Retired Numbers Redux

As I wrote in the last sentence of my last post, we've lost a coworker here at my job. While I've only been with this company for not even a few months (and am still only a temp), this was the first person I met when I got here and instantly liked her. I will post a few thoughts about all of this if and when the right time comes. This stuff is never easy to write or read, and while I do have a few thoughts about her (and the way things have been handled here), I admit that I must tread carefully. I know you all understand.

However, to do something completely frivolous and off the topic of death, I found this from Sweeny Murti's blog over at WFAN. You will recall that I was knocking Yankees off their retired number perches in a recent post. Well Sweeny goes even farther than I did. His list is:

#3 Babe Ruth
#4 Lou Gehrig
#5 Joe DiMaggio
#7 Mickey Mantle
#8 Yogi Berra
#10 Phil Rizzuto
#15 Thurman Munson
#16 Whitey Ford

#3 Babe Ruth
#4 Lou Gehrig
#5 Joe DiMaggio
#7 Mickey Mantle
#8 Bill Dickey/Yogi Berra
#9 Roger Maris
#10 Phil Rizzuto
#15 Thruman Munson
#16 Whitey Ford
#23 Don Mattingly
#37 Casey Stengel

I've cut Billy Martin, Elston Howard, Reggie Jackson, and Ron Guidry. I've already said that Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera are no-brainers. I've also wounded some by saying no to Paul O'Neill and (GASP!) Bernie Williams. I can argue leaving Roger Maris as retired (special reasons) just as I can argue reinstating Elston Howard (again, special reasons).

Anyway I agree with Sweeny on a lot of his points but disagree on two major points (that you must spend your entire career with the Yankees and that you must be a Hall of Famer). No - you hav to resonate and be a legend. That's Don Mattingly, my friends. On ANY OTHER TEAM that is Bernie and O'Neill. Sometimes there are special circumstances (Munson, and even Maris and Howard).

So read up on what Sweeny has to say. He by the way, is one of the best in the biz and seems to be a really nice guy with no agenda. I've sat near him in the press box at Yankee Stadium and even on a flight from New York to New Orleans (strangely enough). He does not drink the Yankees Kool-Aid.

Again, a reminder that Bobby Ray Murcer, cancer survivor, Yankees legend (his number might have been reitred with another team) and great man returns to the booth tonight for a three-game set as the Yanks visit the Rangers in Texas.