1
2012
Wright: It Would Be Weird Seeing Somebody Else Wear No. 8 In A Mets Uniform
An article by 72MetsFan
Caught this quote by David Wright on ESPN who was commenting on whether the Mets should retire Gary Carter’s No. 8.
“Sure, why not? It would make sense,” Wright replied when asked if Carter’s number ought to be retired. “I don’t exactly know the numbers of his Mets career off the top of my head. He was obviously in Montreal quite a bit. But he was that missing piece when he got traded over. That’s for others to decide. As far as I’m concerned, it would be a little weird seeing somebody else wear No. 8 in a Mets uniform.”
Smart kid, that David Wright is.
Uniform no. 8 has been out of circulation on the Mets since 2002 writes Rubin, when it was last worn by coach Matt Galante.
About the Author: Drew Staley
On June 1, 2012 Johan Santana officially became my favorite current Met! I'm a Queens native who grew up in the shadows of Big Shea. I was a huge Ron Darling, Dave Magadan and John Olerud fan. Honored to be a part of such a great site for Mets fans. Ya Gotta Believe!
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I think it’s weird seeing Igarashi or any of the other 15 past Mets players wear #18 over the past 20 years. It’s even weirder seeing Bob Geren wearing #7 right now.
I agree with #18. Ever since Straw left for LA I’ve always thought it was weird to see anyone else wearing #18 for the Mets. Like in 2006 when Valentin wore #18 and Lo Duca wearing #16. Those numbers always hold a special place in my heart!
Retire 1,8,16,17,18,and 31
Vince Coleman, Carlos Baerga, Doug Mientkiewcz, Art Howe, and Julio Machado???
It would be a wonderful gesture but inappropriate at this time.
It would not be fair to the Kid’s legacy – or the organization – to also remember that if it wasn’t for his tragic and premature death, Gary’s number would not have been on that wall at all (especially considering this wasn’t done during the ten year span after being inducted into Cooperstown). And that might be due to Gary really only having two great seasons with the Mets. By 1987 his home run and RBI production started to fall and his average plummeted to around .233. 1988 and 1989 were even worse.
But, as many of us have also argued, stats sometimes are secondary to the heart and soul of an individual reflected in his contribution to the team. So I think it would be more appropriate to retire both Keith’s 17 and Gary’s 8 at the same time sometime down the road. That way there will be no question as to why number 8 took it’s place along with Casey, Gil, the Franchise and Mex.
Piazza’s too – not just because of his figures but because he gave us of his own heart and soul when we needed it the most. He allowed the City to cheer, scream and act silly once more, even if it was just for one night and something as meaningless as a baseball game.
I guess all you young whipersnappers forget or was not alive to remember….
Yogi Berra also wore #8 for us!
Yes he is most associated as a Yankee but then again Carter is more associated with Motreal as well!
It might be nice to retire the number for BOTH in one event!
Then there wouldn’t be questions regarding how little both played or worked for the team and the other teams they are more noted for making their careers in!
Metsi,
Wonder how many think it’s Ron Swoboda’s number that has been retired? He wore 14 his first season before Ken Boyer took it over in 1966. And how many notice that 14 is 41 backwards?
I am one of those who thinks there have to be much larger than life reasons for retiring a number!
I mean even being in the Hall is not truly enough!
We currently have Jackie Robinson (who never played for us But I agree with only because we are the replacement for the Dodgers in NY)
Seaver who is a PRIME example of who should get it retired both for his accomplishments but also because he WAS “THE FRANCHISE”
Hodges because he is a Hall guy who made this team respectable for the very first time and the manager who finally made us a Major League team!
And Stengal because before Seaver was the FRANCHISE it truly was Stengal who was more entertaining than the players he managed were on the field (unless you like Comedic Slapstick!)
Not sure Carter helping to win one WS warrants it.
Speaking of Casey here are some great quotes I stumbled upon:
http://sportsquotation.blogspot.com/2010/08/great-casey-stengel-quotes-about-mets.html
and
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/casey_stengel.html
All worth the price of admission! LOL
Actually I have been thinking about this after a discussion on ESPN and I am now in favor of NEVER retiring a number. Jersey hung in the rafters or on a wall? Sure. However, numbers are part of history. How cool is it to hand someone Jose’s # and say hey kid this number means something…
it’s safe to say toda’s not one of your best days…. Stop hanging with donal, all that stupidness is rubbing off on you..
How cool is it to hand someone Jose’s # and say hey kid this number means something…”
Stupid ideas.. Just Stupid ideas..
Why? I think is it the Cowboys that do that?
Here we go again, just because you don’t like it then it’s stupid and I am playing sides. You offer no facts, reasons or opinions why it is “stupid” yet still have the nerve to tell someone their idea is stupid.
Why do you retire numbers to start with? To honor the player. How is retiring their number any more of an honor than having their uniforms hung up and then a monument in your historical area?
I have a player who is going to graduate from the school with the most points, rebounds, steals, 2pt shots, 3pt shots, freethrows, free-throw percentage… His number will be given to a freshman who I believe has a ton of potential as part of motivating factor but it also honors the previous player and allows him to feel that his “number” and what he worked for will live on when he is gone. It’s not stupid, it’s just a different view.
Also I couldn’t have sided with Donal as I have not even read his comment AND I commented on this earlier on either here or TRDM.
I have a player who is going to graduate from the school with the most points, rebounds, steals, 2pt shots, 3pt shots, freethrows, free-throw percentage…”
Only 1 Playoffs appearance and never WON anything for the school.. Big Difference.. And it’s not the same some high school noone has probably ever heard of and the major leagues.. again… ESSSS TUUUU PEEEEDDDDD!!!!
Actually 3 playoff appearances and obviously it is much more difficult to win a state championship than a WS. There were what 26 teams then? There are 150 just in our class.
Again, I understand HS and MLB are not the same. I am trying to pull from real life experiences that I have had. I also provided you a pro team who also does not retire #’s for the same reason. It does not take away the accomplishments of the player, disrespect them in any way or keep the fans from holding that player on a pedestal.
You have also not even provided an attempt to explain why you feel the idea is stupid. Can you deny that there is a chance that the player would rather see their number be past on and to continue to live through the team and to mean something to the next generation? Even the slightest chance?
Retire the number means something GREAT for the player and the franchise, it diminished the role that player played on the team and what he accomplished, can you imagine a POS BUM like eamus coming in and wearing #7 right away? or let’s say a garbage like chin ling hu wearing #5 in st louis??? come on man, be a little more smart than that.. who cares about that kid in that HS, it’s not as if that high school is winning anything anyways..
Again do you deny the fact that a player might want his number to live on?
Also the team can decide who to give that number to and should respect the history to not give it to just anyone.
You think Jose should have his uniform retired by the Mets one day? What did he win?
So let me ask you something, Keith Hernandez did most of his best numbers with the CARDS but yet, mets fans are screaming to get his # reitre? why is that? Every player wants to be remember as a part of the organization for the accomplishment he had while being there, DO YOU THINK when albert Retire he’d want a bum to wear his #5 jersey??
This ain’t little HS basketball… It’s the majors, and major things are being seeing and put up front..
I have no idea if Albert would want his number retired, have you asked him? Do you see me screaming to have Keith’s number retired? The reason that many Mets fans do is that it’s what teams do. Yet my comment is why is it done? Is it done for the players or the fans? To hold the player in high regards? Is retiring the number so much greater than having the uniform hanging on the wall ? Is having a statue of him and placing him in the team HOF not high regards? Again, the team can respect the number by not giving it to just some random player. Perhaps you give the player the option?
TRS, I don’t know if you know this but i’d be surprised if Alex doesn’t. There is an old spanish tv show called “El Chavo del Ocho” I often find after reading some of the back and forth between you and Alex that you two are like 2 of the characters from that show “Kiko” and “El Chavo”. Where those 2 are always playing together but can’t help getting into arguments that end with Kiko usually saying his catch phrase of “ya callate callate callate que me desesperas!” with Chavo replying his catch phrase “pero no se enoje”.
you really do need to take spanish as a second language classes to keep up on this site these days!
Wike or google translate is all one needs now a days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Chavo
translate.google.com
Oh, way too much work. though I have used it a few times here…
That is why. I did not reply. To lazy to look it up.
I like the idea of retiring players numbers but there has to be a certain standard and not just in play but also in service time. A minimum threshold of 10 seasons, a few All Star appearances, years with MVP or Cy Young votes, a batting title, ERA title, a championship or two. Something.
I really can’t see retiring a guys number who did more for someone else than he did for the Mets. Sorry.
The guy most deserving of having his number retired right now is Jerry Koosman. Twelve seasons, ten with 200 IP, two World Series, one Championship, 2nd in ROY, 2nd in the Cy Young another and an MVP candidate 3 times.
Hernandez was a great Met, Carter a very important Met, neither had his best season with us and both should get in line behind Koosman.
I also appreciate taking a number out of circulation for a while like Keith and Gary’s was and I wish Reyes had been afforded the same respect.
Again, I think it should be up to the team to make sure that even if the player did not do enough to have his number retired they respect the number by not just giving it to a random person. Jose’s number? How about waiting until they feel there is someone coming up that deserves and would respect the number?
sigh.. again, you’re not saying anything different that the same DUMB idea, you’re giving the number to someone whos gonna be good? is that what you’re saying? so why don’t we have the scrub players use from the 50 and up and all the good one from 1-49? wow, HAVE A NICE WEEKEND man, i am done with this..
By the way, the Jays don’t retire numbers either. I guess you can call them stupid as well and pretend there is only one side to the issue and that is always your side.
I understand the desire for retired uniform numbers and I too felt that way at one time and may feel that way again. However, there are two sides to the story with both having their merits. That last sentences is something that evidently you are not able to comprehend on any issue.
Actually it appears now the Jays do as they just retired Alomar’s uniform. The first one ever. Actually how insulting is it to Jays fans and former players that Alomar is the only one?
The M’s don’t have any either. No Griffey, no Edgar…
By the way, the Jays don’t retire numbers eitherr”
They don’t have anyone WORTH retiring the number!!
Actually if you read they have now retired Alomar. But having no one worth retiring? Really, I thought the biggest reason to retire numbers was because they won something? Well they won more WS in two years than we have in 40 years.
You think that names like Joe Carter, John Olerud, Carlos Delgado, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris are just eh players? Yet Gary Carter should have his number retired?
I like the idea of a hall of fame. Sort of the BB equivilant of hanging a jersey in the rafter. Statues for really good guys. Stuff like that.
But retiring a # has to be reserved for truly transcendant talents. Seaver, yes you can make the case for him. Obviously guys like The Babe, Ted WIlliams, etc.
so based on that criteria, the Mets are doing fine in the retiring # category. And put Carter, Keith, etc. in the Met HOF (I assume they might already be?) Hang snappy sheet metal signs on the outside of Shea (oh wait…). Paint their uniform on a wall. And yes, hold some #s out unless it is for a special player.
Just my take on the whole debate.
Did you see Frank V in good old # 16 on mattsblog today?
I’m really bad with remembering #s. Very few that I know without checking. Guys like Gooden, Straw, Carter (before the patch!), heck even Jose, I really don’t pay attention to. Seaver and Mookie, those I remember.
so shoot me, but I have no idea who #16 belongs to!
Shut up. Are you serious? 16 is Gooden.
I would have guessed that. But hell, I can barely remember what I had for lunch.
Fair enough. I walk into my garage sometimes, with purpose in my step like I’m going there for a reason, get there, and look around trying to figure out why the heck I’m in the garage… Take something out of the freezer? no… Sweep up the garage? no… get a tool from the work bench? no… what the heck?!?!
Hahahahaha… Too funny TX.
If the Yankees did what we are proposing for guys like Carter and Hernandez
Jeters number would right now be 0×2 as they would be handing out Hexidecmal numbers to their players!
At some point you will run out of numbers especially if you retire the numbers of guys who won a single world series in 3 or 4 years of service!
other than the league wide retirements I don’t think any team should be able to retuire ANY number unless the player they are honoring started with them and made his reputation WITH them!
Seaver fits that bill!
Gooden might even fit that bill, Strawberry too if not for their off field issues they might have had it retired already!
Carter and Hernandez? Not so much!