It’s long overdue, but the day has finally arrived. Mike Piazza was finally elected to the Hall of Fame. He is the second Met elected to the Hall of Fame. 

The day the Mets obtained Piazza was one of the most important days in the franchise’s history. He transformed the franchise. The Mets went from also rans to contenders.  He formed a unique bond with Mets fans. He was an important figure in Mets history. 

More importantly, he was an important figure in baseball history. He is the greatest hitting catcher to ever play the game. He has the most home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS+. He will be the first player elected to the Hall of Fame who was the last player selected in a draft. By extension, he is the lowest draft pick in the Hall of Fame. He is proof to everyone that with hard work, determination, and belief in yourself anything is possible. That includes making yourself a good defensive catcher. Yes, Piazza was good defensively. 

There are many incredible memories we all have of Piazza. Dodgers fans and Mets fans alike. However, his signature moment was the post-9/11 homerun:

It was an important moment for New York. It was an important moment in baseball history. It’s important that he go into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Today, that moment became reality. Mike Piazza is a Hall of Famer. I hope to be there for your ceremony in July. As you always rise to the occasion, your speech should be one for the ages. 

Congratulations Mike Piazza.