Johnny Pesky

It is right and fitting that the Red Sox will retire Johnny Pesky's #6 on Friday. Pesky turns 89 on Saturday and has spent the better part of his life as a member of the Red Sox organization. For almost every year since 1942 Pesky has been associated with the Red Sox in one form or another.

Retiring Pesky's number required "bending" the rules the Red Sox had established that stated a player's number can only be retired if the player spent 10 years with the Red Sox, was a Hall of Fame player and also retired with the Red Sox. Technically Johnny Pesky did not meet a single one of the conditions (he last played with the Washington Senators) but the Red Sox owners wisely viewed the rules more as just guidelines.

That leaves open the question of other players such as:

Jim Rice - he will have his number 14 retired. The Red Sox are waiting to see if he gets voted into the Hall of Fame this year. If he does not - then the Red Sox will "bend" the rules once again. Rice still works for the Red Sox as a studio analyst.

Roger Clemens - nope - not gonna happen. Clemens is tied for all-time wins for the Red Sox but his number 21 won't be retired. It's not just the steroids business either. Clemens left the Red Sox with bad blood and many Red Sox fans have no love for him. Heck he's tied with Cy Young for wins and do you see Young being recognized by the Red Sox?

Wade Boggs - nope - not gonna happen. Boggs can get misty about his days with the Yankees or Devil Rays but there's a reason you never see him around Fenway Park (unless he's selling hair plugs).

Dwight Evans - many stat heads will argue that Evans was every bit the player Jim Rice was and if you include defense then I won't argue the point. However, there's a reason contemporaries voted Jim Rice in the top 5 in MVP voting 6 times and Evans just twice. Evans left the Red Sox with bad blood and look no further to the fact that the Red Sox gave 24 to among others Kevin Mitchell as evidence that they had no plans to retire 24. That could have changed if Manny Ramirez stayed with Boston but now you'll see someone else wearing 24 shortly.

Tony Conigliaro - some oldtimers will argue for the retirement of number 25 but you don't retire numbers for "could have beens". Gord Kluzak could have been one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history but knee injuries caused him to retire early. You don't see the Bruins retiring his number. There have been 12 players to wear 25 since Tony C - the most current being Mike Lowell.

Red Sox Magic Number - 25

The Red Sox magic number is currently 25.

The number 25 is currently worn by Red Sox 3rd baseman Mike Lowell. I have long been of the opinion that the Red Sox should re-sign Mike Lowell for another year or two. In spring training they probably could have extended him for just another year but now it will probably take a minimum of a two-year contract to get him to come back.

Mike Lowell has said that he really wants to stay in Boston and the value of a player who not only can handle the pressure of playing in Boston but thrives in that environment should not be underestimated. Lowell is a leader both on the field and in the clubhouse and even if his offense declines over the next two years - he still brings Gold Glove caliber defense to the table. Red Sox fans want Mike Lowell to come back - they don't want A-Rod.

To older Red Sox fans - the number 25 means Tony C - Tony Conigliaro. I'm too young to remember Tony C. but I realize that to many Tony C was really something special.

In terms of wedding anniversaries - 25 is the Silver Anniversary. Looking at the Red Sox - even though they have the best record in baseball - I think the team will earn only one Silver Slugger award this year. At 2nd base - Dustin Pedroia has an uphill battle trying to wrest the award from the likes of Placido Polanco, Brian Roberts and Robinson Cano. Manny Ramirez has won 8 consecutive Silver Slugger Awards (in 2002 as a DH) but that streak is in jeopardy. The awards this year probably goes to Magglio Ordonez, Ichiro Suzuki and Vlade Guererro. David Ortiz has to be the leader to win the Silver Slugger at DH but you never know.

There was about an hour and a half period yesterday when the Red Sox magic number was 26. I was going to use that opportunity to mention that the Red Sox will not be retiring the number 26 to honor Wade Boggs. Since Boggs left the Red Sox - 11 players have worn the number 26. It is a token of the esteem not felt toward Boggs that players like Lou Merloni and Freddy Sanchez have been given that number after the selfish bastard Boggs took his act on the road. Boggs was inducted into the Hall of Fame two years ago. If the Red Sox owners felt inclined to honor Boggs - they would have announced it by now.