With a column that may or may not have been influenced by a manilla envelope returned addressed “The China Club”, the Bergen Record’s Bob Klapisch wrote thusly yesterday about Metal Mike Piazza ;
There are plenty of reasons why Piazza, even at 37, is a fit, both in the Yankee lineup and in the clubhouse. For one, he’s a better hitter than either Bernie Williams or Andy Phillips, especially once he’s liberated from catching (and throwing). If Piazza can be channeled into, say, 350-400 at-bats as a DH, he’d likely deliver a 20-home run dividend — no small return on that $2-3 million investment.
Batting Piazza in the No. 6 spot, particularly against lefties, would be the final piece in what’s already the most potent Yankee offense of the Joe Torre era.
Of course, Piazza’s defection to the Yankees would be a debt he could never repay to Mets’ fans, even though it was the Mets’ ownership, not Piazza, who ended the eight-year relationship. Any reasonable Met fan will appreciate Piazza for his contributions in Flushing and wish him peace in the final summers — or summer — of his career, even if it means joining the corporate beast.
Piazza probably would enjoy being busted down a rank, going from franchise savior to a part-time DH, eclipsed by Damon and Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Actually this would be Piazza’s concept of nirvana, since all he’s ever wanted in a major league clubhouse is privacy.
As a second-tier Yankee, Piazza would get just that. He could be as invisible as he wanted in the clubhouse, alone with his headphones and music.
Metsradamus, however, has a typically savvy take on Piazza’s job hunt.