Earlier tonight I wrote about the plans for Retired Numbers.
Then I had more ideas of ways to really honor the best of the best of the Mets. Let's name some part of Citi Field after those whose numbers are retired!
Jackie Robinson Rotunda - self explanatory
41 Tom Seaver Way - done!
Gil Hodges Alley - Maybe make "street" names for the different parts of the concourses (even though they're mostly round). I'd start by naming "Gil Hodges Alley" for the area behind home plate on the main concourse at the top of the rotunda, maybe the parts where you can't watch the game because of whatever club that's there behind home plate.
Casey Stengel Plaza - this was a street sign, possibly even a valid street name, on the edge of Shea Stadium near the subway tracks. Let's re-purpose that name for the plaza outside Citi Field where the Shea Home Run Apple is. Basically, keep the new Casey Stengel Plaza as close to where the old one was (if my memory is correct about the location).
Mike Piazza - this is a play on words. In Italian, piazza is an open square especially in an Italian town. Taking a liberty that we're at Citi Field, not in Italy, let's name the area on the Promenade concourse behind home plate the "Mike Piazza". It's not an open square, rather, it's an open circular area.
We could always switch the names of Casey Stengel Plaza and Mike Piazza. It might be fitting that the Home Run Apple is inside Mike Piazza.
Ralph Kiner Broadcast Booth - I'm getting lazy.
Now what to do for Jerry Koosman? And the eventual others? Especially since the Mets probably won't change the name of a sponsored area in favor of a Mets all-time great. Go with the street sign idea. Mets of the 60s and 70s go down the LF side while Mets of the 80s and beyond goes down the RF side, unless otherwise noted.
The Kid Area - again, another play on words. This is the kids area in the back CF corner on the main concourse, and named for Gary Carter (a.k.a. "The Kid" or "Kid").
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Showing posts with label retired numbers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retired numbers. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Retired Numbers
Today the Mets announced that Jerry Koosman's #36 will be retired by the Mets some time in 2020. He would be the first person to receive such an honor as a Mets player that isn't a Baseball Hall of Famer (Gil Hodges had his number retired for his accomplishments as Manager, and I won't get into him deserving to be inducted as a player, but not wearing a Mets hat for that).
For me, this opens up a can of worms. Who's next? Where do they draw the line? Several years ago, I made a commentary of sorts on the subject in the form of an entry for Banner Day called "Citi Field Squares", where I had a parody of the old TV game show "Hollywood Squares" where each celebrity square was represented by a Mets would-be or actual retired number. The commentary was that there's a lot more potential retired numbers for the Mets, and I had to limit my game board to 9 squares (and 3 already retired numbers). From that list, 31 for Piazza was eventually retired (6 days after he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame). And I didn't even include 36 for Koosman.
So who's next (after Koosman)? The implication from today's announcement was that there will be others.
Gary Carter is a Hall of Famer, who more or less earned it before coming to the Mets. He earned his World Series ring in Queens. A lot of people are going there. Carter passed away in early 2012. It would have been nice to honor him this way while he was still alive.
Many people want David Wright to be a baseball Hall of Famer. I thought he came up short on that, but he should be the next person inducted into the Mets (team) Hall of Fame. And have #5 taken out of circulation like #24 was taken out of circulation, but not retired. I might wait a couple years before holding David Wright Night and retiring his number just to see if he does make it to Cooperstown.
What about Doc Gooden & Darryl Strawberry (who were inducted together into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010)? Or Keith Hernandez? Personally, I would have made the next Mets Hall of Fame induction be Gary Cohen this season (now just a few games shy of 31 complete seasons calling Mets games), with Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling following a year or two later (maybe 2021 in their 15th season calling games, or 2022 after 15 seasons were complete) with plaques that indicate for each that their longevity is as a broadcaster while each made a mark as a player. But Keith Hernandez is a borderline Hall of Fame player. So should he get his number retired at some point?
What about Bud Harrelson or Eddie Kranepool? They were both long-tenured Mets from the 1960s and 1970s. Buddy was the only person in a Mets uniform for both World Series championships (as a player in 1969, as a coach in 1986). And Buddy's not in good health. It would be good to honor him while he's still (physically) here. Hopefully the same would be true for "Steady Eddie" should they choose to retire his number.
Who am I missing? Am I wrong about any of these? I don't want to consider (yet, and for a while) the active players.
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For me, this opens up a can of worms. Who's next? Where do they draw the line? Several years ago, I made a commentary of sorts on the subject in the form of an entry for Banner Day called "Citi Field Squares", where I had a parody of the old TV game show "Hollywood Squares" where each celebrity square was represented by a Mets would-be or actual retired number. The commentary was that there's a lot more potential retired numbers for the Mets, and I had to limit my game board to 9 squares (and 3 already retired numbers). From that list, 31 for Piazza was eventually retired (6 days after he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame). And I didn't even include 36 for Koosman.
So who's next (after Koosman)? The implication from today's announcement was that there will be others.
Gary Carter is a Hall of Famer, who more or less earned it before coming to the Mets. He earned his World Series ring in Queens. A lot of people are going there. Carter passed away in early 2012. It would have been nice to honor him this way while he was still alive.
Many people want David Wright to be a baseball Hall of Famer. I thought he came up short on that, but he should be the next person inducted into the Mets (team) Hall of Fame. And have #5 taken out of circulation like #24 was taken out of circulation, but not retired. I might wait a couple years before holding David Wright Night and retiring his number just to see if he does make it to Cooperstown.
What about Doc Gooden & Darryl Strawberry (who were inducted together into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010)? Or Keith Hernandez? Personally, I would have made the next Mets Hall of Fame induction be Gary Cohen this season (now just a few games shy of 31 complete seasons calling Mets games), with Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling following a year or two later (maybe 2021 in their 15th season calling games, or 2022 after 15 seasons were complete) with plaques that indicate for each that their longevity is as a broadcaster while each made a mark as a player. But Keith Hernandez is a borderline Hall of Fame player. So should he get his number retired at some point?
What about Bud Harrelson or Eddie Kranepool? They were both long-tenured Mets from the 1960s and 1970s. Buddy was the only person in a Mets uniform for both World Series championships (as a player in 1969, as a coach in 1986). And Buddy's not in good health. It would be good to honor him while he's still (physically) here. Hopefully the same would be true for "Steady Eddie" should they choose to retire his number.
Who am I missing? Am I wrong about any of these? I don't want to consider (yet, and for a while) the active players.
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
Retired Numbers
There was one panel from yesterday's Queens Baseball Convention that really struck me. There were a lot of great panels to listen to, some of which I even got to see, but the retired numbers panel is worth its own blog post.
There's been a great debate among Mets fans, at least in the social media age, about what numbers the Mets should retire and why they haven't had a new one since Tom Seaver in 1988. I don't remember if I've written about this before, but I had some new thoughts about this. I should mention that I walked in about 15 minutes late to the hour-long panel.
I have 2 paths of thought on retired numbers. This is aside from the largely ceremonial numbers 37, 14, 42 and Shea.
One is that nothing should change with the retired numbers they have, and that the Mets Hall of Fame is considered the honor (though I think the Mets Hall of Fame should honor accomplishments as much as individual players - imagine Johan Santana No Hitter Day). Maybe if a player comes up through the Mets system, as Tom Seaver did, and has a Hall of Fame career, as Seaver did, even if they didn't finish their career as a Met, as Seaver, they should get their number retired. I don't think David Wright is destined for the Hall of Fame, but if he was, he'd be the candidate for this.
The other is that the Mets should open the floodgates and retire the numbers of several players. Then where do you start? Piazza when he gets into the Hall of Fame (he just had his Mets HOF day at the end of the 2013 season)? But what about Gary Carter, a Hall of Famer who spent a few years with the Mets including being a leader of the 1986 World Champions? As as noted in the panel yesterday, Keith Hernandez might be paired with Carter and might even go first, based on his tenure as a Met. Then what about Doc and Darryl? And why stop at the 1986 Mets when Buddy Harrelson and Jerry Koosman of the 1969 team might be even more deserving (longer tenures as Mets for sure). And if we're looking at long tenures, what about Eddie Kranepool and John Franco? Can you retire a number symbolically for multiple players (31 for Franco & Piazza...45 for Franco & McGraw)?
Where do you draw the line for this honor? What is the qualification for it? Every franchise has different qualifications. Every franchise has a different history too. That's why I lean towards the 1st train of thought that the earned retired numbers (only Seaver) is the highest honor for "The Franchise" and nobody else, and the Mets HOF is the honor equivalent to what we think retired numbers should be. That's the debate. And it wouldn't be any fun to have if we didn't have the debate.
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There's been a great debate among Mets fans, at least in the social media age, about what numbers the Mets should retire and why they haven't had a new one since Tom Seaver in 1988. I don't remember if I've written about this before, but I had some new thoughts about this. I should mention that I walked in about 15 minutes late to the hour-long panel.
I have 2 paths of thought on retired numbers. This is aside from the largely ceremonial numbers 37, 14, 42 and Shea.
One is that nothing should change with the retired numbers they have, and that the Mets Hall of Fame is considered the honor (though I think the Mets Hall of Fame should honor accomplishments as much as individual players - imagine Johan Santana No Hitter Day). Maybe if a player comes up through the Mets system, as Tom Seaver did, and has a Hall of Fame career, as Seaver did, even if they didn't finish their career as a Met, as Seaver, they should get their number retired. I don't think David Wright is destined for the Hall of Fame, but if he was, he'd be the candidate for this.
The other is that the Mets should open the floodgates and retire the numbers of several players. Then where do you start? Piazza when he gets into the Hall of Fame (he just had his Mets HOF day at the end of the 2013 season)? But what about Gary Carter, a Hall of Famer who spent a few years with the Mets including being a leader of the 1986 World Champions? As as noted in the panel yesterday, Keith Hernandez might be paired with Carter and might even go first, based on his tenure as a Met. Then what about Doc and Darryl? And why stop at the 1986 Mets when Buddy Harrelson and Jerry Koosman of the 1969 team might be even more deserving (longer tenures as Mets for sure). And if we're looking at long tenures, what about Eddie Kranepool and John Franco? Can you retire a number symbolically for multiple players (31 for Franco & Piazza...45 for Franco & McGraw)?
Where do you draw the line for this honor? What is the qualification for it? Every franchise has different qualifications. Every franchise has a different history too. That's why I lean towards the 1st train of thought that the earned retired numbers (only Seaver) is the highest honor for "The Franchise" and nobody else, and the Mets HOF is the honor equivalent to what we think retired numbers should be. That's the debate. And it wouldn't be any fun to have if we didn't have the debate.
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Friday, August 6, 2010
This and That
A few observations while I enjoy being home and not being jet-lagged for the first time in a month.
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- the Braves are inducting Tom Glavine into the club's Hall of Fame. Let's put aside feelings towards him from his days as a Met and his last appearance in 2007. Let me make this observation. The Braves are also retiring his number 47. The Mets have inducted many former players, among others, into their Hall of Fame. How many of them have had numbers retired? I'm just saying...
- SNY does a great job showing the old Mets Yearbooks as time fillers. But here's a new idea to throw into the mix (as an hour-long program). Replay old Mets pregame ceremonies. Wouldn't it be cool to see Tom Seaver's jersey retirement ceremony, the 40th Anniversary celebration, Bob Murphy Appreciation night, and so on? Shea Goodbye and the 1987 Opening Day ceremony with the world championship rings would be like the sweeps week specials.
- I don't know when the new season of SNY's Beer Money will air. I don't know if I made the cut. I was filmed and won some money before a game in June.
- I've decided on going to 2 more Mets game this year - next Saturday night (Aug 14) and the GKR Main Event (Oct 2). 6 games is enough for me with this club. I'll see them again in Spring Training.
- Is it me, or are the new Mets commercials now sponsored? They're really good, but they look like they're sponsored by Citi. And I saw one for Xerox with Mr. Met.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Prime 9 - Mets edition
In the style of MLB Network's series "Prime 9", I am here to start the debates - what Mets are next in line for the Mets Hall of Fame, and what Mets are next in line for having their uniform number retired?
Before I throw out my 9, I should note that I didn't start following the Mets until very late October in 1986, so there's about half of the Mets history that I didn't live first-hand.
9 greatest Mets
9, tie) Frank Cashen and Davey Johnson - without them, there would be do fond memories of the 1980s. Being inducted together into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
8) Ed Kranepool - Longevity says something. Inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990.
7) Keith Hernandez - the captain 25 years ago and popular announcer now. Inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1997.
6) Gil Hodges - singlehandedly brought the Mets to respectibility in the late '60s. His number 37 is retired, and he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1982.
5) Mike Piazza - He brought fans to Shea and led the Mets to the playoffs twice and the World Series once.
4) Darryl Strawberry - Another piece of energy from the 1980s Mets. Being inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
3) Jerry Koosman - Widely regarded as the #2 guy from the 1969 championship team. Mets Hall of FAme class of 1989.
2) Doc Gooden - I've heard that Shea was electric when he pitched. He will be indcuted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
1) Tom Seaver - "the franchise". His number 41 is retired, and he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1988.
So where does that leave us?
The next 9 to be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame (not including active and future Mets players)
9) Filax Milan - maybe the best of the rest from the 1970s
8) David Cone - another ace from the good days
7) Edgardo Alfonzo - 3rd all time in Mets career hits.
6 & 5) Gary Cohen and Howie Rose - the voices of summer for a generation. The original announcing trio was inducted during the club's 23rd year, and these guys are almost at that point themselves. I'm not sure who would be the MC of the ceremony though.
4) Al Leiter - the ace of the staff that brought the Mets back to respectibility (again)
3) Bobby Valentine - he led the Mets to the playoffs twice
2) John Franco - longevity speaks for itself.
1) Mike Piazza
The next 9 numbers to be retired (not including active and future Mets players)
9) Edgardo Alfonzo
8) Al Leiter
7) John Franco
6) Ed Kranepool
5) Keith Hernandez
4) Mike Piazza
3) Darryl Strawberry
2) Jerry Koosman
1) Doc Gooden
I hope some day David Wright and Jose Reyes lead us to good times in the next 10-15 years and can get themselves on this list.
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Before I throw out my 9, I should note that I didn't start following the Mets until very late October in 1986, so there's about half of the Mets history that I didn't live first-hand.
9 greatest Mets
9, tie) Frank Cashen and Davey Johnson - without them, there would be do fond memories of the 1980s. Being inducted together into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
8) Ed Kranepool - Longevity says something. Inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990.
7) Keith Hernandez - the captain 25 years ago and popular announcer now. Inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1997.
6) Gil Hodges - singlehandedly brought the Mets to respectibility in the late '60s. His number 37 is retired, and he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1982.
5) Mike Piazza - He brought fans to Shea and led the Mets to the playoffs twice and the World Series once.
4) Darryl Strawberry - Another piece of energy from the 1980s Mets. Being inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
3) Jerry Koosman - Widely regarded as the #2 guy from the 1969 championship team. Mets Hall of FAme class of 1989.
2) Doc Gooden - I've heard that Shea was electric when he pitched. He will be indcuted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
1) Tom Seaver - "the franchise". His number 41 is retired, and he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1988.
So where does that leave us?
The next 9 to be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame (not including active and future Mets players)
9) Filax Milan - maybe the best of the rest from the 1970s
8) David Cone - another ace from the good days
7) Edgardo Alfonzo - 3rd all time in Mets career hits.
6 & 5) Gary Cohen and Howie Rose - the voices of summer for a generation. The original announcing trio was inducted during the club's 23rd year, and these guys are almost at that point themselves. I'm not sure who would be the MC of the ceremony though.
4) Al Leiter - the ace of the staff that brought the Mets back to respectibility (again)
3) Bobby Valentine - he led the Mets to the playoffs twice
2) John Franco - longevity speaks for itself.
1) Mike Piazza
The next 9 numbers to be retired (not including active and future Mets players)
9) Edgardo Alfonzo
8) Al Leiter
7) John Franco
6) Ed Kranepool
5) Keith Hernandez
4) Mike Piazza
3) Darryl Strawberry
2) Jerry Koosman
1) Doc Gooden
I hope some day David Wright and Jose Reyes lead us to good times in the next 10-15 years and can get themselves on this list.
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Friday, August 21, 2009
I have ideas
Let's retire some uniform numbers. I get the sense that there's no unanimous opinion on who is next (a lot say Piazza, but others think otherwise; some say Keith Hernandez, but not everyone agrees). What is the criteria for having ones uniform number retired? Think about that while I throw out this list, in no particular order:
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- 31 - Mike Piazza
- 17 - Keith Hernandez
- 18 - Darryl Strawberry
- 36 - Jerry Koosman
- 8 - Gary Carter
- 16 - Doc Gooden
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Numbers Game
I'll point to this post on MetsPolice.com this morning as inspiration on a topic that I've seen come up from time to time this season.
Retired Numbers
The Mets have retired 3 of their uniform numbers (I say it like that because they also retired the name "Shea" for the old beloved Stadium, and every team retired the Dodgers 42 for Jackie Robinson) - Casey Stengel, the original manager; Gil Hodges, an original player and the manager of the Miracle Mets of 40 years ago; Tom Seaver, "The Franchise", Hall of Fame pitcher from the Miracle Mets and the Ya Gotta Believe Mets of 1973.
But the Mets have had many great players that are worthy of having their numbers retired, haven't they?
In no particular order, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Jerry Koosman, Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Mike Piazza, Bud Harrelson, and others.
Should they have their numbers retired? Who should be first on that list? Who else belongs on that list? Who's on that list that doesn't belong? All good questions.
There seems to be a fine line that the Mets have always walked around retiring numbers for the highest elite, and retiring numbers for any "star" from the club's history. The Mets have always been on the left side of that line. That's actually not a knock on the Wilpon regime (though there wasn't much history before Wilpon & Doubleday came on board in 1980). I think in this time of alienation, it may be a really good idea if they had a few of those numbers retired. That big outfield wall can support them all.
Thoughts? Everyone seems to have their own unique opinion on this topic.
Retired Numbers
The Mets have retired 3 of their uniform numbers (I say it like that because they also retired the name "Shea" for the old beloved Stadium, and every team retired the Dodgers 42 for Jackie Robinson) - Casey Stengel, the original manager; Gil Hodges, an original player and the manager of the Miracle Mets of 40 years ago; Tom Seaver, "The Franchise", Hall of Fame pitcher from the Miracle Mets and the Ya Gotta Believe Mets of 1973.
But the Mets have had many great players that are worthy of having their numbers retired, haven't they?
In no particular order, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Jerry Koosman, Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Mike Piazza, Bud Harrelson, and others.
Should they have their numbers retired? Who should be first on that list? Who else belongs on that list? Who's on that list that doesn't belong? All good questions.
There seems to be a fine line that the Mets have always walked around retiring numbers for the highest elite, and retiring numbers for any "star" from the club's history. The Mets have always been on the left side of that line. That's actually not a knock on the Wilpon regime (though there wasn't much history before Wilpon & Doubleday came on board in 1980). I think in this time of alienation, it may be a really good idea if they had a few of those numbers retired. That big outfield wall can support them all.
Thoughts? Everyone seems to have their own unique opinion on this topic.
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