I know, I know... what's wrong with honoring a great and beloved Yankee? And Paul O'Neill - the enemy of water coolers everywhere - belongs in both categories. But retiring his jersey number "21" exchanges a feel good moment for permanent lodging in the memory hole.
O'Neill is now the 23rd Yankee to be so honored - and the seventh since they the franchise became perpetual AL also-rans.
Considering the recent honorees, the Yankees are mired in a number-retiring rut. With nothing to celebrate since 2009, they must hearken back to a glory era that looks increasingly resembles snapshots of the galaxy from the James Webb space telescope.
We have run out of single digit numbers to assign young, ascending stars - (not that the Yankees have any.) Soon, we will run out of teens. (Brett Gardner's "11?" Joey Gallo "13?" Tyler Wade "14?") What's next, retiring letters?
Take, for example, Jorge Posada's disappeared "20." No disrespect to Georgie but let's face it: There is a huge gulf between him and the Eternals - Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Berra, Ford, Jeter, Mariano... Instead of retiring "20," wouldn't the Yankees better honor Jorge by saving his number for special players, maybe Anthony Volpe in 2023, or maybe keeping it for young catchers? (Yeah, it might have gone to Gary Sanchez, "24," but that's another matter.) The point is, retiring Posada's number means we never think about him, except for times like this, when we wonder why his jersey disappeared.
Remember how Mark Teixeira felt honored when the Yankees brought up Gleyber Torres and gave him "25?" (Those were the days, eh?) And how Clint Frazier was cursed by the ridiculous "77" long before he seeing double? Numbers matter.
Same with Andy Pettitte: Loved the guy, but retiring "46?" Nah. I believe they did it as a means to sell tickets on an otherwise dead weekend. And Bernie Williams' "51" and even Ron Guidry, "49..." Does retiring a number really help us remember the player?
One last number on my shit list: Joe Torre's "6." Yeah, a great manager, great man, et al. But Torre was an even greater player in his day, and he wore "9," not "6." That number "6" should still be in play, and every time a kid catches our eye, we should remember Torre and dream of another great Yankee.
Instead, we watch the team scavenge their past to make up for the sorry, wild card- contenders that they have become.
I think we should retire every number ever worn by any player on a championship team. Then we can move on to numbers with decimal places. 7.1 will undoubtedly be coveted by a lot of guys, as will 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862
ReplyDelete8034825342117067982148086513282306647093844609550. Actually, with pi, there are an unlimited number of number options there.
Since we won't win another championship for as long as Hal and Brian are in charge, this should keep us busy for years.
Keep this up and they'll be issuing three digit numbers. Now playing centerfield, # 142 Jason Dominguez. Dominguez.
ReplyDeleteCan they put "?" or 6 7/8 on the back of the uniform? The Stooges did. Can they retire Chad Curtis's prison number? He played a critical role in the WS runs.
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ReplyDeleteMLB in general and the Yankees in specific are doing what the mob calls a "bust out".
This group of owners will hoover every dime from the sport, sell every thing worth selling, leave it in disarray and then dump it on a new set of suckers.
Yankee Shamus' mafia themed team from a few days ago is all too close to the truth.
As El Duque points out, retiring Paullie's number is to sell tickets on a slow day. Call it the "numbers racket"
The sport has a partnership with gambling, the Hall of Fame just added cheaters, they want 14 teams in the playoffs rendering them a true, "Crap Shoot".
It's A Bust Out.
So many reasons for sadness and anger.
ReplyDeleteAnother year where I'll be watching my 2009 Yankee World Series Championship DVD. If they're going to retire O'Neill's number, there's going to have to be a baseball season. Right now, that doesn't look too likely. Paul's going to have to wait til next year.
ReplyDeleteThe Hammer of God
Yanks are watering down retired numbers in an attempt to relive the glory days of the late 1990s-early 2000s. What are they telling us? No more glory days in the near future? Another money grab around Paul O'Neill retirement merchandising? Who's next? Scott Brosius? Brett Gardner approaches soon also...
ReplyDeleteIf it were up to me, they should have only retired numbers of players that entered the HOF. But that's watered down too isn't? Let's see when they retire No. 13 and chat about that then...
Yep. This is just a marketing ploy. Love O’Neil, but is he really worthy?
ReplyDeleteHow about “unretiring” some numbers. Start with #1, there is no way Billy Martin, a mediocre player
and overrated manager, and an awful person to boot, deserves the honor.
I'm wondering why Willie never had his number retired. His stats are just on the edge of the HOF or well beyond it if you look at players like Baines. We're more likely to see Gardner's number retired and Mattingly into the HOF first. Heck, it's more likely that #30 will be retired for Mel instead of Willie.
ReplyDeleteBaines in the HOF is a absolute joke...
ReplyDeleteWhile they're at it, the Yankee$ should retire the number 27, because at this rate they will never win another World Series.
ReplyDeleteEl Duque:
ReplyDeleteMore like, how do we get fans to come to the Stadium. The present Yankee Team is not that exciting and not that good.
I can see giving Paulie a plaque, but not a number retirement. Number retirements should be more selective -- although the horse is probably out of that barn. (And BTW, this mean it's about time for my regular Monument Park plea: HONOR BOBBY MURCER WITH A PLAQUE!!)
ReplyDeleteAnd I think Harold Baines got into the Hall of Fame much like Rick Ferrell did years ago -- because he was a likable guy (that and Tony LaRussa loved the guy and pushed like hell to get him in).
The old story about Rick Ferrell getting into the Hall was that a former teammate called a bunch of guys on the Veterans Committee and asked them to vote for him so he would get one vote and not be shut out. And nine members took him up on it, enough to get him in, and they were embarrassed afterward.
Interesting story about Ferrell, BBB.
ReplyDeleteMe, I like retiring plenty of numbers, and I'll be glad to see Paulie's go up there. I would retire Jorge's too—he's someone who should be in the Hall.
Retiring numbers—which the Yankees started—can and should reflect the fans' affection for a player, as well as his contribution. It doesn't have to just be the immortals. Some franchises have actually retired "names" for those who played before numbers. Apparently, no one named "Christy Mathewson" or "Iron Man Joe McGinnity" will ever be allowed to play for the Giants again.
I do agree with borntorun about No.1. There's no way that Martin's number should be retired. Make it a tribute to Earle Combs (first Yankee to have the number) and Bobby Murcer, beloved broadcast as well as player. I'd go for that.
Horace, acknowledging Murcer and Combs for No. 1 is something I'd be all for. (And Nettles for No. 9, while we're at it.)
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