So our old friend Carlos Gomez is in camp wearing No. 85, which happened to be the lowest number available, although roster cuts and reassignments should free up additional space as opening day nears. Already there’s been 13 reassignments and yesterday news came that TJ Rivera had been cut and also released.
This is not a big surprise as Rivera was a one-tool longshot before he missed a year with an injury, but his release frees up No. 19 if anyone wants it. I assume it won’t be long before Dilson Hererra is reassigned and coughs up No. 16; then there’s Gregor Blanco (7) and Rajai Davis (11) who suddenly look more vulnerable now that Gomez is back. In case you’ve forgotten Gomez wore No. 27 in his first appearances as a Met back in 2007. His return suggests to me that Omar Minaya is possibly making the personnel decisions again and just relying on Brodie Van Wagenen to say the right things to the press about them. That’s not a good feeling.
Among pitchers, keep an eye on No. 26, where nonroster invitee Arquimedes Caminero has a 16.20 ERA so far (in a really small sample) but appears to need to beat out one or more better-performing counterparts like Hector Santiago (46), Luis Avilan (43) and Rule 5er Kyle Dowdy (33) who’s going to get every chance despite a Camineroesque ERA so far this spring.
Actually, 85 was not the lowest number available. 69 was available. I get why they don’t assign that number, but it does seem kind of sophomoric.
The Mets would say this number is “unofficially” retired to honor the 1969 club. 86 is also typically not issued although Wally Backman was wearing it when he appeared as a guest coach years back.
This post is a couple of years too late, but I came across the image of Pat Roessler (known as Sixer). Guess he had worn the number when was in college. The guy was team captain in 1982 and was part of the 1980 college world series winning team. Couldn’t figure a way to include just the pic, so here is the link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=pat+roessler+university+of+arizona+baseball&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj2-56G54bhAhXlguAKHRXFCW8Q_AUIDygC&biw=1344&bih=687&dpr=1.25#imgrc=T5J8WZMwKkqLsM: