Mets Will Honor Mike Piazza This Weekend; Tickets Start From Under $25

(UPDATE 7/28/16) A permanent No. 31 will be unveiled in the left field rafters of Citi Field this weekend. Following his induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame last week, Mike Piazza will be honored in Flushing in a three-day affair between Friday and Sunday.

And for fans with interest in attending the ceremonies, big ticket prices won't take away from honoring the greatest hitting catcher of all time. The festivities will commence on Friday night with all fans in attendance receiving a Piazza replica jersey. As it stands now, the average price for Friday New York Mets tickets on TicketIQ is $93.10 and the cheapest ticket is $34.

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On Saturday, Piazza will have his number retired in a pregame ceremony before the Mets take on the Colorado Rockies. The average resale price for tickets is now $105.22, making it the most expensive game of the weekend in terms of average price. However, it will actually be the cheapest just to get in, with tickets starting from $22. A Piazza baseball card placard will also be given out to all fans in attendance.

The first 15,000 fans in attendance at Sunday afternoon's finale will receive a Mike Piazza bobblehead. Tickets are currently averaging $89.36 and the get-in price is $24.

Piazza capped his 16-year career in 2008, finishing with a .308 batting average and 427 home runs, the most ever by a catcher. In addition to rejuvenating a Mets offense and leading the franchise to its fourth pennant in 2000, he is perhaps best known for his historic home run against the Atlanta Braves on September 21, 2001, just 10 days after coordinated terrorist attacks shook the United States. The blast provided healing in a time of national tragedy. He is just the 17th catcher of all time to be inducted into the National Hall of Fame and first since Gary Carter was inducted in 2003.

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New York Mets Announce 'Mike Piazza Weekend', Will Retire Cooperstown-bound Catcher's Number in July

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 1/26/16) Big offseason moves and a new coat of ceremonial paint on the left field wall. This, much to the delight of the faithful fan, appears to be the modus operandi of the 2016 New York Mets.

It's not often that the public makes a deafening impact on how organizational brass handles its free agency affairs, but credit the Amazin' fan base - and Yoenis Cespedes' apparent desire to remain a Met - for his return to Queens this upcoming season. Fred and Jeff Wilpon, the oft-criticized owner and chief operating officer at the head of the franchise's dinner table, can hang their hats on a notable offseason spent strengthening a roster that claimed the National League pennant in 2015.

The Wilpons' newfound desire to please fans won't stop with a lucrative offseason either. On Monday the Mets revealed plans to honor former player and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, who spent eight seasons in Queens between 1998 and 2005, over a full weekend in July. With the annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown scheduled for Sunday, July 21, the Mets will pay homage to Piazza's illustrious career during a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies from July 29-31.

As expected, prices for New York Mets tickets on the secondary market have skyrocketed since the announcement on Monday. Over the three-game series the average price for Mets tickets is now $232.87. That marks a 87.1% jump over the team's 81-game season average of $124.46 at Citi Field this season.

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The festivities begin Friday, July 29, and all fans in attendance will receive a replica Mike Piazza jersey. According to TicketIQ the average price for July 29 Mets vs Rockies tickets is currently $200.55 on the secondary market. If looking just to get past the gates the cheapest ticket is $37.

The following night will welcome a pregame ceremony for Piazza, who will have his number retired on the left field wall of Citi Field. Piazza will become just the fourth uniformed Mets player to receive such an honor, behind Tom Seaver, Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel. The average price for July 30 Mets vs Rockies tickets is now $329.66 making it the second most expensive home game on the Mets schedule this year behind Opening Day on April 8 ($356.62 avg./$138 get-in). The cheapest ticket for Piazza's retirement ceremony game is currently $50.

The third and final game honoring the beloved Mets catcher will be held on Sunday afternoon. July 31 Mets vs Rockies tickets currently own a secondary market average of $151.33 and the cheapest ticket is listed for $33. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Mike Piazza bobblehead doll upon entry.

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Expectations will be high for the Mets this season after a fairytale run to the World Series in 2015. The team has waved goodbye to postseason hero Daniel Murphy, who signed with the divisional rival Washington Nationals in December. However, the return of Cespedes and Bartolo Colon, alongside the additions of Neil Walker, Asdrubal Cabrera, Alejandro De Aza and lefty reliever Antonio Bastardo, have given fans reason to believe that another playoff appearance is certainly attainable come October.

And with the arguably best pitching rotation in the league, Ya Gotta Believe.