(Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
It might not be an overly important thing in the grand scheme of things, but for MLB players, uniform numbers do have a meaning.
Perhaps it’s their lucky number, or maybe it’s the one they were assigned in little league or when they were kids.
The number they have on the back of their uniform is meaningful for most players.
Boston Red Sox fans immediately associate number 34 with Hall of Famer David Ortiz, while New York Yankees supporters see number 2 and their mind goes to Derek Jeter.
Speaking of the Yankees, top prospect Anthony Volpe was informed he made the team.
He is already thinking about what number he will wear in his first season at the MLB level.
“Anthony Volpe said he isn’t sure what uniform number he’ll wear. Said 77 is special to him because Mickey Mantle was his grandfather’s favorite player. ‘I’ll think about it the next couple of days,’” Yankees insider Bryan Hoch tweeted after chatting with the top prospect.
Anthony Volpe said he isn’t sure what uniform number he’ll wear. Said 77 is special to him because Mickey Mantle was his grandfather’s favorite player. “I’ll think about it the next couple of days.”
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 27, 2023
Volpe improbably won the Yankees’ shortstop competition against Oswald Peraza.
He has a 1.064 spring training OPS, with three homers and five steals.
He stole 50 bases between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
Judging by the Mickey Mantle story, we can say that baseball is a game of family and traditions.
He probably looked up to his grandfather, who admired The Mick in the fifties, sixties and seventies.
It would be a cool way to honor both his grandfather and the Yankees legend if he uses 77.
However, perhaps he chooses to start his own path and takes a lower number with the intention of making it legendary like Jeter did with 2, Babe Ruth with 3, Lou Gehrig with 4, and Joe DiMaggio with 5.
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