Originally published February 23, 2014
Today's Daily Dinger is a nod to my personal favorite, and the greatest hitting catcher, (note the "not one of" level of commitment), of all time, Mike Piazza. In this jack from September 1997, Piazza clears the roof in left field at Dodger Stadium.
Piazza's power always came from unbelievable arm extension, and you'll see that on display here. Many of his memorable long balls were actually hit to straightaway center or to right-center, which made him unique as a slugger. This ball he pulls, and it is absolutely crushed.
1997 was Piazza's finest season, as he sported a .362 / 40 / 124 line. It was also his final full season as a Los Angeles Dodger, as he was traded the following season to Florida in the "Trade of the Century", and until 2013, LA hadn't been the same. If you can stomach Jon Miller and Joe Morgan's call here, you'll enjoy this mammoth shot.
