The Diamondbacks are considering making a change to a current club policy that mandates only retiring the uniform numbers of players who are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s a silly policy in the first place and makes little sense for a club with less than 15 years under its belt.
“We believe it is time to revisit that particular company policy,” D-backs team president and CEO Derrick Hall said. “It’s limiting and restrictive for a franchise that is so young and successful. We have some players who deserve consideration for their numbers to be retired, whether or not their names are ever enshrined in the Hall of Fame.”
As noted by MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, such a change could also clear the way for the retirement of Luis Gonzalez’s No. 20. Gonzo played for the Diamondbacks for eight years (1999-2006) and was a fan favorite throughout his time in Arizona. He retired with 2,591 total major league hits, 354 home runs and a .283/.367/.479 career batting line, and he is now working within the Diamondbacks’ front office.
