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56-year-old Hall of Famer Mike Piazza is angry about having to watch position players pitching blowout games in Major League Baseball games and he’s not gonna take it anymore. He made this very clear in a series of post on X (Twitter) over the weekend.
“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.
He then responded to a post that showed 231 home runs have been hit off position players since 2017, while there were only 24 hit from 1992 to 2016.
“This is truly amazing,” he commented. “I have no reason to doubt these numbers. I just think it warrants a discussion and I think there needs to be a reason why. You have to grind through the tough times. That’s where champions are made.”
Former MLB pitcher Andy Benes was one of many to respond to Mike Piazza’s complaint.
“Inevitable,” Benes wrote. “Starting Pitchers don’t throw as deep into games in general and relievers get so many more innings. When a starter gets blown up, too many innings to cover and here comes the DH to pitch. Not ideal.”
The debate all got started because Orioles rookie Coby Mayo hit his first Major League home run off Tampa Bay Rays’ shortstop Jose Caballero over the weekend.
How disappointing that this young man worked his entire life to be a Big Leaguer and his 1st @MLB HR comes off a position player! The game is definitely not better! “If you can’t see it’s watered down it’s because you’re not looking! #shegone @notgaetti @BobFile @twuench… pic.twitter.com/57njWqyaWM
— Fryedaddy/Frito (@shegone03) June 28, 2025
“@MLB Game has changed since we competed against each other,” Benes wrote in another comment to Piazza. “Teams and players value different metrics. And it’s ok. It mirrors culture and ‘me first’ mentality. And it’s starting in pee wee ball. Just not the game we ‘knew.'”
“I just don’t understand,” Mike Piazza replied, “there were always guys in the bullpen who could suck up an inning for pride. Blowouts happen but damn, watch non pitchers heave up that garbage, it’s just hard to watch.”
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