Diamondbacks Bullpen

shoewizard · Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 6:52 am Post subject: Reaves on Retiring Gonzo's number

Joseph Reaves weighs in

Wow....kind of a strange article. Makes alot of good points about why they should wait, while at the same time professing love and respect for Gonzo. But then he ended the article with this:

levski · Veteran Presence Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1763

I think Reaves woke up with a deadline to submit an article and emptiness in his head that was creating a black hole north of Scottsdale. So he went for the tried and true "1 sentence per paragraph" approach and strung together just enough verbiage to hit the 250 limit and get his paycheck...
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Old school Hollywood baseball,
Joe Girardi is ten feet tall,
Old school Hollywood baseball,
Me and Frenchy walk a ton.

And Tony Pena cuts in line...

stu · Everyday Player Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 560

Reaves woke up with a deadline to submit an article and emptiness in his head that was creating a black hole north of Scottsdale. So he went for the tried and true "1 sentence per paragraph" approach and strung together just enough verbiage to hit the 250 limit and get his paycheck...

Why should this column be different from all others?

Catharsis · Journeyman Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 338

Baines was 30 when they retired his number. Gonzo is 39. It's not like he's going to play another 10 years. Three max. Baines also hit 25 HRs and 103 RBIa when he was 40. Reeves is pretty low to call the other 5 players with their jersey retired as "real legends."

I honestly think they should have a grand send off, but no number retirement yet. It wouldn't be fair to Gonzo.

And what if he OJs his wife between now and then?

dirtygary · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:45 pm Post subject:

Yeah, jersey retirement is for another time. Kind of like waiting the minimum 5 yrs before you can be elected to the HOF. Why don't they just put Griffey Jr. in there now? Either way, it raises a good question as to what the criteria should be.

What do you guys think? I would argue that playing at least half a career here should be mandatory. Or at least 8 seasons, etc., and performance, community attachment, maybe waiting 5 yrs after retirement like the HOF does.
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The pen is mightier than the sword, if that pen is shot out of a gun

TAP · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject:

RJ and Gonzo should be automatic the season after they retire.

Maybe in another 10 or 15 years we'll have a couple more from our current crop of youngsters earn that privilege.
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That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball.
~Bill Veeck

Stuart · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:57 pm Post subject:

Am i the only one here that thinks this whole "number retiring" thing is absolute NONSENSE Question

Im not a sentimental person and dont care all that much for what a player did 5/10/15 years ago.

Retiring a number for a player who played here for only 7 seasons just aint worth it, if we do that and keep up the trend...In 20 seasons time we'd end up running out of numbers Exclamation

If its soo important to people, just erect a plaque to these guys, and hang them high up covering some of the mass of advertising that Chase field carries Laughing

TAP · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:01 pm Post subject:

Stuart · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

moviegeekjn · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject:

Stuart · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:36 am Post subject:

stu · Everyday Player Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 560

When numbers first came into baseball, the players were numbered by where they hit in the order. Thus Ruth became number 3 and Gerhig 4.

Stuart is right about the numbers being poistion generated. Soccer players change numbers much more frequently than baseball players.

Also, it is almost as if some great players graduate to certain numbers. 10 was Pele's number. To wear it is almost to be annoited. Maradonna, Best, Beckham, Cruff (can't spell his name there is a "y" in there somewhere--the guy from the Dutch Clockwork Orange teams), just to start, have worn it

I could be wrong about these numbers so you soccer guys correct me, but I think Platini originally wore 15 (?) for France and then got number 10. Zindane wore number 5 (Beckenbauer's number--very desirable for a defender) in Spain I think and then got 10 for France. Beckenbauer wore 6 for the Cosmos I think.

Both Platini and Zindine are more midfielders than strikers (although with total football positions are not as relevant as they used to be) so it was not only their position that got them number 10.

JoshByrnesWhenIPee · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:15 am Post subject:

I wouldn't mind a bronze sculpture in front of Chase Field of Gonzo jumping up in celebration of winning the World Series.

moviegeekjn · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:32 am Post subject: