By: Stache Staff

Spring Training Numbers Issued for 2012

Stache Staff

February 24, 2012

What's in a Number?

A few days ago, former Mets clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels pleaded guilty to stealing $2.3 million worth of memorabilia from the Mets. As part of his plea bargain he was banned from Citi Field and attending Mets’ games ever again (who actually wins that one?). Samuels during his many years with the Mets organization was always given the responsability of issuing numbers to players prior to spring training, so it got me to thinking about all the new players who will be in spring training and what numbers were and weren’t issued and decided to put in my two cents into the conversation of whom should have what numbers and so on.

#1 – Not in use, Should be Ruben Tejada for reasons explained at #11
#2 – Justin Turner
#3 – Josh Satin, I doubt we see him this year, have fun in Buffalo
#4 – Mike Nickeas, moved from #13, I don’t mind the change
#5 – David Wright, that one wasn’t going to change
#6 – Omar Quintanilla, I don’t want to see him in Queens unless Murphy gets hurt
#7 – Bob Geren, Usually after a player of high prominance like Reyes leaves they leave it vacant for a year or two
#8 – Not in use, nor should it be ever again…but should NOT be retired now
#9 – Not in use, still hoping Ronny Paulino comes back, oh wait Baltimore signed him
#10 – Terry Collins
#11 – Should be Tim Teufel, hence moving Ruben Tejada to #1
#12 – Scott Hairston
#13 – Ronny Cedeno, good number for a middle infielder (“Fonzie”)
#14 – Retired
#15 – Valentino Pascucci, I was against giving it out right after Beltran was traded and feel it should be out of circulation in 2012
#16 – Rob Johnson, not making the team so it won’t matter, should be out of circulation if not retired for Doc
#17 – Needs to be retired, but at least Charlie Samuels’ replacement doesn’t give it to bums like Satoru Komiyama, Jose Lima, Fernando Tatis, David Newhan, Dae-Sung Koo…should I continue?
#18 – Tim Teufel, should be out of circulation but at least Straw’s former teammate has it
#19 – Daniel Herrera, anyone but Roger Cedeno works for me
#20 – Adam Loewen, could make the team if he beats out Mike Baxter which isn’t the hardest thing to do
#21 – Lucas Duda
#22 – Not in circulation out of respect for #WillieHarrisFace
#23 – Mike Baxter, maybe he’s in Queens maybe he’s in Buffalo..time will tell
#24 – Not in circulation because of Willie Mays
#25 – Ricky Bones, not really a coaches number, but it was his playing number
#26 – Tom Goodwin, if Ruben Tejada didn’t take #1, Not sure why Goodwin didn’t take it
#27 – Pedro Beato, now that he’s not required to be on 25-man roster, may stay in Buffalo as future closer?
#28 – Daniel Murphy
#29 – Ike Davis, there was talk of him changing to #20, I would have been upset since I just bought his jersey last year
#30 – Josh Thole
#31 – Will be retired eventually, or will the Mets wait too long like other former Met hall-of-fame catchers?
#32 – Jenrry Mejia
#33 – Vinny Rotino…WHO?
#34 – Mike Pelfrety
#35 – Dillon Gee
#36 – Chuck James, could be the second lefty out of the ‘pen if Herrera doesn’t work out
#37 – Retired
#38 – Garret Olson, longer stretch to be second lefty out of ‘pen if Herrera and James don’t work out
#39 – Bobby Parnell
#40 – Tim Byrdak
#41 – Retired
#42 – Retired
#43 – Robert Allen Dickey
#44 – Jason Bay
#45 –
#46 – Manny Acosta
#47 – Miguel Batista
#48 – Frank Francisco, “Armando Part II” needed a number close to Armando
#49 – Jon Niese
#50 – “The Fans” Cheesy promotion considering this is the Mets 51st season in reality
#51 – Dave Hudgins, hitting coach moved down one spot from #52
#52 – Ramon Ramirez, likely coming out of the bullpen this season
#53 – Jeremy Hefner, comes over from Pittsburgh, likely be in Buffalo this year
#54 –
#55 –
#56 – Andres Torres, some guys just like random high numbers (Scott Schoeneweis?)
#57 – That doesn’t belong to anyone, right?
#58 – Fernando Cabrera, I have a better shot of making the 25-man roster
#59 – Dan Warthen
#60 – Jon Rauch, big man needs big number
#61 – Jordant Valdespin, if he impresses enough this spring I could see him making the roster with injuries to Turner, Murphy or Tejada
#62 – Lucas May, fourth string catcher aka backup at Buffalo
#63 – Chris Schwinden, September callup
#64 – Josh Stinson, Triple-A this season, bullpen in 2013
#65 – Zach Lutz, went to a Division III school and he played for his dad YOGI Lutz..ok the only reason I knew that was because the college I work for is playing them this season.
#66 – Armando Rodriguez, the love child of two of the greatest closers in Mets’ history, he’s Buffalo/Binghamton bound
#67 – Cesar Puello, on his way to Binghamton, or possibly Port St. Lucie this year
#68 – Matt den Dekker, on his way back to Binghamton
#69 – Not given out because of 1969 World Series
#70 – Matt Harvey, back to Binghamton for you too
#71 – Wilmer Flores, staying in Port St. Lucie, Binghamton later this season
#72 – Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Buffalo or BUST!
#73 – Robert Carson, maybe Bingo maybe B-lo
#74 – Reese Havens, more seasoning in Binghamton before being bumper up to Buffalo…if healthy
#75 – Jeurys Familia, quick stop in Binghamton, will be in Buffalo very quickly
#76 – Juan Lagares, Buffalo and a September callup to Queens with a much lower number
#77 – DJ Carrasco
#78 –
#79 – Dave Racaniello, changes to something new every year it seems
#80+