LONG before he hit the game-winning home run over the left-field wall to upstage Barry Bonds and sweep the Giants, Mike Piazza was talking about what would motivate him now that he has broken Carlton Fisk’s record for most home runs by a catcher.
“For me the one thing I’ve never had a problem with is the pureness of the competition,” Piazza said. “That’s why you do this.”
The pureness of the competition isn’t just team against team. It’s often pitcher against batter. Such was the case last night in the 11th inning when Piazza came to bat against Giants reliever Jim Brower. The count was 2-2 when Brower offered a low fastball that Piazza drilled just over the left-field wall to give the Mets a 2-1 victory and a three-game sweep.
Piazza wasn’t the only Mets hero. There was the Karim Garcia’s homer in the seventh that tied the game, some clutch relief pitching especially by David Weathers and the focus of Art Howe, who intentionally walked Bonds in the ninth and 11th innings to keep him from hurting Mets.
But in the end it was Piazza’s game, Piazza’s week. Wednesday night he passes Fisk. Last night, he upstages Bonds.
As jubilant as he was last night, Piazza would never want to walk in Bonds’ shoes. Even Piazza admitted breaking Fisk’s record wasn’t Bonds chasing Mark McGuire. Still, it was significant enough personally, if not historically, to give him a better understanding of what Bonds goes through on a daily basis being the home run king of baseball and its primary target of suspicion.
“The scrutiny this day and age is really tough,” Piazza said. “You have to be an extremely focused person to hold up under those circumstances. That’s why I have that much more respect for Barry and guys who have been under that scrutiny. Every day they’re expected to go out there and hit a home run when it’s hard enough to make contact.”
Piazza has endured his own share of scrutiny lately, most of it centered on when he’ll become more of a first baseman than a catcher. Regardless of when that happens he can continue his career having secured his legacy in the fraternity of catchers with his 352nd home run Wednesday night and 353rd last night. “I can turn the page and look forward to what the future holds,” Piazza said.
It dawned on him Bonds could never turn the page. Not now. Not ever. Scrutiny will follow him long after his playing days are over. The suspicion of steroid use makes him as much an enigma as his ability to hit home runs.
After missing the first two games with a sinus infection, Bonds’ insertion into the lineup last night offered an added anticipation. Each time he came to bat, the crowd rose to its feet. But two fly balls and a pop-up caught near the Mets dugout by Piazza left him 0-for-3. With two outs in the ninth inning and the scored tied 1-1, the Mets intentionally walked Bonds for the first time in the game. The crowd booed the Mets. They intentionally walked him again to load the bases with two outs in the 11th. Again the crowd booed.
What we’ve learned from Bonds’ visit to Shea is whether he’s playing or not, the scrutiny he faces is 24/7 for 162 games. It will be that way as long as he is in a baseball uniform and likely long after his career is done.
For Piazza, baseball will always be about one thing: “the pureness of the competition.”
Can’t buy a win
Al Leiter lowered his NL-leading ERA to 1.53 last night with eight outstanding innings against Giants, but because Mets continue to give lefty poor run support, he came away with fourth no-decision of the season.
Leiter’s line
DATE OPP IP H R ER BB SO W-L ERA
Apr. 10 at MON (L 1-0)* 5 3 0 0 1 4 0-0 0.00
Apr. 15 ATL (W 1-0) 5.1 3 0 0 3 2 1-0 0.00
Apr. 20 MON (L 2-1) 7.0 5 1 1 2 4 1-0 0.52
Apr. 25 at CHI (L 4-1) 5.0 7 3 3 0 4 1-1 1.61
May 1 at SD (L 3-1) 5.0 4 1 1 7 2 1-1 1.65
May 6 SF (X X-X) 8.0 5 1 1 0 6 1-1 1.53
Totals 35.1 27 6 6 13 22 1-1 1.53
* – at San Juan