Wild-speculation/brain storm number to be retired on 8/19

[soupcan]

I know where it is.

[stevejrogers]

="Yancy Street Gang"]I don't think he deserves it. You're right that few people care about the team's Hall of Fame. Maybe they can address that, though. Have an actual Hall of Fame display in the new ballpark that fans can get to. (The one at Shea is inaccessible and nobody knows where it is.) Make it prominent and people will care.

Not really, anyone can hang in the lobby, you don't need a Diamond Club ticket or anything

[Gwreck]

When Piazza goes to the Hall of Fame, his number should be retired. No question.

There should be no debate on this one: Hall of Famers who had a significant portion of their accomplishments with the club get their number retired.

Maybe you could argue "significant" for Piazza, but I doubt it. For Gary Carter, sure.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Clearly, though, there is debate on this one.

I think retired numbers should be extremely rare. Even more rare than Hall-of-Fame inductions.

[metirish]

Are retired numbers unique to American sports, in Europe it's not done IIRC, for instance Manchester United just issiued #16 to Michael Carrick who they signed last week from Spurs for 16 million sterling, #16 used to be Roy Keane's number who played for the club for 12 years and is among the most popular players to ever play for the club,infact it's seen as an honor in football to be given certain numbers, like #11 for a winger and so on.

[HahnSolo]

I knew there was a Met Hall of Fame, but I did not know you could visit it at Shea.

I don't know about Hernandez or Carter, but I'd retire Piazza's number (maybe the first year of the new ballpark?). I want some retired numbers of people I can look back fondly on their Met careers. Right now of the four retired #s, 2 are managers and one was never a Met.

[Frayed Knot]

="metirish"]Are retired numbers unique to American sports

Probably. If so I suspect it started with Ruth, as much for the fact that he was dying as for his status. Numbers weren't even used in baseball until half way through his career so it would be tough to find one much earlier. Of course the Yanx DID issue #3 to others between his retirement and the number retirement, just not since.
on edit: although maybe they retired Gehrig's #4 first since he died 10 years earlier than Ruth

]infact it's seen as an honor in football to be given certain numbers, like #11 for a winger and so on.

And that honor is what I think fans are missing in their rush to retire every number that they recall fondly. Like Dickshot's site says; the line of numbers form their own bit of history.
Solo's argument that says (in a sense): 'I want to retire some numbers ... so that there'll be some retired numbers up there' misses the point also IMO.
There's also a contingent of Met fans who want to start a conga line of numbers so we "can catch up to" the Yanquis ... and I don't even think I need to tell you what I think of that argument.

[stevejrogers]

Well does it really matter

Were you going to tell the Red Sox to retire another uni just to break up the 9 4 1 8 karma (the 1918 World Series clincher date was 9/4/18that was hanging on Fenway untill 27 was retired? Eventually they did it in numerical order 1 4 9 8, but if a team has a strict policy, the policy should stand regardless of fan opinion

[Guest Edgy DC]

We've been down this road before a dozen times. Obviously there are arguments both ways. But most agree that retirement should be done reservedly and with gravity, and the best argument for it is in cases when a feller dies with his boots on, or otherwise tragically young.

I think there's a place for it. But continuity around a number is beautiful also. It's just... well I'll let Steve say it.

I was born and raised here this town's my town
Everybody knows my name
But ever since the glass plant closed down
Things round here ain't never been the same
I got me a good job alright but some nights
Take me to another time
Back when I was number 29

I was pretty good then don't you know watch him go
Buddy I could really fly
Everyone in town came, hip flasks, horn blasts
Any autumn Friday night
Sally yelled her heart out push em back, way back
I was hers and she was mine
Back when I was number 29

We were playin' Smithville big boys, farm boys
Second down and four to go
Bubba brought the play --- in good call, my ball
Now they're gonna see a show
But Bubba let his man go I cut back, heard it crack
It still hurts me, but I don't mind
Reminds me I was number 29

Now I go to the ballgames cold nights, half pints
Friday nights, I'm always here
We got a pretty good team, good boys, strong boys
District champs the last three years
Got a little tailback pretty slick, real quick
I take him for a steak sometimes
Nowadys he's number 29

I don't follow rainbows, big dreams, brass rings
I've already captured mine
Back when I was number 29

I thought they should have retired #7 for Ed Kranepool, and was doubly put out that they re-assigned it so quickly to Hubie Brooks, but there's something to be said for Old Ed taking Jose Reyes out for the odd steak now and then too.

[Willets Point]

Here's a Wikipedia article on number retirement. Seems to be catching on in Europe now.

Gehrig was the first retired number.

I personally think retirement should have as much to do with what the player meant to the team as the player's career numbers. That combo of personality and performance is a rare occurence.