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Yankees: 3 NYY Legends Who Should Have Their Numbers Retired

ByAdam Weinrib|
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 04: Alex Rodriguez #13 and CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees watch the action from the dugout against the New York Mets a game at Yankee Stadium on August 4, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 04: Alex Rodriguez #13 and CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees watch the action from the dugout against the New York Mets a game at Yankee Stadium on August 4, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
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New York Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

2. CC Sabathia

If we can’t retire the phrase, “F*** outta here, Reddick!” can the Yankees at least retire CC Sabathia’s No. 52?

Speaking of the ol’ informal ceremony, if you think any Yankees player is going to ever voluntarily wear No. 52 ever again, you’re out of your gourd. Either the number disappears for ever, or CC rehabs and returns. There’s no in-between.

Honestly, if there were fans in the stands in 2020, we don’t doubt that the Yankees would’ve gone through the two-step process of confirming 100% that Sabathia was done playing baseball, before just going for it and scheduling his ceremony this season (emceed by Ryan Ruocco, of course).

The old horse was everything the Yankees wanted and more after he signed his free agent contract in 2009, posting 19, 21, 19, and 15 wins in four dominant campaigns as the Bombers established a new era. He completely reinvented himself in the back half of his career, overcoming significant trauma to recapture Andy Pettitte’s cutter and become effective once more in 2016-2018.

Remarkable, beloved, indelible. He’ll get his moment in the sun; we don’t even really have to argue for this one.

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