It's Piazza time

Aditi Kinkhabwala at North Jersey writes about one of the most beloved Mets ever to wear the uniform and his coming back to Shea:

"Mike was 'The face of the Mets' before David Wright was," the Mets' Steve Trachsel said, making quote marks as he glanced over at the team's current leading man.

"Mike embraced New York, New York embraced him and for a lot of people, I'm sure he still means the Mets," he said.

And that's why tonight, when Trachsel's on the mound and the Padres' cleanup hitter strides to the plate, the pitcher's betting the home fans will be going nuts – and not for him.

Mike Piazza makes his first trip to Shea since filing for free agency in October. He spent 7½ seasons in Queens, giving the Mets instant credibility and pushing them to their only back-to-back postseason appearances in history.

"He really did well by this city," left fielder Cliff Floyd said. "The fans loved – and love – him. It's hard to make that go away."

If anything soured, it could've been Piazza's feelings for the Mets. Bad enough that he'd been blindsided by the 2004 experiment to shift him to first, he was given no reason to think 2005 would be anything but his farewell tour.

Floyd predicted the best welcome home this New York crowd's ever issued.

Paul LoDuca said he expects to be the Mets fans' second-favorite catcher tonight.

And that Mets fan down in front, the one in the Piazza shirt, he's betting he won't be the only one wearing that No. 31.