FanPost

Numbering Your Cleveland Indians: Part 2

I had hoped to get through 50 last time, but I will pick up where I left off at 41 this week!

#41

This Year: Carlos Santana

Years Worn: 9

Franchise Leader: Charlie Nagy (13 Seasons)

I expected Lando and El Capitain to duke it out for the franchise lead, but Nagy leads this one by a pretty wide margin. Victor Martinez didn't start wearing 41 until 2004, so he lost a few seasons and actually only wore the number for 6 seasons.

#42

42 is retired throughout baseball in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Last Worn: Michael Jackson (1999)

Fun Fact: Bob Lemon wore the number in...1942.

#43

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Josh Tomlin

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Josh Tomlin (9 Seasons)

#44

This Year: Nick Goody

Years Worn: 3

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Neal Heaton (5 Seasons)

#45

This Year: Adam Plutko

Years Worn: 2

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Paul Assenmacher (5 Seasons)

#46

This Year: Jon Edwards

Years Worn: 2

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Jason Bere (3 Seasons)

#47

This Year: Trevor Bauer

Years Worn: 7

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Trevor Bauer (7 Seasons)

Perhaps his last year, but Bauer solidified and probably sealed this number for a long time. We're in the 'random reliever and starter' number group, and I suspect 47 will remain the realm of journeymen for a long time. Intriguingly, Bryan Shaw also wore the number in 2013, and both were acquired in the same trade.

#48

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Boone Logan (2017)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Travis Hafner (9 Seasons)

There are times I forget how good Hafner was for Cleveland, and in some ways he reminds me of Andre Thronton. For four seasons, Pronk was Jim Thome mashing homeruns, drawing walks, and hitting for average. For the remainder of his career he was a solid hitting, but oft injured, DH. In short: an excellent career, somewhat overshadowed by other great DHs of his day. Interesting tidbit: Sam McDowell also wore this number, but fell a season short of tying Hafner.

#49

This Year: Tyler Olson

Years Worn: 3

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Tie: Tim Candiotti & Jose Mesa (7 Seasons)

My only comment is: who in the hell is Tim Candiotti? Answer a solid, if unspectacular, starting pitcher who spent a little more than half his career in Cleveland. He posted 150 wins, and a career ERA+ of 108. He led the league in complete games in 1986. The things you learn.

#50

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Evan Marshall (2018)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Nick Hagadone (5 Seasons)

I never would have guessed Nick Hagadone, of all people, would lead the Cleveland franchise in much of anything.

#51

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Shawn Armstrong (2017)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Shawn Armstrong (3 Seasons)

#52

This Year: Mike Clevinger

Years Worn: 4

Cleveland Franchise Leader: C.C. Sabathia (8 Seasons)

The big lefty leads the franchise at 52, and he has an argument for one of the top 10 pitchers in franchise history. He'll probably wind up in the Hall of Fame, but I doubt the Tribe will honor his number, despite his Cy Young. It still stings he wound up in New York.

#53

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Melky Cabrera (2018)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Rafael Perez (7 Seasons)

Raffy left had that amazing season along side Raffy right in 2007, and I will never forget his slider wiping out batters for us, and dreaming of an absurd bullpen for years to come. That pipe dream imploded in 2008, but it was thrilling. I suppose its fitting Betancourt wore 63.

#54

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Ryan Merritt (2017)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: David Riske (6 Seasons)

Chris Perez is right behind him at 5.

#55

This Year: Roberto Perez

Years Worn: 6

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Roberto Hernandez/Fausto Carmona (7 Seasons)

#56

This Year: Cody Anderson

Years Worn: 3

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Several Way Tie: Cody Anderson, Alan Embree, Frank Herrmann, Fernando Cabrera & Sean DePaula

I learned a lot out of this exercise but little more amusing than this five way tie.

#57

This Year: Shane Bieber

Years Worn: 2

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Kyle Crockett (4 Seasons)

I suspect Bieber will eventually eclipse Crockett for the lead.

#58

This Year: Neil Ramirez

Years Worn: 2

Cleveland Franchise Leader: TJ House (3 Seasons)

#59

This Year: Carlos Carrasco

Years Worn: 10

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Carlos Carrasco (10 Seasons)

I almost forgot about Cookie, and how he's one of the few recent Indians to play 10 years for the club. Reflecting on our history: he's one of only a few players EVER (at least since the player number era began) to play so long in Cleveland. We are blessed.

#60

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Jhonny Peralta (2003)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Five way tie, all at a single season

#61

This Year: Dan Otero

Years Worn: 4

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Dan Otero

#62

This Year: Nick Wittgren

Years Worn: 1

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Jim Poole (4 Seasons)

#63

This Year: Josh Smith

Years Worn: 1

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Rafael Betancourt (7 Seasons)

I miss Rafael Betancourt. I miss how he literally pitched to the same six inches of the player to each batter, and somehow still got batters out. When he scuffled in 2008 I was CONVINCED had he just learned to throw a curveball, and pitch to a few other spots on the plate, he'd be fine. I was wrong. He kept throwing to that one spot, and spent several more reasonably successful seasons in Colorado before retiring at 40.

Justin Masterson also wore the number for 6 years. He was amazing in 2013, and sadly fell off a cliff afterwards.

#64

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Fernando Cabrera (2004)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Tom Kramer (3 Seasons)

#65

This Year: Zach Plesac

Years Worn: 1

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Cliff Lee (2 Seasons)

The fact Cliff Lee leads the franchise in a number nobody remembers him wearing, but not his primary number, is hilarious.

#66

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Perci Garner (2016)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Four players at one season

I frankly don't remember Perci. He pitched 8 games in relief for us in '16, and was ineffective. He hasn't played in Major League Baseball since.

#67

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Chris Nichting

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Chris Nichting (1 Season)

Only one player ever donned this number in a ML game.

#68

This Year: Jefry Rodriguez

Years Worn: 1

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Four players tied at one season.

#69

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Luis Medina (1988)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Luis Medina (1 Season)

Another number with only one player to ever wear it in a ML game.

#70

This Year: NA

Last Worn: George Kontos (2018)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: George Kontos

This is getting funny.

#71

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Johnny Hodapp (1929)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Johnny Hodapp (1 Season)
OK. This is just funny; I had to look up Johnny Hodapp being the only player to don 71 back in 1929. So here we go: Johnny Hodapp was a middling infielder who spent most of his career in Cleveland. He debuted at the tender age of 19 in 1925, and bounced around the infielder seeing starts at second, first, third, and left field. He finally relatively stuck at second base. The Indians debuted numbers in 1929, when Hodapp donned number 71. In 1930 he promptly switched to number 6, and posted his career year: leading the league in games played, hits and doubles. He was traded to Chicago, signed with Boston and never played a game after the age of 27, despite batting over .300. I have no idea why he never played again.

#72

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Jason Giambi (2014)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Jason Giambi

Huh. Here's Giambi in Cleveland's record books for uniform number most worn.

#73

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Ricardo Rincon (2003)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Ricardo Rincon (2 Seasons)

#74

74 was never issued by the Indians in an official MLB game.

#75

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Mike Walker (1988)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Mike Walker (1 Season)

#76

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Tom Morgann (1989)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Tom Morgann (1 Season)

#77

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Jack Armstrong (1992)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Jack Armstrong (1 Season)

#s 78-87

These numbers were never issued for an official MLB game.

#88

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Josh Outman (2014)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Tie: Josh Outman & Rene Gonzalez

Had Outman pitched as well as his name implied he'd lead this number outright. Sadly Outman was a misnomer.

#89

This number was never issued for an official MLB game.

#90

This Year: Adam Cimber

Years Worn: 2

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Adam Cimber (2 Seasons)

Not only does he lead the franchise, he is also the only player to have worn #90.

#s 91-98

These numbers were never issued for an official MLB game.

#00

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Rick White (2004)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Paul Dade (3 Seasons)

#0

This Year: NA

Last Worn: Brandon Barnes (2018)

Cleveland Franchise Leader: Junior Ortiz (2 Seasons)

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