JM just wrote with displeasure about CC Sabathia getting his number retired and while I didn't agree with all his conclusions about the players on the list of retired numbers, he is 100% correct that the retiring of numbers is totally out of hand and has become so prevalent as to render it meaningless.
It's all about marketing now.
They should just do more bobbleheads. The springs on them don't work anyway so how about little statues? They could do it like the ones of the Legion of Super Heroes at the Superman Museum. If Bouncing Boy can get one so can CC Sabathia but he shouldn't have his number retired.
That said, I respect CC. I do. Mostly because of this...
He was just shy of a half million dollar inning bonus and got tossed from the game. As it turns out the Yankees gave it to him anyway but major props for being a great teammate!
At other times not so much...
An inability to control weight and alcohol consumption led to five sub par seasons and one big no show. His overall career is Hall of Fame worthy. His time as a Yankee... Nah.
Which takes me back to who should have their numbers retired based on what they did as YANKEES. Here is the list again. (Thanks JM).
I'm good with 1-10 except Maris. Six years with the club two VERY GOOD years one of which is legendary. Those Yankees were a machine and he was a key cog but they would have done well with out him.
The opposite is true for Thurm. JM was iffy on Munson. I say yes because even though he also had only a couple of really good years he was the heart and soul of the Yankees and the return to being champions after a long long drought. Pivotal player. True Yankee legend.
Jorge and Paulie? I don't know. Maybe because my fandom extends over 60 years. If I was born in 1980 they would be a yes. Key players in a great era but you will notice that a lot of key players from the 20's and the 30's do not have their numbers retired so this smells like marketing to me.
More Karate Kid and Mad Eater Lad than Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. if you know what I mean.
JM said no to Mattingly. I totally disagree . Donnie Baseball? Give it to him.
Reggie? Hall of Fame YES! Retired number? No. In his picture on the Baseball Reference page he is wearing an A's cap.
Andy and Ron... Well why should Whitey be the only starter but... ah what the hell. Sure. They were great Yankee pitchers. At least they won titles.
I'd give it to Bernie only because he got jobbed out of being Core Four because nothing cool rhymed with five.
Mariano is a no doubter. Which leaves CC...
No. Unlike all, and I do mean all, of the above, well except Donnie :(, when I think of CC I don't think about how good he was and the championship. I think of all of the disappointment. He deserves the Hall of Fame based on his entire body of work but not his number retired as a Yankee.
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We will have triple digit numbers soon...
Retiring CC's 52 closes the book on ARod and the Yankees, I think. The possibility of number retirement was remote, but so long as they hadn't retired a number from the 2009 team, the ARod longshot remained. Yes, the core 4 were on that team, and great contributors, but their Golden Age was almost 10 years gone by then. The 2009 championship constitutes an entire "era" in Yankees championship history and merits particular recognition on the retired number list, just like every other era. CC does that. It's all over for ARod, arguably the best right-handed hitter every to don the pinstripes, and certainly one of the 5 best overall.
"Certainly" might be a little strong. Joe D puts up a fight. And sentimentalists might point to Mattingly. But ARod's numbers are undeniable.
Publius - Stats aside the steroids and suing the Yankees probably disqualified him anyway. :)
Hey Spencer Jones just hit a ball out of Steinbrenner Field while I was typing this.
Completely agree, Doug. But if one was needed, this was the final nail.
Doug, I sentimentally agree with you about Donnie, Andy, and Gator. But leaving them in doesn't really lower the number of retired numbers. And there are too many retired numbers.
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