New York Yankees and Retired Numbers

The retired numbers and plaques are getting so silly now with the Yankees that here is what will be coming in a few years:

Plaques:

• John Sterling
• Suzyn Waldman
• Michael Kay
• Brian Cashman
• Mike Francessa

Retired numbers coming:

• Joe Girardi
• Paul O'Neill
• Mark Texiera
• Alex Rodriguez
• CC Sabathia
• Scott Brosius
• Hideki Matsui - first Japanese Yankee to be honored

It's ridiculous and the Yankees should say after Jeter, there will be NO MORE retired numbers again.

The team is bigger than whoever happens to be wearing the uniform at any given time.

A retired number should only go to the players who were so outstanding and one of a kind immortal that there will never be one like that again.

While these players below were absolutely great and fan favorites they are not in that category in my opinion:

• #1 Billy Martin 
• #6 Joe Torre
• #10 Phil Rizzuto
• #20 Jorge Posada
• #23 Don Mattingly
• #32 Elston Howard
• #44 Reggie Jackson
• #46 Andy Petitte
• #49 Ron Guidry
• #51 Bernie Williams

These players had wonderful careers but we will likely see more like them in the future. 

It cheapens the distinction when all these players get retired numbers when they are no where near the stature of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMagggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra....

The exceptions to this for the modern guys are Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.  There is no way we will ever see players like these 2 again so they qualify.