Hall of Famer and former Mets catcher Mike Piazza had his introductory press conference as the new head coach of Italy's national team early Friday morning, and discussed a number of different topics as he prepares for his new role.
Piazza, who spent 16 seasons in the MLB playing for the Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Padres and Athletics, plans to take what he used as a player and convert it into teaching his new players the game as they prepare for the 2020 European Baseball Championship and 2021 World Baseball Championship.
"When I do something, I don't do it halfway" - @mikepiazza31 explains how his playing career prepared him to coach Italy's baseball team pic.twitter.com/UMyJaWKuUC
- SNY (@SNYtv) November 29, 2019
Piazza spent eight seasons with the Mets and spent his last season in Blue and Orange in the same dugout as new Mets manager Carlos Beltran. He shared his intrigue on seeing how his former teammate will deal with the challenges of being a first time manager.
.@mikepiazza31 is curious to see how Carlos Beltran does as manager: pic.twitter.com/MbbuRfyW06
- SNY (@SNYtv) November 29, 2019
No matter the bumps that might face the Mets' new manager in his first season, he will have some immediate help for the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year.
Pete Alonso has been tasked with potentially becoming the new face of the franchise after his explosive rookie campaign, a title that surely Piazza is familiar with after being such a fan favorite at Shea Stadium before being inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2013 and having his No. 31 jersey retired in 2016.
"I'm not too worried about him" - @mikepiazza31 on the emergence of @Pete_Alonso20 pic.twitter.com/I73WTI2iSS
- SNY (@SNYtv) November 29, 2019