Marlins Considering Making #5 Available

[Party]

And the club has a sense that Morrison will emerge in the big league clubhouse as he has in the clubhouses that served as his "offices" in the Minor Leagues. Morrison wears No. 20, an indication that the clubhouse manager has a sense of what LoMo will become. No. 20 has some prestige.

But so does No. 5, and Morrison is a George Brett devotee. No. 5 is special to him. He'd prefer to wear it. But the Marlins retired the number in memory of Carl Barger, their first president. But the Marlins are changing. Their new ballpark is to open for the 2012 season. And owner Jeffrey Loria has told his plebe left fielder that the number may be made available -- for LoMo -- when the club's address changes.

"That would be a great compliment," Morrison says. "I think it would show that they think I'm an important part of the organization."

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/...s_fla&c_id=fla

I would be a fan of this. Getting rid of faux history is always good.

[Omar]

#5 is Pujols' number

[Swifty]

Barger did a lot for baseball in South Florida. I think if this is done with the intent of moving away from the history of our organization and taking a strong revisionist pen and pretending that baseball in Miami began when we finally got a baseball only stadium it's foolish.

If it's done because Barger shouldn't be honored with a retired number, he got his name on the inaugural patch and is more deserving of a statute/plaque than a retired number, then that's fine.

I'm really beginning to like Loria, but I really don't want to see him going down this road of baseball down here began when he showed up.

[Party]

I don't think that has been the organization's intention. They commemorated the 1997 championship with a year long celebration in 2007.

[emkayseven]

yeah, I've never been a fan of having a number retired for a guy who didn't wear a number

the patch in 93 was worthy, like festa said a statue is worthy, but not a number. has there ever been an "unretired" number? besides a guy like harold baines who wore his old number after it had been retired for him

[Swifty]

The Panthers unretired Vanbiesbrouck's number after he went on a racist tirade, or maybe it was that they were going to retire it and then thought better of it.

[Miamarlin21]

I don't get the last sentence in the first paragraph about number 20.

[Metes]

I thought this post would be about Volstad being on the trading block.

[AdamRavs]

I thought this post would be about Volstad being on the trading block.

me tooo

[jOOj]

#5 is Pujols' number

Heard it here first. We're getting Pujols.

[rmc523]

Barger did a lot for baseball in South Florida. I think if this is done with the intent of moving away from the history of our organization and taking a strong revisionist pen and pretending that baseball in Miami began when we finally got a baseball only stadium it's foolish.

If it's done because Barger shouldn't be honored with a retired number, he got his name on the inaugural patch and is more deserving of a statute/plaque than a retired number, then that's fine.

I'm really beginning to like Loria, but I really don't want to see him going down this road of baseball down here began when he showed up.

I feel it might be more of the latter than the former - I would agree that some sort of plaque/statue would be more appropriate for Barger than having the number of his favorite player (that's what it is, right?) retired. If, as you said, the move would be done because of the former - wanting to "rewrite" or "start over" with South Florida baseball history, I would disagree with it.
But, in the sense of the latter situation, I would agree with this move (if/when it's made).

I don't get the last sentence in the first paragraph about number 20.

Me either - I'm glad someone asked LOL.

[Chewford]

It doesn't even make sense to have #5 retired in the first place. Team presidents don't have numbers. We retired the number because the dude liked Joe DiMaggio. That's some random shii right there. Unretire it and let Pujols keep his number.

[Swifty]

I don't get the last sentence in the first paragraph about number 20.

It's Frisaro, so it may just be a sentence to fill space, but I think he's alluding to Cabrera wearing 20 his first year, so any player that wears 20 his first year is special, or presumed special.

[fauowls44]

Un-retire the number and put Barger into some sort of Marlins Hall of Fame in the new stadium. A plaque is far more appropriate for a team president then a retired number. Plus people will actually understand who we are honoring instead of wondering why the #5 is retired.