A look into the world of number assignments at Astros camp

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- When veteran second baseman Brendan Rodgers signed with the Astros earlier this spring, he was given a sheet of paper showing him which jersey numbers were available for him to wear. He wore No. 7 with the Rockies, his previous team, but the Astros retired that number for Hall of Fame second baseman Craig Biggio.

¡°Seven is retired, and it felt like 1 through 35 were taken, whether it was coaches or players,¡± he said.

Rodgers¡¯ only choices were 54, 92, 96, 97 and 99, so that made the decision an easy one. He took No. 54, which is a high number for an infielder, especially one with more than five years of service time and a Gold Glove under his belt. Luis Guillorme, met with similar choices, wound up asking to wear No. 0.

¡°I¡¯m not too worried about a Spring Training number,¡± Rodgers said. ¡°I like to have that feeling that you¡¯ve got to earn it.¡±

The process of assigning numbers in Spring Training can be challenging for the clubhouse staff. Rodgers¡¯ addition last month gave the Astros 66 players in camp at the time. There are 13 members of the Major League coaching staff wearing a jersey number, and 11 numbers are retired. Houston announced earlier this year it was retiring Billy Wagner¡¯s No. 13 -- after it had been assigned to free agent Christian Walker, who switched to No. 8.

What¡¯s more, the Astros haven¡¯t issued No. 57 since former pitcher Darryl Kile died unexpectedly in 2002. He wore 57 for the Astros from 1991-97 and no player has worn it since.

¡°It¡¯s challenging because there¡¯s a lot of people here and a lot of numbers being used,¡± Astros clubhouse manager Carl Schneider said. ¡°We usually try to look at the guys who have the most Major League service time [and give them preference] and work that way.¡±

The numbers of the four players who were on the 2022 World Series championship team and are with new clubs this year -- Alex Bregman¡¯s No. 2, Kyle Tucker¡¯s No. 30, Justin Verlander¡¯s No. 35 and Ryan Pressly¡¯s No. 55 -- are out of circulation for the time being. The Astros only this year re-issued the No. 1 worn for years by star shortstop Carlos Correa, who signed with the Twins in ¡¯22. Cooper Hummel wears No. 1 now.

¡°There¡¯s not really a set number of years, but we do try to not put someone in that quickly just out of respect for the player and what they brought to the organization, and also not putting the next player in there and having that [pressure] on him,¡± Schneider said.

Astros utility player Mauricio Dub¨®n was assigned 14 when he was traded to Houston in ¡®22, a number which grew to have significant meaning to him.
¡°My grandma passed away on July 14, my great grandma passed away on July 14, my stepdad¡¯s dad passed away on July 14,¡± he said. ¡°Fourteen has a big meaning for me.¡±

Jose Altuve said there was a No. 27 jersey hanging in his locker when he was called up to the big leagues from Double-A in 2011, and that number is now likely to be retired down the road.

Pitcher Spencer Arrighetti wore 27, 37 and 14 in the Minor Leagues and found a No. 41 jersey in his locker when he was called up last year.

¡°I got a number and I¡¯m in the big leagues, you know?¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t really be upset.¡±

Outfielder Ben Gamel switched numbers this year, going from 12 to 11 to allow new coach Tony Perezchica to wear 12. And bench coach Omar Lopez is back to wearing No. 22 after outfielder Jayson Heyward wore it last year. If a player wants to change his number, he could be on the hook for buying all the retail items -- jerseys, etc. -- that bear his old number. That could cost the player more than $100,000 in some cases.

Or, in the case of manager Joe Espada, who wears No. 19, it could have a much higher price.

¡°My wife has the kids¡¯ jerseys and hoodies and she has a purse with 19 on it,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s like, ¡®Whoever asks for 19, needs to talk to me.¡¯¡±