Pirates Players Jersey Numbers

…..which way the team is leaning by which numbers are assigned. Obviously, the process isn’t 100% accurate, but in general, lower numbers indicate that the player is expected to make the 25-man roster.

- Hague’s #65 indicates that the team doesn’t give him much of a chance.

- Navarro’s #36 means he has a better chance to stick than Nunez (#70). In fact, it appears the Pirates have little faith in their rule 5 pickup.

- Harrison’s #62 last year means that they didn’t expect him to stick. His switch to #5 means that they DO expect him to stick in 2012.

- Gorkys’s #62 means “not this year,” at least not out of spring training.

- Starling Marte’s #64 means the same thing.

- Mercer’s #69 means the same thing.

- Presley’s switch to #7 confirms his rise in stature.

- D’Arnaud’s #3 means the Pirates remain inexplicably high on him….. even higher than they were in 2011 when he wore #12.

It’s harder to tell with pitchers, but…..

- Watson’s move from #65 to #44 means he has a better chance to stick than Welker (#67), Wilson (#61), McPherson (#60), or Owens (#99).

- Hughes switch from #70 to #48 means the same thing.

- Locke’s #37 doesn’t mean he’s a “lock”….. but it DOES indicate that they expect him to pitch in the majors again during the 2012 season.

(Note: The spirit of this post is semi-frivolous….. but only semi.)

I’d like to see the Pirates honor Chuck Tanner and retire the number.

He switched to #23 last year with the Red Sox. I think the fact that Pedro Martinez was the last Red Sox to wear #45 might have been the reason that the Sox gave him another number. Martinez’s number is not officially retired, but many teams have “semi-retired” numbers, in that no other player would be issued that number. I thought Érik was going to wear #45 with the Pirates, but then it came out that he would be wearing #23. I would be curious to know if taking #23 was his decision, or if the team suggested he not wear #45. I am not familiar with the history of the Pirates, so I don’t know if there is a player who wore #45 that is in the same position as Martinez.

i liked #70 on him for some reason. but i understand the change.