Infielder Andrew McCray’s number 21 will be retired this season. Until someone decides they really, really want 21, or Andrew decides to return.

The Ducks were without a shortstop from 2005 to late in the ’07 season when McCray came aboard. It was embarrassing how bad we used to lose in those seasons when we wore red and had no shortstop. We always had a serviceable lineup, decent pitching and solid hitting, with a few really good players, but no shortstop. McCray changed that and helped spark our rise to respectability. Since then, shortstop has been a position of strength.

The left-handed hitting McCray played from 07 to ’10. He hit bombs on a bad leg.

Shades of Kirk Gibson.

***

Retired numbers, 9, 10,13 and 17 are in play this season, but I made sure the players wearing those numbers this year would represent them well. TC’s number came down because he is playing again. I take this kind of shit just seriously enough, I think.

quack.