Kidding of course

I wouldnt be surprised to see 38, 16 and even 12 up there someday, of course depending on how healthy those three remain throughout the rest of their careers….and maybe we can reserve whatever number Vitters is going to wear as well (fingers crossed)

… that the team had promised to do so over 50 years ago and reneged in a fit of pique. Time to right a wrong while the man is still living.

I’ll stick my neck out there and say #21 will eventually be retired for Sosa. I don’t expect this to happen before 2013. Sosa is the all-time Cubs leader in home runs, won an MVP, and played on 2 Cubs playoff teams. I don’t think any performance enhancing drug use by Sosa will ever be proven. I’ll go out on a limb and say Sosa will make amends with the Cubs organization.

I think we have many numbers that could be retired and it’s long overdue. But, if we start retiring all those who distinguished themselves in a Cubs uniform we may be left with “spring training” numbers for current players to wear. Is there another way to honor all the stars of early Cubs teams. Is there a Cubs Hall of Fame or another way to officially recognize many of those names in Al’s top 100 cubs? As we look in the past, we certainly have to look ahead. I agree that a Sosa, Zambrano, Ramirez and other possible future Cubs may be worthy. When a franchise is this old, this distinguished, we just can’t honor them all with a retired jersey. I think the much talked about Triangle Building may serve itself well to have an interactive hall of fame much like a “Cubs Cooperstown”. Leave the jerseys for MLB Hall of Fame members.

I suppose the Cubs could fly a flag with “Three Finger” on it and the Cubs 1907-08 logo for Mordecai Brown.

any chance of Hawk having his? Guy won a MVP on a Cubs last place team. 5 time All Star, two gold gloves, 1 silver slugger asa Cub over a 6 year Cub career. His number #10 was retired for by Montreal.

I am not saying he deserves it over some others, just curious what people feel should be the criteria for recognition.

but he damn well looked happy being a Cub yesterday..

His number HAS to be retired eventually.

they’re going to have to put the flags somewhere else. Those foul poles aren’t going to be big enough.

My vote, for what it’s worth (not much): I’d retire # 21, too.

You know it’s gonna happen – no need to wait.
/s

read like a bad game thread. ech.

…you realize of course, we’d have to re-do the order of the flags and put #12 on top. Soriano’s flag just wouldn’t fly as well in any other spot….

I know #42 is retired for Jackie Robinson, but the Cardinals have retired #42 for both Sutter and Robinson. Had the Cubs won a World Series with Sutter, I would say the Cubs should retire #42 for Sutter. Of course, the Cubs didn’t come close to the playoffs with Sutter. I know that wasn’t Sutter’s fault, but I feel the main reason he went into the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal was the 1982 world championship in St. Louis. Dawson played longer with the Expos than he did with the Cubs. Lee Smith had his best seasons with St. Louis.

Farnsworth and Novoa from ‘99-’06… yikes.

Watching on TV, the cermony felt flat. Little emotion, especially from the crowd, maybe it felt different at the park? Seemed, from the TV shots, that there were many empty seats as well.

I wish they had separated the cermonies. Fergie yesterday (actually Fergie should have been right after HOF in 91) , and Maddux in a few weeks, and made it more special for each. Since there are only five retired numbers why try to cram both into one half hour?

The thing that will make it difficult to retire numbers in the future is that few players stay with one team for long periods anymore.

Z and Aram definitely if they have a ring or two and finish their careers as Cubs.

Dark horse candidate with a few more great years as a starter and finishing his career here is Dempster.

so we never have to deal with that pain again

will eventually be retired someday, after that I could see them retiring Wood. Face of the franchise for a decade. Dawson also might be eligible for it as well. Z and Ramirez as Al said might be considered if they do the job and bring a world title to the north side.

Human nature is to focus on the contemporary….

Do I see #21 eventually? Maybe. Dempster? No chance. Zambrano or Ramirez? Long way to go before even thinking about it. I just skimmed through this, but I’m almost shocked that no one suggested Wood (and no, his shouldn’t be, either).

Grace? No way. Dawson — maybe . . .but it’s a stretch, given how few years he was a Cub. In fact, I wouldn’t have given it to Maddux, just because the bulk of his best years were with the Braves – but I know that wouldn’t have gone over with the fan base.

For individuals who made a difference or left an impact with their clubs, rather than just people who compile numbers over a career. Let those people go into the hall of fame, and be immortalized there.

The numbers we have retired as Cubs are all individuals whom have made impact both on and off the field, most of whom are still faces in our organization.

Not that I’m advocating, or think it WILL happen, but I would say #34 is more deserving than #21. Arm injuries aside, Kerry was ALWAYS a class act, he and his wife were heavily involved in the community, he gave us many great memories on the field, was apart of 4 playoff teams.

DESPITE being injury prone, he left a legacy with the Cubs that will always be around. I know it will be weird for me to see someone else wearing #34 on the back of their uniform.

I might be just too young to remember, but other than belting out homers (allegedly while on steroids) and being a solitary bright spot on some really bad Cubs teams, that is the only things Sosa left, along with a stain of a not so gracious departure regardless of whose fault it was.

Most wins for the Cubs.
Most innings pitched.
Most games started.
Second in strikeouts.

Charlie Root should not be forgotten for what he did on the field. And there’s so much to learn about him behind the scenes from daughter, Della, 90, at rootforthecubs.com, the first biography of Charlie Root.

have a policy of only retiring the numbers of players in the Hall of Fame.

Is that still correct?

If this is correct, I would doubt any other numbers will be retired until they are elected to the Hall of Fame. At this point, Sosa is a big question mark and we will simply have to wait to see how the BBWA votes when he becomes eligible.

They made an exception for Ron Santo due to his service to the organization as a player and broadcaster.

1998 was a magical summer, and the reason I love the Cubs. People around my age (21) grew up watch Sosa destroy the ball for years. He always made it worth it to go to a Cubs game even if the team wasn’t very good. For me growing up there was nothing cooler than seeing Sosa crank one and do his huge hop.

Lost behind Barry Bonds 2001 season was Sosa’s. It was perhaps the greatest single season offensive performance for a Chicago Cub ever. 64 homers 160 RBI .437 OBP 1.174 OPS.

Don’t forget that Sammy was a 30-30 guy before he became a huge slugger. The way he left the team shouldn’t be held against him forever. Cub fans around my age grew up watching Sosa dominate, and I think most of us will always have a soft spot for him. Sammy is the reason I love the Cubs, he is most likely the reason a lot of people first started to like the Cubs. He should be rewarded for what he did for this city and this team.

I’m not sure exactly how to honor guys who never wore numbers (the triangle building, if it ever exists, is one good possibility), but I think the Cubs are WAY behind the curve on this. Their conservatism can be pretty maddening (this goes back a long way— they were the last team to add numbers to the uniform), but it looks like they’ve turned a corner (even if it seems like it’s partially for marketing purposes). If you look at the Yankees or Celtics, they have a ton more retired numbers, and I think we should catch up. I personally think the criteria should be a mix of statistical achievement, longevity, and how beloved the player was while he played here. For me, Phil Cavarretta, Mark Grace, Kerry Wood, Cap Anson, Frank Chance, Gabby Hartnett, Charlie Grimm, Hack Wilson, Kiki Cuyler, Mordecai Brown, and maybe Buck O’Neil and Leo Durocher all deserve serious consideration.

I see #7 for DeRosa being retired and possibly #2 for Theriot.

because of the lasting impact he has had on Japanese baseball.

But what about the #6 FOR MICAH HOFFPAUIR. And they should definitely do it in 2029 on the 29th day of the month because he is a 29 YEAR OLD ROOKIE!