Retired Seattle Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., left, and retired New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, button up their Hall of Fame jerseys at a press conference announcing their election to baseball’s Hall of Fame, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016, in New York.
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“It’s an opinion thing”, the 65-year-old Griffey said, acknowledging that many view them as cheaters.
“I’m starting to remember”, Piazza said.
Injuries, dislocated shoulder, knee and ankle tendon ruptures and hamstring tears, adversely affected him during his first years with the Cincinnati Reds, but his ability to overcome adversity was proven as he was chosen the National League Comeback Player of the Year in 2005. With his first time on the ballot, Griffey made history, named on 437 of 440 ballots (99.3 percent)-which has baseball left fans wondering how three journalists whose expertise is clearly European Handball got into the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. I did most of my damage here. “But it’s one of those things that makes you feel good as a person and player that they respected what you did”. I mean, for me, again, as much as I enjoyed my time there, I ended up in NY.
Griffey was asked a few months ago by the Hall whether he would want his plaque to show a backward cap, the image that many fans have him.
Griffey is likely to become the first player in the Hall with a Mariners cap.
Piazza broke into the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers and put up his best statistics there, batting.
“I was able to sneak into this game, kind of limp in, if you will”, Piazza said.
“When he came home, I never knew if he went 0-for-4 or 4-for-4”, Griffey Jr. said.
On Thursday, Griffey confirmed his intention to enter the Hall wearing a Mariners’ cap at a news conference in NY. The numbers are astonishing, especially for someone taken in the 62 round of the amateur draft-a round in which clubs pad out their minor league rosters with guys who are basically paid to play catch with the prospects.
“We’ve got big plans, ” Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said.
“We’re looking forward to seeing Ryan in a Mariners uniform”, Dipoto said.
Griffey began Friday at the New York Stock Exchange by joining with Piazza in ringing the opening bell to start the day’s trading.
Newcomers to the ballot in 2017 include former Red Sox star Manny Ramirez, Ivan Rodriguez, and Vladimir Guerrero. Trevor Hoffman, on the ballot for the first time, was 34 short.
Piazza was in his fourth year of eligibility. Roger Clemens rose to 45 percent and Barry Bonds to 44 percent, both up from about 37 percent a year ago. The previous high percentage total for a position player was 98.53% for Cal Ripkin, Jr.
On Wednesday night, a series of messages appeared on Raines’s Twitter account, expressing gratitude. “My family and I are touched”.
An incredible baseball player.
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Piazza and Bagwell were drawn into the steroids controversy by some who pointed out their powerful physiques, but both have denied using performance-enhancing drugs and no substantive accusations have been made.
