Random baseball question

[stannis]

I'm not from North America so the deal about retiring numbers is slightly unknown to me.

When a player's number is retired by a club, does no player wear that number throughout all minor league affiliates of the club? Or is it only when actually suited up for the major league team that it counts? Or is there a variable policy between clubs?

Example for clarity: Oakland has retired #43. If they drafted a guy who wanted to wear 43, could he do so while playing Rookie, A, AA, AAA...and only have to pick a new number when he was called up to the majors? Or would he have to choose a new number right from the start?

[LivnLegend]

Originally Posted by stannis

I'm not from North America so the deal about retiring numbers is slightly unknown to me.

When a player's number is retired by a club, does no player wear that number throughout all minor league affiliates of the club? Or is it only when actually suited up for the major league team that it counts? Or is there a variable policy between clubs?

Example for clarity: Oakland has retired #43. If they drafted a guy who wanted to wear 43, could he do so while playing Rookie, A, AA, AAA...and only have to pick a new number when he was called up to the majors? Or would he have to choose a new number right from the start?

Only the major league team generally recognizes a retired number. Minor league teams often have their own retired numbers that don't always necessarily coincide with what the player wore in the majors.

[stannis]

Thanks.

[Postman]

Some teams allow the player for whom the number was retired to grant permission to a young phenom to wear it. Some fans feel that's disrespectful, though.