Ten memories that defined Mike Piazza

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Mike Piazza will go into the Hall of Fame wearing a New York Mets cap. Not only did he play more games with them than with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it also seems that most of Piazza’s lasting images and memorable moments came from his Mets days. But who can forget the five games he played with the Florida Marlins?

Piazza obviously isn’t a controversy-free Hall of Famer, given the PED allegations — the primary reason he needed four ballots to get elected.

1. The post-9/11 home run

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Mets returned to the field at an emotional Shea Stadium on Sept. 21 in a game against the Atlanta Braves. With the Braves up 2-1 with a runner on in the bottom of the eighth, Piazza stepped in against Steve Karsay and walloped one to deep center field. It didn’t heal the pain from 10 days before, but it gave New Yorkers a chance to celebrate and be joyful about something. Was it the greatest moment in Mets history? It didn’t help win a World Series, like Mookie Wilson’s grounder did, but it certainly cemented Piazza’s legacy as one of the most beloved Mets.

2. Piazza vs. Clemens

There seemed to be no love lost between Roger Clemens and Mike Piazza, who managed four home runs off of the pitcher. AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

This is a four-parter:

(A) In June 2000, Piazza hit a grand slam off the New York Yankees’ Roger Clemens. Remember: This was in the early days of interleague play, when a Mets-Yankees series was a big deal.

(B) Clemens hit Piazza in the head in July 2000.

(C) In Game 2 of the World Series that fall, Clemens bizarrely threw the broken end of the bat head in Piazza’s direction.

(D) June 15, 2002: Sweet revenge, as Piazza homered for the fourth time off Clemens. Piazza’s career numbers against Clemens: 8-for-22 (.364) with four home runs.

3. Dodgers trade Piazza to Marlins

It was one of the most shocking trades in baseball history — perhaps even more shocking than the Seattle Mariners’ trading Ken Griffey Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds. Piazza loved Los Angeles. The fans loved Piazza. The Dodgers traded him.

Piazza was coming off back-to-back MVP runner-up finishes entering 1998, but he was a free agent at the end of the season. Negotiations got ugly. Then-Dodgers general manager Fred Claire said the team offered six years and $81 million. Piazza wanted seven years and $105 million, which would have made him MLB’s first $100 million player.

“I don’t …

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