Piazza makes it clear: Van’s the Man for Mets
PORT ST. LUCIE – Mike Piazza fully supports the bold vision Brodie Van Wagenen is bringing to Flushing. The 50-year-old Met legend traveled from his new home in Parma, Italy to reprise his annual role of catching instructor at Mets camp on Tuesday.
Piazza caught up with Van Wagenen before traveling to Port St. Lucie and the catcher said sometimes life favors the bold. Van Wagenen is taking a major risk by transitioning from a comfortable CAA agent to the new general manager of a big-market team that has finished fourth in the NL East in back-to-back seasons.
“Sometimes in life, you find your comfort zone and stay as far away from it as possible,” the Hall of Famer said on a day the Mets lost both of their split squad games against Detroit and Atlanta. “The fact that he’s willing to come into a situation that, let’s be honest, is a lot of pressure. A lot of expectations here.
“I think the fans are hungry for a team that will hopefully get into the postseason and beyond. I’m all for it. Results are results, a lot of this is a resultsbased business. There’s reason to be cautiously optimistic.”
Piazza will spend a week with the team, then make his way back to Italy, where his children are going to school. The catcher infamously owned a third-tier Italian soccer team, A.C. Reggiana, for two years before driving it into bankruptcy and selling it in 2018. Piazza called the venture a learning experience.
The 12-time All-Star said he welcomes the adjustments Van Wagenen made to both the personnel and players. Piazza said it’s a good sign that owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon are trying to strike a new combination to manufacture a team that can win. He said now, the challenge will be if a new staff can build good relationships and earn solid results quickly.
“The changes are shocking to me,” Piazza said. “You have to be bold, you have to take some risks. Sometimes just shake up the build in a way and bring in guys that are going to hopefully make an impact.”
Though he lives in Italy during the school year and the summer, Piazza did not rule out buying or running a baseball team in the States. If he were to get more involved in a team organically, Piazza thinks his experiences can help people – even if it’s just as a “glorified consultant.”
But for now, he’s enjoying retirement. “Drink the vino and munch on the pasta and enjoy the life,” Piazza said.
WHEELER NEEDS MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT
The third hurler in the Mets regular-season rotation, Zack Wheeler allowed two runs on one hit with no strikeouts in his first Grapefruit League start. The right-hander said he needs to work on his mechanics, specifically his windup, in the coming days.
“Body felt fine. Arm felt fine. Just a little mechanically off,” Wheeler said. “Get that cleaned up and go from there.”
NIMMO IS BACK
A sore right shoulder pushed outfielder Brandon Nimmo’s Grapefruit League debut until Tuesday. He went 1-for-5 with a strikeout leading off as the DH in the home game against the Tigers. Nimmo said he’s been working on his throws from 150 feet and feels content in his progression.