We all know that in less than a week, MLB would typically be celebrating Jackie Robinson Day where everyone wears #42 to represent the legendary and brave Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier.
I will be showing off an incredible card for that day, but here is a sneak peak at just a boring manurelic I grabbed in the past few months.
It has been mentioned that Roberto Clemente may one day have his number "21" retired across all of baseball for what he meant to Latin American players. Clemente was the first Latin player to collect 3,000 hits and the first Latin player to enter the Hall of Fame. The discussion and links to the petition to Retire 21 can be found here.
On Pirates.com it was discussed that the two best player choices to have their number retired are Dave Parker (39) and Andrew McCutchen (22).
Chad Kuhl currently wears #39 and Pirates former closer Jason Grilli wore the number as recently as 2014.
When Andrew McCutchen was traded in 2018, no one was assigned #22 to begin the 2018 season. The Pirates were surprisingly making a push for the postseason that same year and made a shocking trade for Chris Archer at the deadline. Archer wore #22 while in Tampa Bay and even has his Twitter handle with 22 in it. He respectfully declined to get 22 when he came to the Steel City noting that number belongs to Cutch and should be retired one day.
It was also suggested that maybe Chuck Tanner gets his jersey (7) retired next because he was the manager of the 1979 World Series Champions.
Personally I think Cutch does get his number retired in Pittsburgh because of what he meant to the city and community. He adopted the city as much as the city adopted him.
Which player for your favorite team do you think gets their number retired next?
Should MLB retire 21 across the league to pay tribute to Roberto Clemente?
I say no. The Pirates have retired his numbet and that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteMandating that every team retire his number is just politically-correct pandering, that is all too prevalent these days.
I'm kinda with Jim on this one. However... if MLB did retire his number, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteAs for my beloved A's, I can't imagine they're considering retiring anyone's number right now. But hopefully Matt Chapman or Ramon Laureano spend their entire careers in Oakland... and they put up hall of fame numbers. Then maybe their numbers will be retired.
My team is the Mets, and they've already announced that Jerry Koosman is getting his number retired this season (or whenever we play baseball again). And it's easy to guess that after that it will be David Wright. I don't really see anyone soon after that, unless they decide to do it for Gary Carter.
ReplyDeleteI think Jackie Robinson was so unique and important in what he did for baseball and for our society that he really should be the only one whose number is retired league-wide. I didn't even like that the NHL did it for Gretzky. (Gretzky is the greatest player of all time, of course, but ISTM that retiring it from the whole league needs to be about more than being a great player.) That said, if they had to retire someone else's number for the league, Clemente is as good a choice as they could make.
My team needs to stop retiring numbers. I'd say next is probably Paul O'Neill, as no one wears his 21. Once LaTroy Hawkins tried and he was stupidly booed about it. I think the Yanks have gone overboard with retiring numbers. I'd prefer to honor the number, but not take it out of circulation.
ReplyDeleteIf MLB wants to do something meaningful, why not set up a "Roberto Clemente award" and give it annually to the Latin player who best exemplifies , be it on-field achievements, off-field activities, perseverance in overcoming obstacles, or whatever.
ReplyDeleteRetiring numbers has traditionally been for players WHO ACTUALLY PLAYED FOR THAT TEAM, and should remain that way.
MLB already gives out the Roberto Clemente award annually to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team".
DeleteBingo!
DeleteThe Tigers need to put Bill Freehan's name on that brick wall under #11, and they need to retire #29 for Mickey Lolich.
ReplyDeleteLou Whitaker's #1 is being retired, and #24/#35 will eventually get retired.
The Red Sox had numerous choices. Roger Clemens is a no brainer based on statistical greatness, but I think a less controversial player like Dwight Evans will be next.
ReplyDelete