Shortage: Available Yankee Jersey Numbers…
The Yankees announced a few number assignments and reassignments yesterday so I thought I’d take the liberty of putting all the numbers together on one list.
I thought it was interesting that Greg Bird’s number is shared with Billy Burns, a non-roster invitee, assuming the information on the Yankees website is correct. There are a few other duplications but Bird stood out the most. I don’t think it means anything but it is a message to Bird that he had better bring his “A” game to Spring Training if he intends to keep the number.
Not that it is our concern but I worry about how many numbers will be available a hundred or two hundred years down the road. Personally, I think they should make it mandatory for coaches to wear numbers in the eighties to free up the lower numbers for players. Phil Nevin and I seem to be in agreement on this topic although his choice of numbers makes me think of Dallas Cowboys’ greats Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin (even though I am not a Cowboys fan).
I am assuming 35 is out of circulation for Mike Mussina due to his recent induction into the MLB Hall of Fame. The number has been assigned out since Moose’s retirement, primarily held by Michael Pineda during his stay. I think Phil Nevin wore it last year after he gave up 53 to Zach Britton. But there are other retired numbers that were worn by subsequent players, like Graig Nettles with 9 or Chris Chambliss with 10, before they were taken out of circulation. A couple of other numbers are open but not in circulation (13 for Alex Rodriguez and 21 for Paul O’Neill). If, by chance, Manny Machado were to become a Yankee (unlikely), it would be interesting to see if A-Rod would consent to giving up his number. I think he would but the way the market is playing out, we may never know.
Frankly, I am not a big fan of retired numbers. I think it becomes more of a popularity contest and numbers get retired for good, not great, players when retiring numbers should be reserved for those truly special once-in-a-lifetime players like Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig.
Number
|
Player
|
Number
|
Player
|
0
|
Adam Ottavino, LHP
|
50
|
Reggie Willits, First Base Coach
|
1
|
Billy Martin
|
51
|
Bernie Williams
|
2
|
Derek Jeter
|
52
|
CC Sabathia, LHP
|
3
|
Babe Ruth
|
53
|
Zach Britton, LHP
|
4
|
Lou Gehrig
|
54
|
Aroldis Chapman, LHP
|
5
|
Joe DiMaggio
|
55
|
Rex Brothers, LHP (NRI)
|
6
|
Joe Torre
|
56
|
Jonathan Holder, RHP
|
7
|
Mickey Mantle
|
57
|
Chad Green, RHP
|
8
|
Bill Dickey
Yogi Berra
|
58
|
Larry Rothschild, Pitching Coach
|
9
|
Roger Maris
|
59
|
Josh Bard, Bench Coach
|
10
|
Phil Rizzuto
|
60
|
Mike Harkey, Bullpen Coach
|
11
|
Brett Gardner, LF
|
61
|
Ben Heller, RHP
|
12
|
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
|
62
|
Danny Coulombe, LHP (NRI)
Marcus Thames, Hitting Coach
|
13
|
Open
|
63
|
Domingo German, RHP
P.J. Pilittere, Asst Hitting Coach
|
14
|
Tyler Wade, 2B/SS
|
64
|
Carlos Mendoza, QC Coach/Infield Instructor
|
15
|
Thurman Munson
|
65
|
James Paxton, LHP
|
16
|
Whitey Ford
|
66
|
Kyle Higashioka, C
|
17
|
Aaron Boone, Manager
|
67
|
Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP
|
18
|
Didi Gregorius, SS
|
68
|
Dellin Betances, RHP
|
19
|
Masahiro Tanaka, RHP
|
69
|
No Comment
|
20
|
Jorge Posada
|
70
|
Giovanny Urshela, 3B (NRI)
|
21
|
Open
|
71
|
Stephen Tarpley, LHP
|
22
|
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
|
72
|
Kyle Holder, SS (NRI)
|
23
|
Don Mattingly
|
73
|
Open
|
24
|
Gary Sanchez, C
|
74
|
Joe Harvey, RHP
|
25
|
Gleyber Torres, 2B
|
75
|
David Hale, RHP (NRI)
|
26
|
DJ LeMahieu, 2B
|
76
|
Nestor Cortes, Jr, LHP (NRI)
|
27
|
Giancarlo Stanton, DH/OF
|
77
|
Clint Frazier, LF
|
28
|
Austin Romine, C
|
78
|
Kellin Deglan, C (NRI)
|
29
|
Open
|
79
|
Francisco Diaz, C (NRI)
|
30
|
Ryan Lavarnway, C (NRI)
|
80
|
Jorge Saez, C (NRI)
|
31
|
Aaron Hicks, CF
|
81
|
Open
|
32
|
Elston Howard
|
82
|
Open
|
33
|
Greg Bird, 1B
Billy Burns, OF (NRI)
|
83
|
Open
|
34
|
J.A. Happ, LHP
|
84
|
Brady Lail, RHP (NRI)
|
35
|
Open
|
85
|
Luis Cessa, RHP
|
36
|
Danny Farquhar, RHP (NRI)
|
86
|
Domingo Acevedo, RHP
|
37
|
Casey Stengel
|
87
|
Albert Abreu, RHP
|
38
|
Open
|
88
|
Phil Nevin, Third Base Coach
|
39
|
Drew Hutchison, RHP (NRI)
|
89
|
Open
|
40
|
Luis Severino, RHP
|
90
|
Thairo Estrada, 2B/SS
|
41
|
Miguel Andujar, 3B
|
91
|
Cale Coshow, LHP (NRI)
|
42
|
Jackie Robinson
Mariano Rivera
|
92
|
Estevan Florial, CF (NRI)
|
43
|
Chance Adams, RHP
|
93
|
Michael King, RHP (NRI)
|
44
|
Reggie Jackson
|
94
|
Trey Amburgey, OF (NRI)
|
45
|
Luke Voit, 1B
|
95
|
Mike Ford, 1B (NRI)
|
46
|
Andy Pettitte
|
96
|
Matt Lipka, OF (NRI)
|
47
|
Jordan Montgomery, LHP
|
97
|
Open
|
48
|
Tommy Kahnle, RHP
|
98
|
Raynel Espinal, RHP (NRI)
|
49
|
Ron Guidry
|
99
|
Aaron Judge, RF
|
Bold/Italicized = Retired Numbers
NRI = Non-Roster Invitee
The Boston Red Sox seem to be scavenger hunting for bullpen help. In the last couple of days, they’ve added RHP Brian Ellington and LHP Dan Runzler. Who? Exactly…
The ping pong match between the Chicago Cubs and White Sox with former Yankees prospect LHP Ian Clarkin has finally come to an end. One team would place the player on waivers and the other would claim him. It started when the White Sox placed him on waivers this off-season, claimed by the Cubs, waivers and claimed by the White Sox, waivers and reclaimed by the Cubs. He was placed on waivers again by the Cubs but went unclaimed and was sent outright yesterday to Triple A Iowa. I’ve always liked Clarkin and hope he can find success in Chicago (one park or the other). I would love to see Clarkin back in the Yankees organization but not at the expense of a 40-man roster spot.
It is Groundhog’s Day but this is one day that I’d never want to repeat. This off-season has been brutal and I would not want to extend it one more day. February 13th, when pitchers and catchers report, cannot get here fast enough. The first workout for the pitchers and catchers will be Valentine’s Day, while the position players must show up by Monday, February 18th. Full squad workout the next day, and then the first exhibition game on Saturday, February 23rd when the Yankees travel to Fort Myers, FL to play the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park.
I am so ready to talk about the players on the field and not the hypotheticals about certain 26-year-old free agent superstars. Soon, very soon…
As always, Go Yankees!
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)