Marlins Allow Morrison to Don Carl Barger's #5

[TheMendozaLine]

@LoMoMarlins

I understand what an honor it is 2 have a # unretired. I want 2 thank Mr. Loria & the @Marlins 4 making this happen!

I also promise to wear the # with great pride and continue to honor Mr. Barger & his family...

My dad's favorite player and who he told me to model my game after RT @SBerthiaumeESPN You finally got your George Brett on! Nice work!

[Miamarlin21]

I remember a few years ago he told me he wanted to wear it.

[Ramp]

That's cool, good for him

[jOOj]

Cinco de LoMo.

[emkayseven]

I remember a few years ago he told me he wanted to wear it.

no offense to you and your player connections but it was broadcast pretty publicly last year that he wanted it and that they might unretire it
--------------------
http://soflamarlins.com/showthread.php?t=3518

almost exactly one year ago

[Beef]

A few > one.

I think you meant "who cares"

Maybe?

[Miamarlin21]

I know it was Polky. Pretty sure though that their original intention was for Pujols to wear it.

[TheMendozaLine]

Another first is about to occur for the Marlins.

For the first time in team history, a player will be wearing the No. 5.

Logan Morrison will have the distinction of donning the number that had been retired the first 19 years of the franchise's existence.

The Florida Marlins retired No. 5 on April 5, 1993, in honor of the late Carl Barger, the club's first president and chief operationg officer.

Barger passed away on Dec. 9, 1992 at the Winter Meetings.

Since Barger's favorite all-time player was Joe DiMaggio, the Marlins decided to retire the No. 5 in their first president's memory.

Now the Miami Marlins, the franchise has relocated to a new stadium in the Little Havana section of Miami. The team has a different logo and uniforms from what they wore in their inaugural 1993 season.

On Twitter, Morrison thanked Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria for allowing him to switch from No. 20 to No. 5.

"I understand what an honor it is to have a number unretired," Morrison said via Twitter. "I want to thank Mr. Loria and the Marlins for making it happen.

"I also promise to wear the number with great pride and continue to honor Mr. Barger and his family."

The No. 5 has special meaning to Morrison.

Morrison's father, Tom, encouraged his son to model his game after Hall of Famer George Brett, who wore No. 5 during his playing career with the Kansas City Royals.

Tom Morrison passed away from lung cancer in December 2010, after his son's rookie season.

The No. 5 had been the only retired number in Marlins' history, other than No. 42, which was retired throughout baseball in honor of Jackie Robinson.

When Morrison asked the Marlins if he could switch to No. 5, the club went to the league offices to get permission. Once that was granted, the club opted to allow Morrison's request, and will honor Barger with a plaque in the main concourse of their new ballpark.

http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/news/ar...s_mia&c_id=mia


@LeBatardShow

this is many kinds of wrong

[Ramp]

oh LeBatard, stop being a wet blanket

[fauowls44]

I usually agree with a lot of LeBatard's opinions, but I don't see why this would be "wrong". I personally never understood why Barger was given a number in the first place. I think that is an honor that should be reserved for players. For a team president, a plaque that tells his importance to the franchise is far more appropriate.

[emkayseven]

pretty sure not since the article says Loria specified who it was for

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.

[Party]

It does Carl Barger a disservice to retire a number in his name. It had sorta become a joke. Like the San Jose Sharks having a Regular Season Champions banner.

[TheMendozaLine]

They should retire Alou's #18 in Steve Bartman's honor. Makes about as much sense as retiring DiMaggio's #5 in Barger's honor.

Like fauowls44 said, a plaque is a far more appropriate way of honoring team executives/non-players for their contributions to the franchise.

[Swifty]

I really want to have a hard time with this since I dislike LoMo the person (like the player) but, really, for what Carl Barger did for baseball in South Florida - and make no mistake, he did a lot - to have a number retired with no backstory did him more disservice than having the number unretired ever will.

[Miamarlin21]

pretty sure not since the article says Loria specified who it was for

I was kidding.