazza said during Sunday's induction speech. "You are passionate, loyal, intelligent, and love this great game. To be the only second Met to enter the Hall of Fame, following Tom Seaver brings me great pride and joy."