Should Mike Mussina’s number have been retired?

[Can_of_corn]

11 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

But.. but... he grew up not rooting for the Orioles and ended up playing for them because (among other things) the Mariners valued Marc Newfield way more than Mussina, so he should have just re-upped for whatever the O's offer forever.  And if that didn't happen he should have signed with the Rangers or something to spare my feelings. 

He could have played in Japan like Adam Jones did.

[DrungoHazewood]

45 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He could have played in Japan like Adam Jones did.

True.  I won't root for any other MLB team than the O's, but I will root for teams in other leagues, so that would have been fine.  I don't know why Mike didn't consider my feelings.  Jerk.

[DrungoHazewood]

51 minutes ago, Frobby said:

You know what really pissed me off?  When Elrod Hendricks and Paul Blair went and played for the Yankees!   Of course, the Orioles did trade them there.  But they should have just retired!

There are always options.  They could have jumped to the Mexican League.  Or played for Eddie Feigner's barnstorming softball team. But noooo... they had to betray the Orioles.

[Jammer7]

Obviously, Mike was an immensely popular Oriole. A great pitcher, who left the team and went to a great organization. He made a great deal of money by doing so, and had some of his best years. I doubt he wanted to leave Baltimore, but the Yankees presented a great competitor a great opportunity to compete. I don’t think most knowledgeable fans begrudge him that on a personal level.

But why should we retire his number as an Oriole? What is your criteria, and legitimate case that we should? Should it be about fan sentiment, or just simply career numbers?

For me, the final straw was not going in the HOF as an Oriole. That commitment is a two-way street. 

[Frobby]

For me, this is an obviously subjective topic.  And the poll, I think, shows that Mussina’s number shouldn’t be retired, because the majority of fans don’t want it to be.   So, case closed.   

I’m actually happy that the O’s have been extremely selective in retiring numbers.   I don’t want any hard and fast criteria (“he must have won a WS as an Oriole”), but it should be truly great players that the fans feel a strong connection to.   

 

[Moose Milligan]

I think going into the HoF as an Oriole is a good standard.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

20 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

There are always options.  They could have jumped to the Mexican League.  Or played for Eddie Feigner's barnstorming softball team. But noooo... they had to betray the Orioles.

Not everyone can make the cut in the Mexican League.

[Redskins Rick]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

For me, this is an obviously subjective topic.  And the poll, I think, shows that Mussina’s number shouldn’t be retired, because the majority of fans don’t want it to be.   So, case closed.   

I’m actually happy that the O’s have been extremely selective in retiring numbers.   I don’t want any hard and fast criteria (“he must have won a WS as an Oriole”), but it should be truly great players that the fans feel a strong connection to.   

 

I do agree with most of what you have said.

I dont really blame Mussina for not going in as an Oriole. This organization is not a classy organization, and right or wrong. Mussina felt that Peter reneged on his promise to give him a good contract after the 1 year hometown discount. 

I dont care if Mussina was a butt, most players can be.

When you run an organization, you take care of your people and you earn their respect.

Most fans hate Mussina and some wasnt even old enough or born yet, but he left and went to the MFY, thats all they know.

To me, Mussina was the best Orioles player that I saw play this game as an Oriole. They are many Oriole HOF, so he has strong competition for sure.

 

[Frobby]

59 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

I dont really blame Mussina for not going in as an Oriole. 

Honestly, I think he did what anyone would have done after 10 years with one organization and then 8 with another.  If he’d chosen to go in as a Yankee, then I could see people being irked.   

Here’s what he said at the time:

"Both the Yankees and the Orioles were instrumental in my reaching Cooperstown," Mussina said. "I am proud to have played for these great organizations, in front of the tremendous fans in Baltimore and New York, and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent them both in the Hall of Fame."

It’s not like he spat on Baltimore.  

Roy Halladay, who spent 12 years with Toronto and 4 with the Phillies, went in with a blank cap the same year as Mussina.   That was his widow’s choice, not his. 

[SteveA]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Honestly, I think he did what anyone would have done after 10 years with one organization and then 8 with another.  If he’d chosen to go in as a Yankee, then I could see people being irked.   

Here’s what he said at the time:

"Both the Yankees and the Orioles were instrumental in my reaching Cooperstown," Mussina said. "I am proud to have played for these great organizations, in front of the tremendous fans in Baltimore and New York, and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent them both in the Hall of Fame."

It’s not like he spat on Baltimore.  

Roy Halladay, who spent 12 years with Toronto and 4 with the Phillies, went in with a blank cap the same year as Mussina.   That was his widow’s choice, not his. 

Both the Blue Jays and Phillies retired Halladay's number, by the way (32 for Toronto, 34 for Philly).

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Both the Blue Jays and Phillies retired Halladay's number, by the way (32 for Toronto, 34 for Philly).

The Blue Jays did use his number for other players for 5 years after he left Toronto, but they stopped a year after he retired.  

[Frobby]

Greg Maddux and Catfish Hunter also have blank caps in the Hall.  Oddly, so does Yogi Berra, but mainly because his plaque shows him in profile.   

[Redskins Rick]

11 hours ago, Frobby said:

Honestly, I think he did what anyone would have done after 10 years with one organization and then 8 with another.  If he’d chosen to go in as a Yankee, then I could see people being irked.   

Here’s what he said at the time:

"Both the Yankees and the Orioles were instrumental in my reaching Cooperstown," Mussina said. "I am proud to have played for these great organizations, in front of the tremendous fans in Baltimore and New York, and I am honored to have the opportunity to represent them both in the Hall of Fame."

It’s not like he spat on Baltimore.  

Roy Halladay, who spent 12 years with Toronto and 4 with the Phillies, went in with a blank cap the same year as Mussina.   That was his widow’s choice, not his. 

You are very right.

But, there are the fandom fans that hate him with venom for playing for the yankees.