DODGERS GO THROUGH THE EMOTIONS : COLORADO 13, DODGERS 9.Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is an American Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres completed the greatest season a catcher ever had by hitting two home runs. Brett Butler Brett Butler can refer to different people:
Greg Gagne Greg Gagne may refer to:
The Colorado Rockies For the National Hockey League team (1976 – 1982), now known as the New Jersey Devils, see . The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. They are in the West Division of the National League. beat the Dodgers 13-9 on Sunday, marking the official passing of a season marred by a disappointing beginning and worse ending. The Dodgers finished with 88 victories, two less than last season's 90 but the second-most since the World Series year of 1988. Having dealt with the pain of missing the playoffs a day earlier, though, there was more talk of the future than depression about the past on Sunday. Piazza did acknowledge, ``Waking up tomorrow is going to be a weird feeling, not having anything to do.'' Chan Ho Park had nothing to do a day early. He watched Sunday's game from the dugout after pitching coach Dave Wallace in a morning meeting vehemently opposed Park starting a meaningless game. Park, the Dodgers' most pleasant surprise this season, threw 139 pitches in a complete-game victory this past Tuesday. After Sunday's game, about 40 Korean media members assembled in the Dodgers clubhouse and glared at manager Bill Russell Noun 1. Bill Russell - United States basketball center (born in 1934) William Felton Russell, Russell . They had come to report on Park's bid for a 15th victory - many convinced the move was designed to deny Park a $25,000 bonus for his 30th start, 15th win and 200th inning. Since the bonuses were to be paid by Nike, it is doubtful Russell even knew of their existence. Rick Gorecki
Piazza, in an attempt to get his 200th hit, and Eric Karros Piazza got his 200th hit on a two-run homer to left-center field in the third inning. He stayed in the game until after the second homer gave him 40 on the season, making him the first Dodger to hit that many since Duke Snider Piazza finished with career highs in hits (201), RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in (124) and average (.362). It is the highest batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. in Dodgers history and also the highest average for a catcher since the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Yankees' Bill Dickey William Malcolm Dickey (June 5, 1907 – November 12, 1993) was a professional baseball player and manager. One of the most famous catchers in Major League history, he played his entire career with the New York Yankees, with whom he appeared in eight World Series and won seven hit .362 in 1936. ``It's going to be really tough to top this,'' Piazza said. Piazza told himself before the game if he got a single in his first at-bat he was going to sit the rest of the game. If he hit a home run his first time up, though, he would stay in to try to get No. 40. He struck out in the first inning before getting the home run. ``I said, `I've got nothing to do tomorrow. I might as well stay in there,' '' he said afterward. Butler batted leadoff and received a standing ovation from the Coors Field • • [ crowd of 48,197 and many Rockies players in the first inning. Butler bunted out in his first at-bat, but his triple in the third drove in two runs. He flied to right in his final at bat before Garey Ingram replaced him in the sixth. After the game, his emotions were in check, if only because they were mixed. ``I don't have to worry about being in shape,'' he said. ``I don't have to worry about (hitting) .300. I don't have to worry about getting ready for next year. I'm done. Part of me is saddened. Part of me is relaxed. ``Boy has it gone fast.'' That's not how Gagne felt. He seemed happy to be going home. It's where his heart has been much of the season. ``It would be tough for me to be back here next year,'' the 35-year-old shortstop said. ``It wasn't much fun not having my family (in Los Angeles) with me. It's very doubtful I'll be back here. Whether I'll be somewhere else, we'll see.'' Gagne, whose contract is up but on whom the Dodgers have an option, would consider playing somewhere closer to his home in Massachusetts. A few feet down from Gagne, Billy Ashley also anticipated a change of scenery. ``The way things have transpired, I'll take a wild guess and say, `Most definitely,' '' said Ashley, who went from the team's fourth outfielder in spring training to excess baggage by summer. He started Sunday for the first time since Aug. 10. It will, indeed, be a winter of changes for the Dodgers. The expansion draft looms. At least two star players - Raul Mondesi and Piazza - will likely ask for big-money, long-term contracts. And the team will have a new owner by January. ``It's very interesting, because of all the possibilities of the future,'' Piazza said. ``I'm curious and optimistic.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: The Dodgers' Brett Butler acknowledges the cheers at Coors Field in Denver as he leads off the game, the last of his 17-year career. Associated Press |
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