With clubs continuing to retire the numbers of their all time great players, how much longer do you think it'll be until we see players wearing triple digit numbers on the backs of their uniforms? I saw one tonight ( a pitcher by the name of Beimel for the L A Dodgers ) wearing #97. Just a thought. What do you think?
2006-08-01 15:18:25 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
Retiring numbers is a very limited honor...and it seems to me that it's happening much less frequently than it used to (probably because most players don't stay with the same team for a significant period of time...so while they're compiling the same, or better, career numbers, their career accomplishments are somewhat diluted because they occurred while playing for several teams).
I'm sure the Yankees probably have the most retired numbers, but with team rosters limited to 25, it'll be quite a while before it will become necessary for any one team to need triple digit numbers.
Also, in baseball, players are not limited to their uniform numbers according to the position they play, as they are in football... it is in Pro Football where retiring numbers could eventually be a problem, because each position has only 20-30 numbers available (for example, QB's can not wear a number greater than 19)...this limit by position makes it difficult for football teams to retire individual numbers... still, quite a number of football players have had their numbers retired by their teams, a couple of recent examples being Dan Marino and Walter Payton. But again, most retired numbers in football are from old timers, because players don't stick with the same time like they used to.
2006-08-01 15:52:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Each team has 25 players on its active roster and 40 total (up to 15 in the minors that can be called up without having to clear a space on the roster), plus anyone who's on the 60-day disabled list (usually not more than a couple people). Add about half a dozen coaches to the list, and you need about 50 numbers free for use in any year.
Meanwhile, you have 99 one and two digit numbers (or 101, if you count "0" or "00", which have only been used by a couple players). So a team would have to have almost 50 numbers retired before they'd need a third digit. Even the Yankees, with 16 retired numbers, are far away from that point.
(Though if that time ever does come, I think we'll see them start using letters before adding another digit.)
2006-08-02 01:18:19 · answer #2 · answered by JerH1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two single digit numbers still not retired for the Yankees. They are 2 and 6. They will definately be retired as well as 51 for Bernie Williams. 42 will be retired in conjunction to Jackie Robinson for Mariano Rivera. The numbers are limited for the Yankees but I think after most of them are retired they will come out of retirement and just have recognition of excellence.
2006-08-02 01:09:25 · answer #3 · answered by gonepostal18 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Awww c'mon. Who doesn't want to see Ortiz wearing 199.
2006-08-05 17:02:14 · answer #4 · answered by BeachDragon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i give it 10 years till it happens if ever
2006-08-01 22:27:24 · answer #5 · answered by lane w 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not for a hundred years or so.
2006-08-04 20:49:55 · answer #6 · answered by danceman528 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
y wuld they think of dat ??
2006-08-06 20:13:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋