MLB legend Mike Piazza still feels excitement for Opening Day, recalls fond memories

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is officially here.

After months of the owners and the players’ union going back and forth, the two sides came to an agreement to start Opening on April 7 and play a full 162-game season.

For Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, the excitement is still there.

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Piazza, who played 16 seasons in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics and five games with the Florida Marlins, was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania – about 21 miles northwest of Philadelphia. He grew up watching the Phillies and got into the old Veterans Stadium to watch the team way back when.

"Definitely excitement," he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I think it’s definitely in your blood. Once you’re a professional player, Opening Day is always a celebration and sort of a spirit of renewal and everybody’s in first place. A lot of optimism. As a kid I remember many experiences going to Opening Day down at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia and watching like the crazy things the Phillies would do like kite man and certain other things. It’s a celebration, no question."

Piazza broke into the league in 1992 as a catcher for the Dodgers and got his first taste of Opening Day with Los Angeles in 1993. He said he remembered played in the old Joe Robbie Stadium when the Dodgers played the Marlins on April 5, 1993. He went 1-for-4 in that game but later went onto win the National League Rookie of the Year award.

He said that part of what was "cool" for him was playing around the area he went to high school. He said he had been in South Florida since he was out of high school. He also mentioned the excitement around the 1999 Mets and playing on Opening Day for them was a fun experience as well.

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"One Opening Day was my rookie in ’93. It was the first game in the Marlins’ history. It was at then I think it was Joe Robbie Stadium then it became Pro Player and now it’s Hard Rock Stadium. That was kind of interesting. Obviously, the new franchise in Florida, even though it’s not an older franchise they’ve had some really good success in their history. And being a South Florida resident since I graduated high school it was kind of cool for me," Piazza told Fox News Digital.

"And then, of course, Opening Day I think in ‘99, was basically my first full year with the Mets which was pretty cool because we were obviously expected to have a good team and there was a lot of anticipation, a lot of excitement and it’s always good to get off to a good start, even though it’s one game. It’s always nice to have a good Opening Day and get a couple hits or have a good start to the season."

Some of the rules going into the 2022 season are a bit different.

Among them is MLB's adoption of the universal designated hitter, which means National League teams will have the position for the first time in history. Piazza was primarily a catcher during his career and would get the chance to play the DH position during interleague play. He was only really accustomed to it toward the end of his career with the Athletics. He played 73 games as DH in 2007.

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Piazza told Fox News Digital he wasn’t really a fan of the universal DH because it wasn’t something he was playing with during his career. He did say he could see it creating more interest for fans.

"To be honest, I’m not a major fan of it. I think as a player it was nice because the American League used the DH. So, when we started interleague play, I was able to take advantage of it as a player and occasionally sort of get rest from having to catch to play nine innings behind the plate," Piazza said. 

"But personally, it’s not that I’m against it or negative towards it, it’s just something I don’t relate to. I guess being sort of a National League guy my whole [career] and having an American League season at the end of my career. And, of course, there was always some good hitting pitchers now that won’t be able to hit. So look, let’s just say I’m not a fan but it is what it is. I mean, I think it's not going to make the game any more or less interesting. I think it's just going to sort of what's just, I guess, maybe create a little bit more interest from a fan perspective. But as a player, I always like kind of the pitchers having to bunt and do things with the bat that can help themselves, help their game, which I always thought was kind of cool."

Piazza said having the DH in both leagues may make the manager’s job a bit less stressful.

"It makes the manager’s job a little less stressful because basically you don’t have to worry about, unless God forbid, somebody gets hurt or something like that in the defense and then you kind of have to juggle the lineup a little bit," he said. "I had a small experience managing international baseball and with the DH you don’t have to worry about double switching or even pinch-hitting a pitcher who may be throwing a good game or not throwing a good game. It kind of does alleviate a bit of the press on the manager, in my opinion."

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Thursday’s Opening Day will feature only a handful of games because of some rain plaguing areas of the country. Twenty-two teams are in action on Friday and by Saturday all Major League teams will be playing.