The Minnesota Twins have announced that they will be retiring Number 10, the number of former manager Tom Kelly.  Kelly won two World Series as the leader of the Twins (1987 and 1991) and is the team’s all-time leader in managerial wins, 1,140 in 15 seasons with the Twins.  The number will be retired on September 8.

This got me wondering about the retired numbers and what number has been the most retired. 

#1 – Retired by 7 teams.

#2 – Retired by 4 teams.

#3 – Retired by 6 teams.

#4 – Retired by 8 teams.

#5 – Retired by 8 teams.

#6 – Retired by 6 teams.

#7 – Retired by 2 teams.

#8 – Retired by 6 teams, but 7 players are recognized as the Yankees retired the number twice.

#9 – Retired by 6 teams.

#10 – Retired by 5 teams, but 6 players are recognized as the Nationals retired the number twice.

#11 – Retired by 5 teams.

#12 – Retired by 2 teams.

#13 – Retired by 1 team.

#14 – Retired by 7 teams.

#15 – Retired by 1 team.

#16 – Retired by 3 teams.

#17 – Retired by 1 team.

#18 – Retired by 2 teams.

#19 – Retired by 5 teams.

#20 – Retired by 9 teams.

#21 – Retired by 3 teams.

#22 – Retired by 1 team.

#23 – Retired by 3 teams.

#24 – Retired by 6 teams.

#25 – Retired by 1 team.

#26 – Retired by 3 teams.

#27 – Retired by 3 teams.

#28 – Retired by 1 team.

#29 – Retired by 2 teams.

#30 – Retired by 3 teams.

#31 – Retired by 3 teams, but 4 players are recognized as the Cubs retired the number twice.

#32 – Retired by 4 teams.

#33 – Retired by 3 teams.

#34 – Retired by 5 teams.

#35 – Retired by 3 teams.

#36 – Retired by 2 teams.

#37 – Retired by 2 teams.

#38 – Not yet retired

#39 – Retired by 1 team.

#40 – Retired by 2 teams.

#41 – Retired by 2 teams.

#42 – Retired by 2 teams and retired by Major League Baseball.

#43 – Retired by 1 team.

#44 – Retired by 4 teams.

#45 – Retired by 1 team.

#46 – Not yet retired

#47 – Retired by 1 team.

#48 – Not yet retired.

#49 – Retired by 1 team.

#50 – Not yet retired.

#51 – Retired by 1 team.

#53 – Retired by 1 team.

#72 – Retired by 1 team.

#85 – Retired by 1 team.

There are 164 numbers retired in Major League Baseball.

Hank Aaron has #44 retired by the Braves and the Brewers. (Hall of Famer)

Sparky Anderson has #11 retired by the Tigers and #10 retired by the Reds. (Hall of Famer)

Rod Carew has #29 retired by the Twins and the Angels. (Hall of Famer)

Rollie Fingers has #34 retired by the Brewers and Athletics. (Hall of Famer)

Carlton Fisk has #27 retired by the Red Sox and #72 retired by the White Sox. (Hall of Famer)

Reggie Jackson has #9 retired by the Athletics and #44 by the Yankees. (Hall of Famer)

Greg Maddux has #31 retired by the Braves and the Cubs. (Soon to be a Hall of Famer)

Frank Robinson has #20 retired by the Red and the Orioles. (Hall of Famer)

Nolan Ryan has #30 retired by the Angels and #34 retired by the Astros and the Rangers. (Hall of Famer)

Casey Stengel has #37 retired by the Mets and the Yankees. (Hall of Famer)

Numbers retired by team:

Angels – 5 (Two for Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Nolan Ryan.  One for former owner Gene Autry.  One for Jim Fregosi, former manager and player.  One for Jimmy Reese who played for the Angels 23 straight years)

Astros – 8 (One for hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.  One each for probable Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio.  One each for former players Jimmy Wynn and Jose Cruz.  Former pitchers Mike Scott and Don Wilson, who threw two no-hitters for the Astros.  One for former manager Larry Dierker)

Athletics – 5 (One each for Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers)

Blue Jays – 1 (One for recent inductee Roberto Alomar)

Braves – 8 (One each for Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Eddie Mathews and Warren Spahn.  One each for future Hall of Famers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux.  One for long-time outfielder Dale Murphy and one for long-time manager Bobby Cox)

Brewers – 4 (One for Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Hank Aaron, Paul Molitor and Robin Yount)

Cardinals – 11 (One for Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Dizzy Dean, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst and Bruce Sutter.  One for infielder and manager Ken Boyer and one for August Busch, former team CEO who was with the organization over 30 years)

Cubs – 6 (One for Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Ron Santo and Billy Williams.  One for future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux)

Diamondbacks – 1 (One for outfielder Luis Gonzalez)

Dodgers – 10 (One for Hall of Famers Don Drysdale, Walter Alston, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Don Sutton and they Dodgers retired #42 for Jackie Robinson before the number was retired by Major League Baseball.  One for former 14-year player Jim Gillam)

Giants – 9 (One for Hall of Famers Gaylord Perry, Carl Hubbell, Monte Irvin, Orlando Cepeda, Mel Ott, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Bill Terry)

Indians – 7 (One for Hall of Famers Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Earl Averill and Bob Lemon.  One for 20-year pitcher Mel Harder.  The Indians retired #455 for the fans to honor their 455 consecutive sellouts at Jacobs Field.)

Marlins – 1 (The Marlins retired a number for Carl Barger, first team president who passed away before the team’s first game)

Mets – 2 (One for Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Casey Stengel.  One for Gil Hodges, manager of the Miracle Mets of 1969.

Nationals – 4 (One for Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Andre Dawson.  One for potential Hall of Famer Tim Raines.  One for long-time Expos outfielder Rusty Staub.  When the organization moved to Washington from Montreal, the Nationals originally did not recognize the Expos numbers but changed their mind to honor these players.  The Montreal Canadians currently have the Expos retired numbers on display.)

Orioles – 6 (One each for Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Earl Weaver)

Padres – 5 (One each for Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Dave Winfield.  One for popular pitcher Randy Jones.  One for playoff hero Steve Garvey and one for future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman)

Phillies – 5 (One each for Hall of Famers Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton, Jim Bunning, Mike Schmidt and Robin Roberts)

Pirates – 9 (One each for Hall of Famers Paul Waner, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Ralph Kiner, Pie Traynor, Roberto Clemente and Honus Wagner.  One for long-time member of the Pirates organization Billy Meyer.  Long-time manager Danny Murtaugh also has a retired number)

Rangers – 2 (One for Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and one for manager Johnny Oates who passed away)

Rays – 1 (One for Hall of Famer Wade Boggs)

Red Sox – 7 (One each for Hall of Famers Jim Rice, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin and Carlton Fisk.  One for popular player Johnny Pesky)

Reds – 8 (One each for Hall of Famers Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Joe Morgan, Sparky Anderson and Johnny Bench.  One for former manager Fred Hutchinson.  One for infielders Dave Concepcion and Ted Kluszewski.  The Reds had retired #5 in 1942, when player Williard Hershberger committed suicide.  The number was returned shortly after.)

Royals – 3 (One for Hall of Famer George Brett.  One for infielder Frank White and one for manager Dick Howser)

Tigers – 6 (One each for Hall of Famers Al Kaline, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Sparky Anderson and Hal Newhouser.  One for popular player Willie Horton)

Twins – 5 (One each for Hall of Famers Kirby Puckett, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew.  One each for popular players Tony Oliva and Kent Hrbek)

White Sox – 9 (One each for Hall of Famers Luis Aparicio, Ted Lyons, Luke Appling and Carlton Fisk.  Popular players Minnie Minoso, Harold Baines and Billy Pierce all have their numbers retired and potential Hall of Famer Frank Thomas has his number retired also)

Yankees – 16 (One each for Hall of Famers Whitey Ford, Casey Stengel, Reggie Jackson, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey.  Long time manager Billy Martin has his number retired.  Popular players Don Mattingly, Elston Howard and Roger Maris and pitcher Ron Guidry have numbers retired.  Thurman Munson’s number was retired upon his death.)

The first number ever retired was Lou Gehrig’s #4, retired on July 4, 1939.  In the 1940s, 4 numbers were retired (and one returned into service).  In the 1950s, 4 numbers were retired.  In the 1960s, 8 numbers were retired (4 in 1965).  In the 1970s, 31 numbers were retired (8 in 1972).  In the 1980s, 37 numbers were retired (12 in 1984).  In the 1990s, 42 numbers were retired (8 in 1997).  In the 2000s, 32 numbers were retired (6 in 2005) and since 2010, 10 numbers were retired (5 each in 2010 an 2011).

In addition, the Mariners have not re-circulated #11 (Edgar Martinez), #14 (Lou Pinella), #19 (Jay Buhner) and #24 (Ken Griffey, Jr.) since those players and manager left the organization.  The Rockies have not re-circulated #33 (Larry Walker).  The Reds have not re-circulated #14 and cannot retire the number until Pete Rose’s ban is lifted.  The Dodgers have informally retired #34 (Fernando Valenzuela) and the three teams that Darryl Kile played for (Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals) have not allowed #57 to be worn since he passed away.

So many recently retired players and those playing today are potential number retirees.  Barry Larkin played with the red his whole career and was just elected to the Hall of Fame.  Allan Trammell and Lou Whitaker of the Tigers could have their numbers retired in tandem, as they were as a double play combination.  Mike Piazza could go with the Dodgers or the Mets, just like the Red Sox or the Diamondbacks could honor Curt Schilling. Will the Cubs retire Sammy Sosa’s number after some of the allegations made against him?  The Yankees have a variety of players to think about; Paul O’Neill, Andy Petitte and how about Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.  Will the Mets also retire Gary Carter?  These questions are endless.  Every team has players and managers that they can recognize.

You tell me.  Who is next?