Popular players, of course. Worthy of permanent recognition? Different story.
Choosing one- Andrew McCutchen. Had he not been key to ending a 20-year losing drought, he'd just be another very good- but something less than superior- player.
That being said, anything "less" than him is in the same boat.
Teams are doing this and getting carried away with it. The Pirates are far from the only. And, MLB is far from the only such sport.
All this does is to water down what the best of the best deserve.
Pirate Plaza-Retired Numbers
Moderators: SammyKhalifa, Doc, Bobster
Pirate Plaza-Retired Numbers
614447475279444C4E592B0 wrote: I read where the new development that will replace Gold Parking Lot 4 across from PNC Park will have an open plaza where they will honor the numbers of Pirate greats.
Question that I would like to pose to the board for opinions is this:
Since we may never have another Pirate player spend his entire career with the Bucs; do you think the organization should consider retiring the numbers of Pirate greats that may have played a significant portion of their careers in Pittsburgh?
I’m talking about Bonds, Parker and maybe McCutcheon
Retiring numbers? No....for a number to be retired means they span the Pirates, they are MLB all time (HOF) greats. Not debating the worthiness of all HOF members, but if they're in, retire the numbers.
You know what I really liked? When the left field rotunda at PNC Park had giant baseball trading card pictures of former Pirates, bad to HOF and everything in between. There was something cool about knowing how awesome your "fan-ness" was by being able to tell kids about Sammy Khalifa. But those disappeared without fanfare, as well as Legacy Square, which did get some notice, but not a lot of people seemed to care.
I'd like to see the organization go back to doing something like that. Every guy who wore a Pirate uniform more than likely had at least one fan. Instead of celebrating a select few, which will always cause debate, celebrate them all.
But keep the retiring of numbers to guys who wear a Pirate hat in Cooperstown.
Question that I would like to pose to the board for opinions is this:
Since we may never have another Pirate player spend his entire career with the Bucs; do you think the organization should consider retiring the numbers of Pirate greats that may have played a significant portion of their careers in Pittsburgh?
I’m talking about Bonds, Parker and maybe McCutcheon
Retiring numbers? No....for a number to be retired means they span the Pirates, they are MLB all time (HOF) greats. Not debating the worthiness of all HOF members, but if they're in, retire the numbers.
You know what I really liked? When the left field rotunda at PNC Park had giant baseball trading card pictures of former Pirates, bad to HOF and everything in between. There was something cool about knowing how awesome your "fan-ness" was by being able to tell kids about Sammy Khalifa. But those disappeared without fanfare, as well as Legacy Square, which did get some notice, but not a lot of people seemed to care.
I'd like to see the organization go back to doing something like that. Every guy who wore a Pirate uniform more than likely had at least one fan. Instead of celebrating a select few, which will always cause debate, celebrate them all.
But keep the retiring of numbers to guys who wear a Pirate hat in Cooperstown.