Mike Piazza to be honored by New York Legislature

In addition to being officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this year, former Mets catcher Mike Piazza is scheduled to be recognized by the New York State Legislature for his accomplishments throughout his career in a Mets uniform, according to Joseph Spector of the Journal News.

State Senator Jose Peralta of Queens sponsored the resolution, citing both Piazza's on- and off-field achievements. Peralta specifically drew attention to Piazza's home run at Shea Stadium on September 21st, 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Piazza's former Mets teammate and current Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez was similarly honored by the state Assembly last year in honor of Dominican Heritage Month.

Piazza hit .296/.373/.542 in his time as a Met from 1998 to 2005. Baseball Prospectus rates him as the greatest catcher since World War II, with his 75.9 Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP) placing him higher than the likes of Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra.

Piazza will also have his number retired by the Mets in a ceremony on July 30. He will be wearing a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, only the second player to do so, and the first since Tom Seaver's induction in 1992.