Yankees have retired 16 numbers. Have they gone to far?

[KevinNYYLundqvistFan]

http://zellspinstripeblog.com/2008/12/0 ... ne-to-far/

The New York Yankees have retired 16 numbers. That is the most amount of numbers retired by any team in the history of baseball. The question is..have they gone to far? I think so. I know the Yankees have had an enormous amount of history over the years, and they had some of the best players of all-time, but that doesn’t mean every player that walks into pinstripes deserves their number retired. I believe some teams have guidelines and certain milestones players need to reach in order to have there number retired, but there are no such rules with the Yanks. They just retire any number they feel like retiring. I’m not saying that the players on the list below don’t deserve there number retired, but I feel like they should have set guidelines like other teams. Some day the shortstop for the Yankees will be wearing the number 99. Do we want that? Not any time soon, but years from now a lot of the numbers will be taken away.

Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are locks to have there number retired when they retire. Who else could have there number retired? I don’t know..maybe Willie Randolph or Bernie Williams. Alex Rodriguez when he is all said and done probably will. Jorge Posada also. As you can see..the list can go on and on. So where does it end? Will any numbers ever be reinstated? I don’t know what they could do, but I think something should be done about it.

Yankees Retired Numbers:

1- Billy Martin

3- Babe Ruth

4- Lou Gehrig

5- Joe Dimaggio

7- Mickey Mantle

8- Yogi Berra

8- Bill Dickey

9- Roger Maris

10- Phil Rizzuto

15-Thurman Munson

16- Whitey Ford

23- Don Mattingly

32- Elston Howard

37- Casey Stengel

44- Reggie Jackson

49- Ron Guidry

 

[Huffamaniac]

With the Yankees great tradition I think they should only retire numbers of players who are elected into the Baseball Hall Of Fame and go in as Yankees. I believe the Red Sox and other teams should do this also

 

[leatherman]

Joe Torre was #6. I can see that being gone as well.

With Jeter taking #2, that would mean that #1-10 would all be gone.


David

 

[KC37]

It doesn't matter if they retire Rivera or not (but of course they will, and should)...
#42 cannot be worn again.

But you think the Yankees are bad? How about the Celtics? I don't know how guys come to the team and are able to pick a number they like.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

Mo is the last player wearing #42

 

[nevermore]

The Celtics have 21 numbers retired, the Montreal Canadians have 14...so in comparison 16 is about right.

The guys I would consider borderline are Guidry, Martin, Jackson, and Maris. IMO there is no question, the remaining numbers should be retired.

 

[Huffamaniac]

Did you forget Elston Howard, and if not, why him over Reggis Jackson?

The Celtics have 21 numbers retired, the Montreal Canadians have 14...so in comparison 16 is about right.

The guys I would consider borderline are Guidry, Martin, Jackson, and Maris. IMO there is no question, the remaining numbers should be retired.

 

[moxacaine]

These four should not be on that list. Probably a few others as well.

23- Don Mattingly

32- Elston Howard

44- Reggie Jackson

49- Ron Guidry

 

[Pills]

IMO...

#s 1 (Martin), 9 (Maris), 10 (Rizzuto), 23 (Mattingly, don't hate me), 32 (Howard), and 49 (Guidry) should not be retired. #44 (Jackson) is questionable, just because Reggie did not spend all that many years in the Bronx.

#s 2 (Jeter) and 42 (Rivera) will be retired. #6 (Torre) is possible, as is #13 (ARod), especially since he will likely break a slew of records in pinstripes. I don't think they can retire #20 (Posada) without retiring #51 (Bernie) and/or #46 (Pettitte). So, yes, it has gone too far.

You can't dispute #s 3 (Ruth), 4 (Gehrig), 5 (DiMaggio), 7 (Mantle), 8 (x2, Dickey and Berra), and 16 (Ford). Munson (#15) would've likely been (at least) a borderline HOFer, but the captain dying in service is a no-brainer; hell, his LOCKER was retired. I like that #37 is retired for Stengel, given his mastery, and will likely prove to be a reason why #6 is retired for Torre.

(EDIT: added some names to make it easier)

 

[shephech]

I believe they have, in what 1 hundred + Years the Yankees will have no more numbers to wear lol .

I think they retire too many numbers, NOW Ruth/Dimaggio/Gehrig those are players that numbers should be retired 110% but there is has to be a limit.

I mean at the moment in the next 15-20 years #13 & #2 will be gone...... I mean if Joe Giarrdi (Or Whatever) wins a WS he will have his number retired too.....

Just my take.

Thanks.

Shep :ugeek:

 

[KevinNYYLundqvistFan]

As someone said before..#'s 1-10 will be retired when Torre and Jeter's numbered are retired. Also #42 will be retired..even thoughit already is throughout the league. Than you can probably add on Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and A-Rod when it is all said and done. I think it's just getting out of hand. Some guidleines should have been set. I know I don't want players years from now wearing numbers in the 60's, 70's, 80's..etc. I don't mean disrespect to the players, as most of them were really good, but where will it end?

 

[nevermore]

Did you forget Elston Howard, and if not, why him over Reggis Jackson?

The Celtics have 21 numbers retired, the Montreal Canadians have 14...so in comparison 16 is about right.

The guys I would consider borderline are Guidry, Martin, Jackson, and Maris. IMO there is no question, the remaining numbers should be retired.

To have your number retired, I feel you should have played for a team most of your career. Howard was a Yankee for 13 seasons unlike Jackson who only wore pinstripes for 5 seasons. Howard was a 12x All-Star, 1x MVP, plus he also broke the color barrier for the Yankees.

What about O'Neill? He deserves to be included if Bernie and Posada are retired.

 

[Guest]

I think they should retire all the numbers accept the number 00 and whole team should wear that number because that is when the Yankees last won the world series LOL

 

[KC37]

I don't see any issue retiring Bernie's number, because it's #51. So some middle reliever down the road can't be #51, big deal. Plus, you know, he was a fan favorite and stuff...

 

[Huffamaniac]

I don't agree with Howard's # being retired but I respect your reasoning

Did you forget Elston Howard, and if not, why him over Reggis Jackson?

The Celtics have 21 numbers retired, the Montreal Canadians have 14...so in comparison 16 is about right.

The guys I would consider borderline are Guidry, Martin, Jackson, and Maris. IMO there is no question, the remaining numbers should be retired.

To have your number retired, I feel you should have played for a team most of your career. Howard was a Yankee for 13 seasons unlike Jackson who only wore pinstripes for 5 seasons. Howard was a 12x All-Star, 1x MVP, plus he also broke the color barrier for the Yankees.

What about O'Neill? He deserves to be included if Bernie and Posada are retired.

 

[thenumberonemetfan]

the year 2025...
number 110 coming up to bat tim timmers


they should really set some guidelines as the above example would be kinda ridiculous

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

The question itself is kind of biased: Have the Yankees gone too far in retiring 16 numbers?

I would ask a slightly different question: Would all of these guys have had their number retired by a different team if they played in the same capacity on that team as they did with the Yankees?

Personally I think a team should have the right to retire at least as many player jerseys as championships won. So the Yankees have some room to grow still.

 

[shephech]

This poll is almost 50/50 LOL, looks like we have ALOT of yankee fans.

Shep :ugeek:

 

[Pills]

<-- Yankee fan for 30+ years, voted Yes.

As much as every Yankee fan loves O'Neil, he was only with them for 9 years. Retiring #44 set a bad precedent.

 

[KevinNYYLundqvistFan]

<-- Yankee fan for 30+ years, voted Yes.

As much as every Yankee fan loves O'Neil, he was only with them for 9 years. Retiring #44 set a bad precedent.

I'm a diehard yankees fan as well.. I voted yes. I loved Paul O'neill but his number should not be retired.