Retired Numbers

Over half of the Braves retired numbers are from a single era: Jones, Jones, Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and the late Bobby Cox. Zach and Leo talk about how the combination of these players is a rarity they can only appreciate in hindsight.

Red Sox fan and longtime listener David Rosenbaum joins us to begrudgingly discuss Wade Boggs, and laud over Carl Yastrzemski (along with Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and Ted Williams).

The Red Sox are one of baseball's most iconic teams, yet Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky remain lesser known figures in baseball history.

Frank Robinson is one of the greatest baseball players ever, but he takes a back seat in Reds lore to the trio of Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, and Pete Rose. We discuss these guys along with the "other" Barry from the 90s.

Baseball's oldest team is perhaps best known for its stars from the 1970s, including Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, and manager Sparky Anderson. They are amongst the 10 retired Reds numbers, but so are Fred Hutchinson and Ted Kluszewski.

Mark Buerhle was too consistently good to be great (does that even make sense?). Zach and Leo also discuss White Sox legends Minnie Miñoso, Ted Lyons, Luke Appling, and Frank Thomas.

Zach and Leo discuss the recent Hall of Fame vote, setting up the discussion around players like Harold Baines, and Nellie Fox (alongside Paul Konerko, Billy Pierce, Carlton Fisk, and Luis Aparicio).

The Tigers' retired number wall includes seven baseball greats who didn't have regular numbers. Zach and Leo discuss a prolific grass-chewer, the all-time triples king, and, finally, baseball's most mythologized player, Ty Cobb.

Zach and Leo move on to four "classic" Tigers: Gehringer, Greenberg, Newhouser, and Kaline.

Zach and Leo discuss the comparatively recent figures amongst the Detroit Tigers's retired numbers: Willie Horton, Jim Leyland, Sparky Anderson, Jack Morris, and double-play duo Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker.

Zach and Leo discuss three hall of fame position players, and the challenge of playing for one of baseball's, allegedly, most difficult fanbases.

Zach and Leo discus four Hall of Fame pitchers: Roy Halladay, Jim Bunning, Robin Roberts and Steve Carlton.

Not every number retirement involves a retired number. Zach and Leo discuss the oldest stars of one of baseball's oldest teams, most of whom never wore a uniform number at all.

Join us as we round out our Mets discussion by looking at the careers of Mike Piazza, Keith Hernandez (yes, first base defence is. thing!) , David Wright, and Tom Seaver .

Today we meet the Mets, specifically Yankees (and Mets?) legend Casey Stengel, Giants (and Mets?) legend Willie Mays, Dodgers (and Mets?) legend Gil Hodges, Jerry Koosman, Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden.

In this episode we discuss four hall of famers. They range from Paul Waner, who even Pirates management hadn't heard of until very recently, to Roberto Clemente, the face of humanitarianism in sport.

Who is Billy Meyer? His may be baseball's most mysterious retired number. Join Zach and Leo as they also banter about Danny Murtaugh, Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, and Bill Mazeroski.

Nolan Ryan, Bill Wagner, and the Killer Bs give us more than enough to talk about. This episode is long but is rich with fun baseball trivia and banter.

Neither Roy Oswalt nor Lance Berkman have their numbers retired, but the Astros have no shortage of players to whom they've given the honor. Zach and Leo discuss six players all of whom they, more or less, just learned existed (Jim Umbricht, Don Wilson, Mike Scott, Larry Dierker, Jimmy Wynn, and Jose Cruz).

Zach and Leo discuss four Cleveland greats, including recent-ish star Jim Thome, and three players (Doby, Boudreau, and Feller) whose greatness aligned to bring about Cleveland's most recent world series title (1948).

If you aren't a Guardians fan you probably haven't heard of Earl Averill, Mel Harder, or Bob Lemon. You also may wonder why Cleveland has retired the number of Orioles and Reds legend Frank Robinson.

Who is the most iconic Minnesota Twin? It's a four-horse race between Joe Mauer, Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, and Harmon Killibrew. Zach and Leo break down the numbers and lore behind these four Hall of Famers.

Long-reigning manager Tom Kelly, homegrown first baseman Kent Hrbek, and three hall of famers who had to fight for recognition (Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, and Bert Blyleven) are the subject of today's episode.

Zach and Leo discuss the Oakland Athletics' ownership history, including the legacy of retired "number" holder Walter Haas Jr. Then they move on to two of baseball's biggest personalities: Reggie Jackson and Rickey Henderson.

Four players, four mustaches. Zach and Leo discuss Dave Stewart, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, and Catfish Hunter.

The Cubs are one of baseball's oldest teams, and their list of retired numbers only tells part of their story. Zach and Leo discuss the legacies of Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, and Ferguson Jenkins, along with more recent stars Greg Maddux and Ryne Sandberg.

Zach and Leo discuss what may be the best curated list of retired numbers yet. While the Orioles are still emerging from a rough start to the 21st century, they were an iconic team from the 1960s through the 90s led by Earl Weaver, Brooks and Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr.

The Los Angeles Angels (aka The The Angels Angels, aka Los Los Angeles Angeles aka the California Angels aka the Anaheim Angels aka the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) have a long a history, but not all of it is captured by their eccentric retired numbers list. Join Zach and Leo for a chat on cowboys, monkeys, fishes, and fugos.

The San Diego Padres numbers include a Dodger's legend, a pitcher named Randy who's the not the famous pitcher named Randy, and three Hall of Famers. This episode touches on how one rates closers, contact-hitters, and ugly uniforms.

The Brewers have five retired numbers, but only two are long-time Brewers players. Zach and Leo discuss a range of topics including Leo's perspective on how we evaluate closers, and why Robin Yount and George Brett make Zach think of Pokemon games.

Zach and Leo discuss a lesser known, but well loved manager, one of baseball's greatest catchers, a position-switching contact hitter, an ageless flamethrower, and perhaps the greatest Dominican player who ever lived.

Every Royals fan knows the signifiance of 5,10, and 20 (allegedly). Zach and Leo discuss Royals legend George Brett, along with two lesser known icons, manager Dick Dowser and fielding wizard Frank White.

Zach and Leo discuss the Rays' two non-traditional retired numbers, and which numbers the team might retire in the future.

Zach and Leo discuss Arizona's explosive rise as a team in the early 2000s, and the intriguing career arcs of Luis Gonzalez, Randy Johnson and Byung-hyun Kim.

Zach and Leo recall Todd Helton and Larry Walker as two baseball giants, who for a time struggled to get their dues outside of Colorado. Zach ask also makes the case that Larry Walker is an honorary millennial.

Zach and Leo discuss Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Ichiro, and a number of other Mariners' icons, some of whom have unofficially retired numbers (note: this episode was recorded before Ichiro Suzuki was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame).

The Blue Jays have only one retired number, but they have their own version of the concept; the Level of Excellence. Zach and Leo discuss the several pseudo-retired numbers in Blue Jays' history, before finishing off with their thoughts on Roy "Doc" Halladay.

Maybe this should have been our pilot episode? The Miami Marlins have no retired numbers and there's no obviou candidate in sight. Zach and Leo search for names in Marlins' history that might fit the bill for the billfish. (Note: this episode was recorded shortly before Jesús Luzardo signed with the Phillies).

Zach and Leo begin their series discussing the concept of retired numbers. They begin their series with baseball's youngest team, the Washington Nationals, a team with 1 retired number. They also discuss some other legends in Washington and Expos baseball history.