Latest news with #MikePiazza
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets hosting Alumni Classic Game in September with 40 legends, including Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltran
Before the game against the Rangers on Sept. 13 at Citi Field, Mets legends will be competing against one another in the Alumni Classic Game. Over 40 former Mets will be in attendance for the three-inning tilt, which will feature players from the last decade of Shea Stadium and first decade of Citi Field. Advertisement Players from the Shea Stadium team scheduled to participate include Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez, Billy Wagner, John Franco, Al Leiter, Edgardo Alfonzo, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Robin Ventura, and Cliff Floyd. Players from the Citi Field team scheduled to participate include Curtis Granderson, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Bartolo Colon, Johan Santana, Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey, and Ike Davis. Check out the full roster below:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets Legend Issues Strong Message to Juan Soto After Third Straight Loss
The New York Mets (29-20) are struggling, and their $765 million man isn't helping. Five-time Silver Slugger Juan Soto, who sports a career slash line of .283/.419/.528, is slashing just .247/.379/.437 with eight homers and 20 RBI through 48 games this season. The 26-year-old is 2-for-11 with one walk and one stolen base across the Mets' current three-game losing streak. He also hasn't had a multi-hit game since May 9 and hasn't had a three-hit game all season. Advertisement With New York now 1.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, it needs its prized offseason acquisition to perform to his potential. Mets Hall of Famer Mike Piazza offered advice to Soto on Wednesday, via The New York Post's Joel Sherman (paywall). New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22).John Jones-Imagn Images "Obviously, the expectations are high for him, and coming from the [New York] Yankees makes it all the bigger story, I get it," the club legend said. "But this is just part of playing in New York. You have to get through it. You have to rely on your teammates to have your back." "Body language is important. They are watching everything you are doing," he continued. "Frustration is part of the game. I lived it. He didn't forget how to hit the baseball. The game is tough and his spotlight is really bright now." Advertisement "My advice to him would be just relax, make it a team thing, not about you," he added. "I just followed the advice that Roy Campanella told me when I was a rookie — just play the game hard, let everything else take care of itself." The Mets will play one more game against the Boston Red Sox (25-25) on Wednesday night before hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers (30-19) over the weekend. Related: Mets Facing Major Decision After Third Straight Loss Related: Mets Owner Steve Cohen Sends Clear Message After Third Straight Loss
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Baseball Legend Mike Piazza Finally Reacts to Song That Immortalized 2002 Rumors He Was Gay
Mike Piazza, then a catcher for the New York Mets, was the subject of 2002 rumors he was gay, which he denied A year later, the indie band Belle and Sebastian released the song 'Piazza, New York Catcher,' which immortalized the rumors in its lyrics In a new interview, Piazza reacted to the song for the first time Back in 2002, Mike Piazza was the All-Star catcher for the New York Mets. He was also the subject of tabloid rumors about his sexuality, which claimed he was gay and in the closet. In May of that year, Piazza, now 56, ended up giving a press conference, telling reporters, 'I'm not gay. I'm heterosexual. I can't control what people think. I can say I'm heterosexual. I date women. That's pretty much it,' per SB Nation. But those gay rumors live on in one odd way: through the 2003 song 'Piazza, New York Catcher' by the Scottish band Belle and Sebastian. In the second verse, singer and songwriter Stuart Murdoch (a Mets fan) sings, 'Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?' Now, Piazza is finally addressing the classic indie love song (which also appeared on the soundtrack for the 2007 movie Juno) for the first time. Piazza told New York Magazine in an interview published April 28 that the song makes him feel, 'flattered, obviously.' He explained, 'I don't know, man, as you get older, you just don't get as wrapped up in those things, or you just don't have the energy, really.' Piazza married Alicia Rickter in 2005, and they share two children. Piazza also noted that he was named-dropped in the 2004 Beastie Boys song '3 the Hard Way,' which features the line, 'I said, oops, gotcha, clutch like Piazza.' (One of the group's co-founders, Adam "MCA" Yauch, was a Mets fan.) Piazza said of the Beastie Boys, 'My son likes them, even though it's dirty. I like the clean version. But any time you're remembered in pop culture like that, it's nice.' Piazza — who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 and is also known for his time as a Los Angeles Dodger — said that today, a lot of younger people know him because he's included as a 'legend' in the video game MLB: The Show. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'One time, I was giving a clinic and a kid goes, 'Are you Mike Piazza?' ... He goes, 'Man, you got a lot of power.' I said, 'Oh, thanks, dude,' ' he remembered. 'He's like, 'Yeah. Are you surprised?' It was really funny having an 11-year-old kid who was born after I retired talk about me in that way. Hey, I'll take it. Believe me — it's nice to be remembered.' As for Murdoch, 56, he told Rolling Stone in 2016 about including Piazza and his infamous rumors in the song that he became a fan of the player the first time he went to a Mets game in the late '90s. 'I was almost instantly drawn to Piazza. That's the thing about him; he was a talisman wherever he went. He was the kind of player people tended to follow, and we thought he was a good guy,' he said. Related: Songwriter Reveals One of Rihanna's No. 1 Hits Features Many '80s Song Titles Hidden in Its Lyrics The song 'Piazza, New York Catcher' was about Murdoch's long-distance relationship with his now-wife. As for including the rumor in the song, he said, 'It almost kind of went into the song as a way of holding a mirror up to gossipy society. The way people talked about that stuff, I didn't give a s--- ... It never occurred to me that I might become part of the problem.' Read the original article on People
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
MLB legend Mike Piazza reacts to the controversial lyrics of a song by the Scottish band Belle and Sebastian
MLB legend Mike Piazza reacts to the controversial lyrics of a song by the Scottish band Belle and Sebastian ( Image Source: Getty) MLB icon Mike Piazza needs no introduction to the world of baseball. During his 16-season run, the talented baseball legend not only went on to become a prominent part of the reputed MLB clubs, including the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers , but also diverted media attention for an out-of-the-box reason. Back in 2002, Piazza was rumored to be gay, all thanks to a Scottish band, Belle and Sebastian . During a recent interview, Mike Piazza reacted to the song that labeled him as gay when he was already at the peak of his MLB career. Mike Piazza reacts to the song that started the rumors of the MLB star being gay Former New York Mets star Mike Piazza broke his silence on the gay rumors during a recent interview. The 56-year-old MLB icon generated waves in the baseball world after a famous Scottish band went on to use his name in the lyrics of one of their songs. During a recent interview with the New York Magazine, the former Mets star opened up on the controversial topic about his sexual orientation and said- 'I don't know, man, as you get older, you just don't get as wrapped up in those things, or you just don't have the energy, really.' Reportedly, things escalated to such a point back in 2002 that Mike Piazza had to address the entire issue through a press conference. As reported by the media outlet People, Piazza had said- "I'm not gay. I'm heterosexual. I can't control what people think. I can say I'm heterosexual. I date women. That's pretty much it." Why did Mike Piazza LOVE to be a Met? The controversial lyrics 'Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?' from the track 'Piazza, New York Catcher' led to the speculation around the sexual orientation of the MLB icon back in 2002. The song was sung by Stuart Murdoch of the Scottish band Belle and Sebastian. Back in 2016, Mike Piazza was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Piazza became more popular during his stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, but even garnered media attention for his sportsmanship and popularity during his 16 season stint with the MLB Also Read: MLB insider blasts Mets' $765 million star as he fails to live up to on-field expectations
