Do the Brewers retire Gallardo's number?

[paul253]

I'm bored and as I'm watching the game right now and hearing them talk about Gallardo about to become the organization's all time leader in strikeouts, I got to wondering about whether or not Gallardo will have his number retired by the Brewers after his career is over. I realize it's probably a little early to make a final decision but I'm wondering what most people think.

 

Assuming the Brewers pick up his option next season, Yo will have played for at least parts of 9 seasons in Milwaukee. He'll be the organization's all time strikeout leader. Barring a major injury, he'll also likely be the leader in games started. He'll probably finish third, maybe second in career wins. Top five in innings pitched and probably top 5 in ERA. He was an all-star in 2010 and won a silver slugger that year as well.

 

Is this enough to get his number retired?

[DocLuna7]

I have always liked Gallardo but my vote is no. I think that retiring a number has got to be reserved for someone who is also a Hall of Famer. I know there are examples around baseball where this isn't the case, but that is my personal standard for eternally honoring a guy. Jimmy Gantner also played for the team long enough to be a top ten leader in several franchise categories but I think most would agree he doesn't merit the honor either. Gallardo is a perfect candidate for something like the Walk of Honor or the Brewers Wall of Honor though.

[markedman5]

No...and it isn't even close.

[Bombers]

No...and it isn't even close.

Lol. No kidding

[pitchleague]

I would certainly hope that the Brewers are planning on only retiring numbers of players that reach the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown (or come darn close to it.)

 

Gallardo for the Walk of Fame? Yes. How about the new Hall of Whatever It's Called at Miller Park? Absolutely.

 

Number retired? Absolutely zero chance. (okay . . . 0.1% chance since NOTHING is impossible.)

[brewcrewdue80]

^^^^Agreed. He's never been an Ace. A Legit Ace. And was Labeled a #4SP by pundits last year while being in his Pitcher's age PRIME! If he was even remotely close to being worthy of his number being Retired. He'd be hanging on to a King Felix type contract right now and we aren't discussing if he's even worth having his option picked up.

[Baldkin]

The only Brewers with retired numbers are Hall of Famers. So, if Gallardo makes the Hall of Fame, sure, they can retire his number.

[gregmag]

It's a fun topic to kick around. I agree that Gallardo isn't close. I'd go with pitchleague and include "darn close" to HOFers -- Dale Murphy types, people with long careers who have exceptional achievements by league-wide standards. I don't think you should assess players for uniform retirement based only on their achievements relative to the team. Being the Brewers' all-time leader in Ks is something, but it isn't a huge deal.

 

Let me suggest a related discussion: Where does Gallardo rank all-time among Brewers' starting pitchers? A few years ago I thought about that ranking for fun, focusing on career value as a Brewer with some consideration of peak. I came up with a top four I'm pretty confident about: Higuera, Sheets, (steep dropoff) Bosio, Haas. Assuming I'm right about that (or substituting your own choices), does Gallardo reach that level? I don't think he's there yet, but if he can pitch well for two more years, he's in the mix. I think right now he's between the second tier (Bosio, Haas) and a third tier that includes Caldwell, Slaton, Wegman, Navarro, and Sorensen. Below that you can start arguing about pure peak guys (Sabathia: most extreme case ever) and good pitchers with shorter Brewer careers (Greinke, Davis, Colborn). (BTW, thinking about this makes me weep all over again for Juan Nieves and Cal Eldred.)

[pitchleague]

I'd put Caldwell into the 2nd tier, but that's just me.

[502 to Right]

Only if he makes the Baseball Hall of Fame.

[Lee16]

I am just assuming this entire thread should have been posted in blue.

[MNBrew]

There are guys with twice Gallardo's strikeout total who aren't in the HOF. Ben Sheets doesn't have his number retired, nor should he. Gallardo is an average-to-slighty-above-average SP at best. He shouldn't be a consideration for HOF or number retiring.

 

As such, while it's a nice sentiment behind the question, the only way it has a chance of happening is if Yo suddenly finds the Fountain of Randy Johnson and has a 2nd half of his career as prolific as the Big Unit. Anything short of that, HOF or number retiring are a total non-issue in my view.

[chadomac]

Yes, this thread is kind of ridiculous... but I will say that before tonight's start Gallardo's ERA was the lowest it's been in his career. He certainly has bounced back this year.

 

Just sayin'.

[Invader3K]

If they haven't ever officially retired Jim Gantner's number, they certainly won't for Gallardo, either.

 

They can put him on the Walk of Fame and Wall of Honor (or whatever it's called).

[torts]

Walk of Fame of Honor is all Gallardo gets.

[bjkrautk]

Having the team all-time strikeout record isn't much of a criteria for getting your number retired.

 

The prior record holder was Ben Sheets, and as much as I was a fan of his, if the Brewers retired #15, it wouldn't be for him.

[trwi7]

[DocLuna7]

While I don't think that there is any chance that Gallardo has his number retired, I don't think that the OP was talking about something completely ridiculous. Remember that retired numbers around baseball include a number of guys who are not HOFers and have their numbers retired because of their unique role in that particular team's history.

[logan82]

While I don't think that there is any chance that Gallardo has his number retired, I don't think that the OP was talking about something completely ridiculous. Remember that retired numbers around baseball include a number of guys who are not HOFers and have their numbers retired because of their unique role in that particular team's history.

Gallardo is just a guy. He hasn't really done anything special or stood out in any way. Sure he has the all time strikeout lead for the team but that's just because of how long he pitched. I would retire Sheet's number before Gallardo and I wouldn't retire Sheet's number either.

[DocLuna7]

Again, I am not even coming close to saying his number should be retired, but he does have a unique role in our team's history in the sense that he was consistently a key part of our rotation during some good years (for this franchise). For a team like the Brewers to have made the playoffs twice out of four seasons (and potentially this year as well) is not something that is taken lightly here. This is the same team that has honored a World Series loss over and over again throughout the last 30 years.

[logan82]

He was hurt most of the 2008 season. He has been a little better than league average for us. The only thing of note is that he is homegrown.

[Invader3K]

Is Gallardo our most successful home grown starter ever? Probably, but that's not saying a lot.

[logan82]

Most successful but only by attrition. Sheets had far better stuff.

[RWeeksFan23]

Most successful but only by attrition. Sheets had far better stuff.

And far better command.

[Funketown]

Most successful but only by attrition. Sheets had far better stuff.

And far better command.

 

It's easy to forget how good Sheets was when he actually made it to the mound.