Turn Back The Clock: October 22nd, 2000-Piazza vs. Clemens

Has it already been 14 years since that infamous night during the Subway Series back in 2000? Well, since both former New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza and former New York Yankees ace Roger Clemens have both been on the Hall of Fame ballot for a couple of seasons now, that much time must have passed.

It was 14 seasons ago, Game Two, the Subway Series, as the Yankees looked to increase their World Series game-winning streak to 14 consecutive. A streak that would indeed end during this series, one that had started during Game Three of the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves four seasons prior. The Mets nearly played the Yankees the year before, but thanks to former Bombers’ hurler Kenny Rogers walking in the series-ending run against the Braves, Atlanta advanced, only to get swept by said Yankees in the 1999 Fall Classic.

Back to our main players of this story. Clemens and Piazza had a previous history. Back in July of the 2000 season during interleague play, Rockey beaned Piazza with a high and tight, a pitch that forced Piazza from the game. Reports state that Clemens was so bothered by what had happened, he attempted to get in touch with the Mets’ backstop in the clubhouse before that game had ended. Piazza was so upset, that he rebuffed the effort, and held the grudge against Rocket.

The at-bat during Game Two, had been highly anticipated, to the point, that Yankees manager Joe Torre changed his pitching rotation around, so Clemens could pitch in the Bronx rather than in Queens, and avoid any type of retribution for the July beaning. Well, it didn’t take long for the excitement and tension to resurface. 

More from Yankees News

• Diamondbacks outfielder’s comment on Carlos Rodón’s IG raises eyebrows
• Aaron Judge Time interview scared Yankees as much as it scared you
• Why weren’t Yankees in on Kodai Senga now that we know the price?
• Baseball Reference proves Yankees’ Aaron Judge lives rent free in Boston
• Yankees’ Clay Holmes trade just became even bigger disaster for Pirates

Clemens fired a pitch, Piazza fouled it off, and began heading up the first base line not realizing the ball had gone foul. The issue, was that the barrel of Piazza’s bat shattered, and a large chunk of it headed towards Clemens on the mound. Instead of walking the barrel over to a bat boy, Clemens, in a fit of anger, fired the barrel in the general direction of Piazza, where the Mets’ catcher saw this, and stood there stunned. Piazza began heading towards the pitcher’s mound, where Clemens was shouting to the umpire for a new ball.

The benches cleared, as Piazza began shouting at Clemens, and Rocket reacting as if he thought it was the ball he was tossing into foul territory. The real question is, if he thought it was the ball, then why didn’t he toss it over to first baseman Tino Martinez for the out? Why toss a fair ball into foul territory towards the Yankees’ dugout? Fox Sports announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver crucified Clemens, believing there was no reason whatsoever for Clemens to react in the way he did.

After several minutes, order was restored to the field, the umpires got in between Clemens and Piazza, and play was resumed. Once things calmed down, Clemens was able to get Piazza to ground out to second base on the very next pitch, ending the inning. The Yankees went on to win Game Two, to extend their World Series winning streak to 14 straight games. Piazza did go yard, taking reliever Jeff Nelson deep, but it wasn’t enough, as the Yankees held on for a 6-5 win. The Yankees would go on to win their third straight World Series title in five games.