The Roger Clemens – Mike Piazza Feud

One of the best know side stories in recent baseball history if the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud. Both players, of course, are top major league players which makes their actions prime sports news. In addition, the home town rivalry between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets has added fuel to the fire. The mixture of a history-making great pitcher and the hitter who most often frustrates him, displays of questionable sportsmanship and the enjoyment of watching a beaned batter fall down and get up over and over through the magic of TV, has made the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud a real attention-getter.

The Feud

In 2000, when Roger Clemens was playing – very well – for the New York Yankees, he was frustrated several times by the batting ability of Mike Piazza of the New York Mets. On July 8, 2000, a month after Mike Piazza hit a grand slam off a Clemens pitch; Piazza was beaned by a Clemens ball and knocked off his feet. The sports reporters covered Piazza’s bitter words and the fact that the Mets failed to “protect” Piazza by beaning a Yankees hitter. Piazza was hit hard enough to make him miss the All-Star game the following day. Sports headlines were filled with the story, alleging hard feelings on Clemens’ part even though he had a reputation for throwing close to the batter. These were the seeds of the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud.

When both the Yankees and the Mets made it to the World Series that year, the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud was the main sports story. In Game 2, pitcher Clemens faced batter Piazza once again. Piazza connected with the pitch, the bat shattered into three pieces and the ball went foul. Even so, Piazza headed for first. The head of the bat, on the other hand, headed for Clemens. It did not make it to the mound, but Clemens picked it up and threw it toward first barely missing Piazza. That was Round 2 of the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud. When Piazza saw the broken bat, he tossed away the piece he still carried and started toward Clemens. The benches of both teams emptied. Mets confronted Yankees and vice versa although no punches were thrown. The game was halted and things calmed down. After speaking to the plate umpire, Clemens said it was his fault. The game proceeded and Piazza grounded to second. While some thought that Clemens innocently believed he was fielding the ball, and others theorize that because it was a foul ball, he didn’t realize Piazza was running, the Roger Clemens - Mike Piazza feud continues to be a major subject of major league baseball.