Ramon Hernandez has been in the big leagues for 14 seasons and has worn #55 for all but one of them. Acquired in yesterday's trade with Colorado, Hernandez is comfortable with the number, prefers it and thinks of it as “his” number. It would seem only natural for Hernandez to keep 55 as his own.
The problem is the Dodger roster already has a #55 in reliever Matt Guerrier.
What happens in a case like this? Isn’t there some sort of secret baseball protocol?
“I already talked to Guerrier,” said a smiling Hernandez. “He told me it doesn’t mean anything to him. He said he’d give it to me.”
Guerrier broke into the Big Leagues with the Twins in 2004, was handed #54, and wore it for seven seasons before coming to Los Angeles. When he signed with the Dodgers before the 2011 season, his familiar #54 was being worn by fellow reliever Javy Guerra.
“I was 54 for quite a few years,” Guerrier said. “Then I came here, and Javy had it. They gave me 55 and I thought, why not? I figured new team, new number, it sort of makes sense.”
Now Guerrier will give 55 to Hernandez and receive 54 from bullpen mate Guerra.
Baseball tradition suggests a gift exchange might result. When a player gives a teammate the number off of his back, he often receives some sort of compensation in return. With the juggling of numbers will that happen?
“I’m not going to ask for anything,” said Guerrier.
The pitcher offered clarification about how the tradition works.
“That’s usually when a veteran comes in and takes a number from a rookie. You buy him something just because.”
Though he’s not expecting anything, the reliever is likely to receive a token of appreciation from the newly acquired catcher.
“I’ll probably do something for him,” said Hernandez, grinning.
Hernandez seemed to enjoy talking about an unwritten tradition of the game, but wouldn't reveal everything about the process.
When asked about what he might get for Guerrier, a pitcher he’ll catch this season, Hernandez balked.
“That’s a gift nobody needs to know about.”
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