Here's something that ought to get you excited about baseball games in less than a month -- the complete numerical spring training roster. I have also listed the retired numbers so you can get an idea of what numbers are available. Seems doubtful they'll reissue #34 anytime soon, and there are rumors #31 may be retired as soon as this summer. That means the only truly "available" numbers lower than 50 are #24 (vacated by Henry Blanco), and #47 (formerly Scott Eyre's). Non-roster players are listed in italics.
This is also an opportunity for me to plug the book that I have co-written with BCB reader kaseyi (Kasey Ignarski) and Matt Silverman, "Cubs By The Numbers", a complete history of the Cubs since 1932 (when they first wore numbers), with each chapter being about the players who wore a specific number. It's not out yet, but you can pre-order it. Scheduled release date, as noted on the page, is March 2. And no, it won't say "Cubbies" on the front. We took care of that.
1 Kosuke Fukudome 2 Ryan Theriot 3 Alan Trammell (bench coach) 4 Joey Gathright 6 Micah Hoffpauir 7 Aaron Miles 8 Mike Quade (3B coach) 9 Reed Johnson 10 Ron Santo (retired) 11 Ivan DeJesus (special assistant) 12 Alfonso Soriano 13 Jake Fox 14 Ernie Banks (retired) 15 Mark Johnson 16 Aramis Ramirez 17 Mike Fontenot 18 Geovany Soto 19 Richie Robnett 20 Luis Rivas 21 Milton Bradley 22 Kevin Hart 23 Ryne Sandberg (retired) 24 Paul Bako 25 Derrek Lee 26 Billy Williams (retired) 27 Sam Fuld 28 Gerald Perry (hitting coach) 29 Jeff Samardzija 30 Ted Lilly 32 Mike Stanton 33 Jason Dubois 35 Lester Strode (bullpen coach) 36 Randy Wells 37 Angel Guzman 38 Carlos Zambrano 39 Matt Sinatro (1B coach) 40 Rich Harden 41 Lou Piniella (manager) 42 retired by MLB for Jackie Robinson 43 Michael Wuertz 44 Chad Fox 45 Sean Marshall 46 Ryan Dempster 47 Aaron Heilman 48 Neal Cotts 49 Carlos Marmol 50 Larry Rothschild (pitching coach) 51 Luis Vizcaino 52 Jeff Stevens 53 Rich Hill 54 David Patton 55 Koyie Hill 56 Brad Snyder 57 Chad Gaudin 58 Jose Ascanio 59 Andres Blanco 60 Mitch Atkins 61 Matt Smith 62 Marcos Mateo 63 Kevin Gregg 64 Justin Berg 65 Darwin Barney 66 Doug Deeds 67 Rocky Roquet 68 J. R. Mathes 70 Andrew Cashner 71 Esmailin Caridad 72 Welington Castillo 73 Bobby Scales 74 Steve Clevenger 75 Bill White 76 Jason Waddell 78 Ed Campusano 88 Ken Kadokura 99 So Taguchi
0 recs | 64 comments
Thanks
Say Al, will you have copies of the book at ST like last year’s Wrigley Season Ticket?
StevenABQ - January 27, 2009
Working on that.
This year’s WST (which will have a different title but the same type of articles) will also be available at spring training.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
Ah, looks like plans to retire Matt Murton's number 19 have gone to dust!
Neverthless, 44 isn’t taken by someone on the active roster. I’m sure I know what speculators are thinking…
Chanman25 - January 27, 2009
Guess Peavy will have to fight Chad Fox for it...
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
Oh Peavy?? Whose that?!?!
I’m implying that roberto novoa is making a comeback, baby!
Chanman25 - January 27, 2009
I was just noticing the italic nature of #44.......
philadelphiacub - January 27, 2009
I like the poetic justice of Fukudome and Taguchi book-ending this list.
santoswoodenlegs - January 27, 2009
fingercuffs
N Oakley - January 27, 2009
#6 Micah Hoffpauir
will this be his break-out year LOL
Clutche - January 27, 2009
I think you gotta retire 31
under Fergie.
Love the Mad dog, but Fergie earned it.
SouthsideCub - January 27, 2009
If it's retired, it will be in honor of both of them.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
OK...here's my opinion that's likely to get me in trouble.
Before you all go off on me, hear me out. Greg Maddux is the single greatest pitcher of the last 20 years, he’s a 1st ballot shoo-in for the HOF, yadda yadda yadda….but he did a majority of his work with the Atlanta braves, not the Cubs.
He only won ONE Cy Young award as a Cub, the other 3 were with Atlanta.
He led the NL in ERA 4 times, with Atlanta.
He led the NL in shutouts 5 times, with Atlanta.
He leg the NL in a metric assload of things, mostly when he was with Atlanta.
Ferguson Jenkins played his best years with the Cubs…Maddux didn’t. Jenkins deserves #31 from the Cubs, Maddux deserves #31 from the Braves.
Flame away.
santoswoodenlegs - January 27, 2009
almost forgot...
Jenkins/Maddux career stats with Cubs
santoswoodenlegs - January 27, 2009
Maddux will get his #31 for the Braves.
Others have had numbers retired by more than one team, notably Nolan Ryan.
I think Maddux is great enough that he deserves the honor.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
As I've stated before on this subject, I'm in agreement with SWL, and I hate saying that.
Maddux was great, but too much if his great career was elsewhere. I agree it should have all happened on the North side, but it didn’t.
N Oakley - January 27, 2009
Sosa/Grace
for starters accomplished more as a Cub, so it does not make sense to retire it for Maddux.
Cubbie-Tim - January 27, 2009
Grace isn't a Hall of Famer.
Sosa might be. If and when he is, I’d retire his number.
Maddux deserves it. He is one of the five greatest pitchers in Cubs history, and a Hall of Famer, and one of only three Cubs pitchers to win a Cy Young Award.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it...
just that Jenkins deserves it more.
And yes Maddux is a top 5 Cub pitcher, but unfortunatly, he’s still behind Jenkins as a Cub.
You’re trying to make this compelling argument FOR Maddux, but can you at least see my argument FOR Jenkins?
santoswoodenlegs - January 27, 2009
Of course.
I’m just saying it should be retired in honor of BOTH pitchers.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
I sort of think it lessens the honor to both of them if they share it...
santoswoodenlegs - January 27, 2009
I see what you are getting at (I Think), but I have a question.
If Fergie and Maddux had not shared 31, would you advocate the Cubs retiring the number of both?
N Oakley - January 27, 2009
Yes, I would.
They’re both Cubs Hall of Famers, and Maddux is one of the five best pitchers in team history, as I said.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
Cubs Hall of Fame Pitchers
I am trying to think of all the pitchers in the Hall of Fame, who spent all or part of at least six seasons with the Cubs. I come up with Three Finger Brown, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Ferguson Jenkins, and Bruce Sutter. Alexander had more success with the Phillies than the Cubs. One can argue that Sutter pitched better with the Cardinals than the Cubs.
Despite the fact Maddux did better with the Braves than the Cubs, one could definitely put him in the top five all-time of Cubs pitchers.
memphiscub - January 27, 2009
With an enhancement asterisk for Sosa?
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/north-jiggetts/1393165,CST-SPT-monst23.article
Clutche - January 27, 2009
I agree
that Grace is not HOF, but I was sayign he accomplished more while in a Cubs uniform than Maddux (no player had more hits in the 1990’s that Grace, all done in Cubbie Blue, gold gloves, fan favorite). I was not saying he and Maddux are on the same platform for a career, do not misunderstand that.
Regarding 21 and Sosa, I am on the fence. He deserves it as long as there is no proof that comes out showing he juiced. We can all speculate, but not one of us has any proof, which to me is innocent til proven guilty.
Fergie deserves it more than Maddux (for Cubs career, not MLB career).
Cubbie-Tim - January 27, 2009
I think Graces #17 should be
Mark was a great Cub so he is not a HOF but doesnt mean he was not a great Cub! During the peak of his career he didnt leave the horrible cub teams he was on.
bizzle4 - January 27, 2009
+1
Cubbie-Tim - January 27, 2009
Rec'd
Completely on the same page — as if my avitar didn’t make that clear.
StevenABQ - January 27, 2009
Bookended by Japan
I find it interesting the roster numbers are bookended by #1 Fukudome and #99 Taguchi. A new era for the Cubs I guess…
digitalbenjamin - January 27, 2009
Doh!
Just saw SWL’s comment….
Busted by:
digitalbenjamin - January 27, 2009
Got a translation for
“Contraria contraiis curantur”?
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
Opposites are cured by opposites - Hippocrates
digitalbenjamin - January 27, 2009
Won't Reissue #34 Any Time Soon
(Joking) That would be a great idea to honor Steve Trout. How many lefties have the Cubs ever had with a sinker like his?
memphiscub - January 27, 2009
I have a question
Why do coaches have numbers?
wild bill - January 27, 2009
so they know what uniform to put on...
digitalbenjamin - January 27, 2009
Everyone in uniform has a number.
Baseball is the only sport where coaches/managers wear uniforms, because it’s the only sport where they have an actual role on the playing field.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
HUHHHh!??
How is it the only sport that they have a role on the playing field. The 1st/3rd base coach MAYBE, but it isn’t like in other sports they don’t call the plays in.
GoCubbies34 - January 27, 2009
Managers can go on the field.
Coaches in other sports can’t, or at least they’re not supposed to.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
And in fact
even have to ask the umpire for “time” so that they can enter the field. Thus, they need a uniform.
PurpleLineToWrigley - January 27, 2009
Don't Forget...
The forward for the book was written by Pat Hughes.
Anyway…Darn you Al…I noticed that today and since I was working on other things, I could not get my web page up with the uniform numbers before you posted this.
Kasey
kaseyi - January 27, 2009
Saved you a lot of work, then!
:-)
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
Don't forget
No. 42 for Jackie Robinson.
vancelawyer - January 27, 2009
meh, we get it, its been retired for him
Chanman25 - January 27, 2009
I think number 7
should be retired. For every Cubs second baseman in the past 5 years.
Walker, DeRosa, and now Miles…When was 7 the 2B number…
MattHaggard - January 27, 2009
Theriot also wore it in 06 after Walker was traded
And he played 2B
Chanman25 - January 27, 2009
Jody Davis
Cubbie-Tim - January 27, 2009
What number will Brian Roberts wear?
….since #1 is already taken?
(…where is that sarcasm key on this keyboard….)
carmen_fanzone - January 27, 2009
LOL
How about 0?
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
...to match the chances he has coming here? Sure!
carmen_fanzone - January 27, 2009
Perfect!
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
24
Apparently is also being held in preparation for the Hank White number retirement.
08Cubs - January 27, 2009
34
“Seems doubtful they’ll reissue 34 anytime soon,…” Why?
What would prevent the Cubs from allowing anyone to wear 34? It certainly isn’t going to be retired. If a player requests 34, I can’t imagine why the team would deny them.
Acapulco Taco Pie - January 27, 2009
I suppose...
… if someone asked for it, it would be granted to that player. But I don’t think they’ll just issue it randomly to someone new to the team.
Al Yellon - January 27, 2009
I'd see them leaving it open for two years
If Kerry doesn’t return after his Indians contract is over, then they will put it out there
Chanman25 - January 27, 2009
crystal ball?
A sentimental Cub fan may see the team “holding” the number for Kerry’s imminent return but don’t assume management feels the same way.
Acapulco Taco Pie - January 27, 2009
No, I don't see it that way.
Remember, #21 was left open for a year until Jason Marquis requested it. I suspect that if Marquis and Milton Bradley (both of whom wore #21 for other teams) hadn’t requested it, it might still be open.
Al Yellon - January 28, 2009
Thanks for clarifying
Acapulco Taco Pie - January 27, 2009
why the hell is Ivan Dejesus allowed to wear #11!!!
i thought we were retiring it for Jacque Jones!!
well he really has some big shoes to fill
better earn those numbers boy!
SamuraiMike50 - January 27, 2009
Hey...
Ivan wore #11 proudly way before Jacque even thought about it!
kaseyi - January 28, 2009
61: Matt Smith
We’ve got the Doctor? I am suddenly feeling much better about this season.
Cool Hand - January 28, 2009
And in less than 24 hours
this list becomes inaccurate and out dated
Cubbie-Tim - January 28, 2009
I added Heilman (no number issued yet) and deleted Cedeno & Olson.
I suspect tomorrow or Friday, I’ll have to add Paul Bako.
Al Yellon - January 28, 2009
FWIW...
Cedeno is still on your list
kaseyi - January 29, 2009
Thanks.
Gone now.
Al Yellon - January 30, 2009
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