Saturday, February 2, 2019

It's Only A Number...


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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