Fortunately, No Ones Taken Jersey Number 7--At Least Not Yet

Update--Pete Orr has switched jersey numbers and it's NUMBER 7 for Spring Training!! Destin Hood Number 77(is that doubly bad?). Other Non Roster Invitees: Freddie Bynum Number 1, Corey Patterson is Number 4. Jose Castillo Number 8 & Jorge Sosa 55.


Nationals.com posted up the updated Uniform Numbers for the current 40 Man Roster of Our Washington Nationals. A couple of players have changed their numbers for 2009.

Willie Harris no longer Number 1, but Number 22. Interesting and why? Although Harris was actually assigned Number 22 in November--according to a late 2008 season roster release notice.

Kory Casto will wear Number 27 this season, not his old Number 5.

I believe New Bench Coach Jim Riggleman has worn Number 5 in most of his stops around The Majors--but I am not sure.

Rule V Draftee Terrell Young has taken Big Jon Rauch's Old Number--51.

A number which Shairon Martis wore for his 2008 September Debut. For his sophomore appearance, Martis will wear 39.

39 was Former Bench Coach Pat Corrales' Number.

New Lefthanded Starter Scott Olsen will wear his customary 19, meaning Tyler Clippard was reassigned with Number 36.

36 has been used regularly by Four Different Washington Players over the past four years--none of whom have stayed with the team. Charlie Manning and Ray King both filled that uniform number in 2008. Levale Speigner & Tony Armas wore that number in the previous three seasons.

Wil Nieves moved up from wearing 53 to 23. The same number shared by three other Catchers on Washington's Roster--Brian Schneider, Johnny Estrada and Luke Montz.

Montz--must be falling off the team's radar. He was reassigned Number 79 for 2009--usually not a good sign. The same must be stated about Marco Estrada. Number 55 last year, 74 this year.

Josh Willingham took Number 16 instead of his usual Number 14--That's Our Manager Manny Acta's Number. Coach Bobby Natal, Mike Vento, Justin Maxwell, Wily Mo Pena and Paul LoDuca all have worn Number 16 for Washington in the past.

Maxwell now Number 30, Pena Number 26. Rookie Leonard Davis gets 28.

Daniel Cabrera will get Number 49.

42 can not be worn as a tribute to Jackie Robinson.

If Non-Roster invitees Pete Orr (Number 4), Dmitri Young (21), Ryan Langerhans (29), Ryan Wagner (35) & Jesus Colome (43) get their past jersey numbers, that would leave 1, 7, 8, 9, 13, 17, 18, 20 (Frank Robinson's Number), 27, 32 (Chad Cordero), 37, 45, 53, 55 & 56 as possible numbers to be worn by new players--figuring anything above 60 is not a typical 25 Man Roster Number.

Number 33 is only number below 60 NEVER TO BE WORN by any player for Our Washington Nationals. Here's hoping that's a nice hat tip to Frank Howard--The Expansion Washington Senators Greatest Player--who wore Number 33 on his back from 1969 until The Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 Season.

How fortunate no one has seen fit to take the most cursed number in the short history of Our Washington Nationals either--Number 7. Brad Wilkerson, Wiki Gonzalez, Felipe Lopez, Nook Logan, Roger Bernadina and Emilio Bonifacio all have had the pleasure of wearing that number. You can see how long they lasted here wearing that on their backs. Bernadina must have figured it out early and switched to Number 2 during his second trip back to The Big Leagues in 2008 (after FLop was released).

And Dear Clubhouse Manager, please don't assign Number 7 to Destin Hood for Spring Training. Sohna and I don't want to see this promising young man have The Baseball Gods turn against him from the very start of his Big League Career.

PS--4, 26 & 47 have all also had six different players wear those numbers on their backs. But at least some have had some success in DC. Langerhans & Orr with 4, Marlon Byrd & John Lannan with 26; Matt Chico with 47. When Josh Willingham steps on the diamond with 16, he will be the 6th Nat to wear that number.

Cristian Guzman (15), Nick Johnson (24), Chad Cordero (32), Shawn Hill (41), Luia Ayala (56) & Jason Bergmann (57) are the only players to wear those numbers in the past four seasons. Former Manager Frank Robinson is the only person to ever wear 20 and Pitching Coach Randy St.Claire is the only person to wear 46.

Brandon Watson wore 00 for a period of time and is the only person to ever don such a jersey in DC.

Above 60--Livan Hernandez wore 61, Winston Abreu 63 and Tony Batista 77.

142 different players have worn a uniform for Our Washington Nationals in a Major League Game.