Face Off: Which Hat Should Mike Piazza Wear in Cooperstown?

Barring any unfortunate news that comes (or leaks) out in the next few years, Mike Piazza will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 as the greatest offensive catcher ever.

The conundrum is which hat should he wear on his plaque?

It may seem silly, but it's actually quite important. He will forever be associated with team amongst the game's greatest players of all-time.

So the question I pose to you, Bleacher Creatures, is which hat should Mike Piazza be enshrined with in the Hall of Fame: Dodgers or Mets?

My opinion is he should go in as a Dodger, because that's where he was a better player. But I know lots will disagree.

First, let's compare his stats with the Mets and his stats with the Dodgers:

	BAvg	H	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAD	.341	896	177	563	.394	.572	.966
NYM	.296	1,226	220	655	.373	.542	.915

Piazza's number totals (hits, home runs, RBI) are better with the Mets, but that's because he played with them longer. His 162-game averages of those are actually better with the Dodgers, and he had a much better batting average and OPS with the Dodgers.

Second, let's compare his accolades with the Mets and his accolades with the Dodgers.

With Los Angeles, Piazza was a five-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, Rookie of the Year, and he was top-ten in MVP voting every year that he played with the Dodgers. He was also arguably snubbed of the 1996 MVP, where he finished second and the winner (Ken Caminiti) admittedly used steroids.

With the New York Mets, Piazza was a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, and he finished top-ten in MVP voting twice, including a third place finish in 2000.

The last comparison will be postseason success.

As a Dodger, Piazza was swept out of the National League Division Series twice (in 1995 and 1996) by the Reds and Braves, respectively.

As a Met, Piazza lost in the National League Championship Series to the Braves and lost in the World Series to the Yankees.

So what do you think? People will say the Mets because he made it to the World Series. I might have a different opinion if the Mets had actually won that series, but they didn't.

I hope this turns into a good debate. Please comment with your thoughts on this issue.