The latest from around MLB as players shake off the chocolate candy hangover or the pain of Valentine's Day rejection (bah - who's going to reject a pro ballplayer? Even Willie McGee found someone.) ...
- What was supposed to be a nice story about Logan Morrison honoring his father has turned into a big of PR black eye for the Miami Marlins. The outfielder, who sports number 20, requested that he be permitted to wear number 5 in honor of his deceased father (who was a big George Brett fan). The number had previously been retired by the Marlins, as a way of memorializing the team's first president, Carl Barger, who served in that post from July 8, 1991 until his death in December of the following year. The Marlins apparently thought Barger's family was on board with the number un-retirement, but the family says no one ever contacted them about the change. Inadvertently failing to cross all of your T's and dot all of your I's rarely looks quite that ugly. (The Marlins finally reached out yesterday.)
MLB.com ranks the top ten bullpens in the bigs, though the rankings read much more like "top ten closer/setup guy combos." The Yankees take the top spot over the Braves, which is, to me, criminal. David Robertson is all-universe, but Mariano Rivera continues to age, and the Braves' pen is as deep as it is effective in the final three innings. The only issue there is potential overuse - Rookie of the Year closer Craig Kimbrel appeared in a stunning 79 games last year, and top setup man Jonny Venters threw 88 innings.
Speaking of the Braves, with a rotation that goes six or seven deep, depending on how many of their ridiculous high-level pitching prospects make the jump to the bigs this year, they will continue to try and trade Jair Jurrjens, according to Danny Knobler. Jurrjens is young (just turned 26), inexpensive ($5.5 million in 2012 and one more year of control after that), and had superficially good numbers in 2011. But he also ended the year on the shelf with a knee injury, and has made just 43 starts over the past two seasons. To date, it sounds like the Braves want teams to pay them like Jurrjens is the guy who put up a 2.96 ERA last year ... but other teams are willing to pay only like Jurrjens is a frequently injury guy who put up a 4.23 xFIP last year, and has totalled a modest 2.7 WAR over the last two seasons.
Ken Rosenthal says Bud Selig must act within the next year if the Mets' owners' financial issues are not resolved. The Mets' payroll will drop an almost unthinkable $50 million in 2012.
Somewhat relatedly, the remaining bidders for the Los Angeles Dodgers will meet with MLB's ownership committee next month. An ironic member of that committee, who will help decide which prospective owner is most fit to own the Dodgers? Mets Chairman Fred Wilpon.
The Tampa Bay Rays have extended manager Joe Maddon for three years, and an estimated $6 million ... which would make him one of the highest paid guys on the team.
The Daily Dish lays out the latest 2012 Draft order. Only the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Brewers, and Red Sox have multiple first round picks.
Tony Gwynn has to have another cancerous growth removed from his mouth, and I'm sure everyone is rooting for a full and speedy recovery.
Brett Taylor is a Contributor at Bleed Cubbie Blue, and is the Lead Writer at Bleacher Nation.
The Marlins retired the number 5 for their first president? Was he a George Brett fan as well?
mikeschieve - February 15, 2012
The Angels have retired #26 for Gene Autry, their first owner.
Personally, I think once a number is retired (no matter who it’s for), it should stay retired. That’s kind of the point of doing it.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
It kind of sounds like
They were thinking, “well, we’re kind of a different franchise now, being the ‘Miami’ Marlins, so maybe it’ll be ok.”
Just wasn’t very well-thought-out or well-executed.
Brett Taylor - February 15, 2012
They're not a "different franchise".
They changed the city name. They moved 14 miles down I-95 in the same market.
The Nationals have retired numbers. They are all Expos retired numbers that the franchise continues to honor. That’s how it should be done.
One more reason that the Marlins are completely reprehensible.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
Like I said
Not well-thought-out.
Brett Taylor - February 15, 2012
You're being too kind.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
The Nationals didn't honor the retired Expos numbers until last season.
U-God - February 15, 2012
Nevertheless, they are doing it now.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
The over-the-top pursuit or assignment of baseball honorifics create these embarrassing situations...
…especially now that most knowledgeable fans understand there is a difference between first-ballot Hall of Fame members, eventual BBWAA enshrinees, and those elected by any of the Veterans Committees.
Now, some number retirements and statuary inevitably have become ways of circumventing BBWAA verdicts by either elevating the status of players who fell short of first-ballot election, or those who have been left out of the Hall altogether.
As is evident in the commotion over Marlins #5, these special awards also have been used to conflate the roles of baseball execs with men who actually played the game. For example, get a load of that Steinbrenner Memorial that towers over Ruth, Gehrig, et al, in Monument Park at the new Yankee Stadium. Perhaps a number also has been retired in George’s honor.
I realize the circumstances that surrounded the Barger number retirement were unique, in that the Marlins had not yet played a game before he died. Perhaps in the emotional wake of his passing, his family and associates didn’t really understand that number retirements should be reserved for field personnel who actually wore the number.
At least with the news stories surrounding the Carl Barger un-retirement, more fans now know who he was, that he admired Joe DiMaggio, that he once also owned the Pirates, and that he was a highly-successful attorney as well as a billiards prodigy who at the age of eight could whip Jim Tobin at 8-ball.
Also, it’s nice to know that portions of the Marlins spring training complex now bear Barger’s name, a far more visible honor than some obscure jersey retirement related to Joe D.
ernaga - February 15, 2012
I read this and had a nightmare about if the cubs did it.
Not that they ever would, just putting myself in that frame of mind though, i’d be horrified, distraught, inexcusable.
unretrofied93 - February 15, 2012
Agreed.
I think it’s rude and nervy of a player to even think of asking something like this. Can’t he honor his father some other way?
katie casey - February 15, 2012
Exactly.
It’s the same thing Omar Vizquel did when he asked Luis Aparicio if he (Vizquel) could have Aparicio’s #11 with the White Sox.
What was Aparicio going to do, be rude and say no? Of course, he was gracious and said OK.
The point is, the question should never be asked. Retired numbers should stay retired. That’s kind of the point.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
Perhaps the exception being if you pull a Michael Jordan
Special circumstance though – very few sports players warrant an immediate retirement of their number like he did.
madcow256 - February 16, 2012
And for Jordan...
… he took his own number back.
Same thing would have happened if Ryne Sandberg had been named Cubs manager. Of course he would have worn #23 — but it was HIS NUMBER. That’s part of the point — no one else wears it.
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Actually, Joe DiMaggio....
carmen_fanzone - February 15, 2012
Just goes to show how bad the Marlins
Madison Cub Fan - February 15, 2012
Interesting that you posted about this today.
Did anybody listen to Len on the Score yesterday? They were discussing the possibility of retiring Kerry’s number, and Len was in favor of doing so. I see Len’s argument, but I disagree.
lexmarklover - February 15, 2012
I'm a big Kerry Wood fan.
But retire his number? No way.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
Right - Kerry deserved what he already got
which is the 20 (ks) flag that flies on the roof
Hammer - February 15, 2012
My gut reaction is to agree.
I respect the heck out of Woody and am glad he’s back and all that. But he just hasn’t done quite enough on the pitcher’s mound for the Cubs to justify retiring his number.
daver - February 15, 2012
Which former Cubs player (or current) is the next likely candidate to have their number retired?
Should Mark Grace’s #17 be retired?
How about Sammy Sosa’s #21?
Is Aramis Ramirez (#16) or Derrek Lee (#25) out of the question?
What about Milton Bradley’s #21? Just kidding.
I think the Cubs should go back to the Cubs’ golden era when they were winning pennant after pennant and retire some numbers from that era. Even some of the players that played before jersey numbers were adopted into the game, should be retired.
Guys like Cap Aanson, Frank Chance, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker, Mordecai Brown, Jimmy Ryan. Then there’s with jersey numbers like Gabby Harnett’s #9 (or #2), take your pick with Phil Cavarretta’s #43, 23, 3, or 44. Stan Hack’s #6, Andy Pafko’s #48, Billy Herman’s #2 or 4, Charlie Root’s #17, Kiki Cuyler’s #3.
I’m sure I’ve left someone off the list, but there are no Cubs jersey’s retired who played before the Ernie Banks era, which began in 1953. It’s time to start honoring the Cubs legends that played pre-1953, IMO.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 15, 2012
They should retire #21 just to make sure that never happens again....
And don’t forget Hack Wilson on your old timer’s list. Only spent 6 years in Chicago, drank like a fish, but his first 5 years rank among the best hitting seasons in all of Cubs history. His worst OPS in those 5 years was .944.
ClarkFan - February 15, 2012
#21 and Hack Wilson
I think MLB is considering retiring #21 in respect for Roberto Clemente and his role in latin development in baseball.
I figured I left someone off my old timer’s list. Yeah, I also think Hack Wilson is a good candidate for a retired jersey, even though he never had a jersey number with the Cubs.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 15, 2012
When did the retired numbers craze get out-of-hand?
Maybe when Reinsdorf retired the Sox’ #3 more than a decade before Harold Baines stopped playing.
If Bud Selig plans to order any more universal retirements, the next certainly should be #3 for the man who saved baseball – Dale Murphy.
ernaga - February 16, 2012
?
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Strike that, and retire #3 for the Bambino, whose number should have been the first MLB-wide retirement.
I threw Murphy’s name in there not only as a joke that fell flat, but also as the name of a player whose accomplishments typify those of many who have had their numbers retired in recent years.
ernaga - February 16, 2012
I think you're overstating it.
Most teams are retiring numbers of Hall of Famers or at least, legitimate stars in their organizations.
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Hm.
Are you suggesting that Dale Murphy was not a legitimate star in the Braves organization? He was their best player by a wide margin for an extended stretch, he was arguably the best player in baseball over a 2-3 year stretch in the early 80’s, and he was widely regarded as a really great guy.
Murphy may not end up in the Hall of Fame, but he deserves to be in the discussion. As for the Braves organization, Dale Murphy was the Braves for much of the 80’s. If you feel like you absolutely have to retire jerseys, then Dale Murphy is the kind of guy you should be looking for.
CJK - February 16, 2012
Maybe.
To me, Murphy’s not a Hall of Famer. He was a dominant player for about seven seasons. That’s not enough to retire a number, IMO.
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Hall of Fame? Maybe. There’s room to support either side of that one.
Retired jersey? Without a doubt.
To the Braves, Dale Murphy is Ron Santo. He’s Ryne Sandberg. He’s Ernie Banks. He’s the guy who was the best player on his team for a long time, and didn’t take it for granted. In the 80’s, Atlanta’s team was “Dale Murphy and the Braves.” It’s not even debatable.
CJK - February 17, 2012
But a team retiring a number is not really about the HOF
It’s about. the player being historically important to the team. A lilttle like the Cubs retiring Santo’s #10 when he was not in the HOF. I’m a Denver Broncos fan, and there are guys on the “Ring of Fame” who will never make the pro football HOF, but are there for their importance in Denver. Conversely, a guy like Andre Dawson who put up a HOF career while playing for several teams may not have a number retired anywhere.
But retiring numbers for team executives and owners is just dumb. Give them statue, put their names up in the stadium, but since they never wore a number there shouldn’t be one retired for them.
ClarkFan - February 17, 2012
You are probably right about executives, etc.
However, once it’s done, it should stay done.
Al Yellon - February 17, 2012
Agreed completely on some of the pre-1945 players.
The Giants have “retired” some jerseys of people from the pre-uniform-number era — Christy Mathewson, John McGraw.
The Cubs should do the same at least for Mordecai Brown and Frank Chance.
Of players from the era after uniform numbers, I would suggest:
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Cripes.
Forgot that you can’t put a # at the beginning of a line — that should be #2 for Gabby Hartnett.
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
Going Overboard
Can you imagine both foul poles with retired jersey flags going all the way down to at the “Hey! Hey!” screen.
I think that whenever the Cubs open the “Triangle Building”, they should retire some old-timer jersey numbers and display them in a “Cubs Hall of Fame Museum” or something to that nature. And if that does happen, it should be displayed as a Cubs Jersey Flag that would have been put on the foul pole. But with the limited space on the pole’s, it is put in the Cubs HOF Museum.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 16, 2012
Geez I should proof read my comments before I post them:
I originally typed something different there and didn’t erase everything when I changed it. And there’s supposed to be a question mark at the end. So here’s what I meant to say:
Thank you very much.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 16, 2012
I wouldnt mind it if they did
The question has to be asked why does an organization retire a players number? Is tenure with the team. Is it greatness. Does the person die. Those are three reasons and Kerry has 1 and a half, he has tenure with the team and has showed some greatness with the Cubs.
One person that has two of the three is Sammy Sosa. I wouldn’t mind seeing his number retired but if it is not I wouldn’t argue.
lshaffer_69 - February 15, 2012
Am I mistaken
Don’t the cubs have a twenty flag in honor of his twenty strikeout game. I think that should be plenty to honor Kerry. Maybe a gold watch and a job offer.
Notsnud - February 15, 2012
I agree with this.
Yes, they do have such a flag. That’s sufficient.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
I'm a big fan don't get me wrong
But retired #’s should be for greatness not goodness, and loyalty.
Notsnud - February 15, 2012
Agreed.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
Wonder if Kerry has a managing pedigree...
Cub Style - February 15, 2012
"Even Willie McGee found someone"
Bahahaha! Undisputed spot on the All-Ugly team for sure. Thanks for the laugh this morning!
kentmeister - February 15, 2012
you can add Sal Bando and Jesse Orosco to that list.
Oh, and Andy Etchebarren’s eyebrows as well.
ballhawk - February 15, 2012
Don Mossi
Take a look at this.
toppsmike - February 15, 2012
He looks like he got hit by an ugly stick
swung by willie McGee!
Notsnud - February 15, 2012
EFF YEAH MARLINS!
shoemile - February 15, 2012
Retiring a number for a non-player
This seems kind of weird to me. What’s the point of retiring a number for someone who didn’t wear it?
It makes more sense to “retire” a microphone icon, a name, initials, a date, or some other symbol, as many other franchises have done. See this Wikipedia link for specific examples.
CJK - February 15, 2012
The Angels retired #26 for Gene Autry.
The idea was that he was the “26th man” on the team.
Should they unretire that? Maybe a non-uniform-number honor would be better for non-uniformed people, but IMO once it’s done it should stay done.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
I don't disagree
I wasn’t suggesting that numbers be unretired, necessarily. I was just saying I think it’s weird to retire a number for someone who never wore it. What’s done is done, even if it shouldn’t have been done.
CJK - February 15, 2012
Exactly.
Al Yellon - February 15, 2012
There are certain people
like say Branch Rickey who deserve such an honor.
Notsnud - February 15, 2012
They already retired a number for Rickey - 42.....
You can’t think of Robinson without remembering Rickey.
ClarkFan - February 15, 2012
Try the retired number quiz...
…on Sporcle’s MLB section. There is an example of an owner (Gussie Busch-number 85), a coach (Jimmie Reese-number 50), and a group (The Fans in Cleveland-number 455) having numbers retired.
I’m picking my number right now.
roost66 - February 15, 2012
Not Impressed With the MLB articles!!
I have always come to this site to read up on news about the Cubs! I’m not interested in stories about the Pirates or Marlins… that can be found on MLBTR’s…. I don’t believe these
stories reflect the spirit of this website. This is just my opinion and not a strike against the author of said stories. I will probably continue using this site but will refrain from reading further posts. Have a nice day… I’m trying to have a nice day.
ph1950 - February 15, 2012
---
Hammer - February 15, 2012
...
Clutch16 - February 15, 2012
Wat.
Dcr18 - February 15, 2012
I prefer this to 10 fanposts talking about the same things and marked as "OT"....
carmen_fanzone - February 15, 2012
or another Soriano to the Yankees discussion.
rlpete - February 15, 2012
The Yankees want Soraino?????
Giterdone, Jedstein!
ClarkFan - February 15, 2012
I found this wildly funny.
shoemile - February 15, 2012
Stop.
Hatin’ is bad.
daver - February 15, 2012
Let's face it – now that Hendry and Q have been replaced by a competent management team...
…there are many fewer Cubs-only storylines to post, or contentious threads to develop. Of course that’ll change if the Cubs are 30-51 at midseason.
ernaga - February 15, 2012
coincidentally 5 is the number of championships the marlins will win in the next 5 seasons
jesus christos - February 15, 2012
I'll take the under
If you’re offering.
Brett Taylor - February 15, 2012
You'd lose - annual winner in the "Stadium that most resembles an acid trip" Championship
ClarkFan - February 15, 2012
Logan Morrison's ego is so huge he'd ask for #42
So glad we didn’t pick him up in the Zambrano trade
LongLiveHarryCaray - February 15, 2012 via mobile
GO MARLINS
dtpollitt - February 15, 2012
Yup
Such a crappy team that it has managed to win two World Series, plus one of their former coaches and current manager managed the White Sox to a World Series. Meanwhile our team hasn’t been to the World Series since 1945 and hasn’t won a World Series since 1908. What the hell do we have to be so smug about?
FrankSereno - February 16, 2012
The Yankees also have Rafael Soriano...
unless he’d be foolish enough to enact one of his out clauses. It’s still Rivera, Robertson and Soriano, et al., over Kimbrel and Venters for me. My dark horse is the Red Sox with Bailey, Melancon and Bard, if he doesn’t stick as a starter.
jameslcrockett - February 16, 2012
The Nationals have an overall lights-out bullpen as well.
ballhawk - February 16, 2012
Wow Al... you really hate the Marlins
SackMan - February 16, 2012
"Hate"?
No. I just think they’re ridiculous.
Al Yellon - February 16, 2012
I like these updates from Brett...
Nice addition to BCB, Al.
IowaCubs- - February 16, 2012
Wait?
Have they retired Crane Kenney’s jersey yet? This should be a priority.
ferris2001 - February 16, 2012
preferably with him in it
ballhawk - February 16, 2012
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