NEW YORK -- Now that Mike Piazza officially will be enshrined in Cooperstown on July 24, it is time for the New York Mets to perform an overdue gesture. It is time to retire the slugger's No. 31.
The Mets have been stingy retiring numbers, to say the least. (Let's not get started on the '86 Mets, including Keith Hernandez.)
The only number retired by the franchise as a result of contributions as a player is Tom Seaver's No. 41. The Mets also have retired No. 37 for Casey Stengel and No. 14 for Gil Hodges.