Mike Piazza Is Sick Of 1 Growing Trend In MLB originally appeared on The Spun.
Legendary MLB star Mike Piazza is sick of one growing trend that he is noticing in Major League Baseball in 2025.
Piazza, one of the best hitting catchers of all-time, starred for the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Hall of Fame catcher hit 427 career home runs – an astounding number for any player, but certainly a catcher. Not many, if any, of those HRs came against a position player pitching.
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However, in today’s game, we’re seeing more and more teams use position players to mop up blowout losses. Teams that are trailing by a big margin – usually 8 or more runs – will often use a position player in the 8th or 9th inning to close out the game, so they don’t waste a reliever.
We’ve even seen a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers use a position player when leading a blowout. The Dodgers brought Kike Hernandez into the 9th inning in a blowout win over the Washington Nationals. Hernandez was not able to retire the side, though, and the Dodgers had to use a reliever.
Piazza doesn’t like this.
FLUSHING, NY – OCTOBER 14: Mike Piazza of the New York Mets during Game Three of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals on October 14, 2000 at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) The Sporting News/Getty Images
Piazza is sick of seeing position players pitching.
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“I just don’t understand… in 20 plus seasons of major, minor and winter league ball.. I have never faced a position player as pitcher.. Except Felix Rodriguez who started as a catcher and Tommy converted him to a pitcher who threw 97..” he wrote on X.
He added: “I just don’t understand.. there were always guys in the bullpen who could suck up an inning for pride.. blowouts happen but damn.. to watch non pitchers heave up that garbage.. It’s just hard to watch..”
He’s also bothered by how these position players are pitching. He wants to see more speed.
“If that’s the case then pitch..what is with the unlimited arch slow pitch softball stuff? Desi could pitch so it wasn’t unpleasant to watch..and as I mentioned some guys used to pitch well..” he added.
This isn’t going to go away anytime soon, though, with the decrease in starting pitchers going deep into games and the lack of available arms in the bullpen.
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Mike Piazza Is Sick Of 1 Growing Trend In MLB first appeared on The Spun on Jun 29, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.