Kansas City Royals Should Retire Yordano Ventura’s Number
By David Hill
Following the tragic death of young pitcher Yordano Ventura, there are calls for the Kansas City Royals to retire his number. Would that be the right way to honor his memory?
With the sudden and tragic passing of Yordano Ventura, there are questions as to how the Kansas City Royals will honor him going forward. We know that the upcoming season will be dedicated to his memory, and that there will be tributes to him throughout the season. Ventura was a key part of the team, a beloved teammate, and has left a giant void behind.
But will that be enough? Quite a few fans think otherwise, arguing that the Royals should retire his number in a lasting tribute to Ventura. They point to how the Miami Marlins honored Jose Fernandez by retiring number 16 in his honor, feeling the same should be done with Ventura’s 30.
It may be fair to say that Ventura was the most accomplished member of the Royals to wear that number. In the 48 years that the number had been used, Ventura was the 26th player to have that uniform. While players like Kirk Gibson and Orlando Cepeda had excellent careers elsewhere, they were not amongst the greatest Royals of all time. In fact, U L Washington may have the best case as the second best Royal to wear number 30.
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But is that really enough to retire the number for Ventura? Fernandez, despite being over a year younger than Ventura, had a more storied career. He made two All Star Game appearances, won the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, and received Cy Young votes twice. Ventura, meanwhile, was a key part of the Royals two World Series teams, but did not earn any of the accolades that Fernandez had.
Yes, we can speculate about what Ventura would have become. He very well could have unlocked his immense potential and become the star that everyone expected. But, he could have also continued to tantalize with his ability, letting his emotions get the best of him, and not fulfilled his promise.
But you know what? Who cares? This is about Ventura, and honoring his memory. He was much more than what we saw on the mound; he was a beloved teammate and someone who was driven to be the best he could. His fire, and love of life, was contagious. Ventura played with a chip on his shoulder, and fought back no matter the odds. In a lot of ways, he personified the Royals over the last few years.
Maybe he did not have the same statistics and accolades that Fernandez had. And maybe he never would have. But that does not change what he meant to the team, his teammates, and to Kansas City. That alone is worth making sure that number 30 remains Ventura’s perpetually.
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The Kansas City Royals will honor Yordano Ventura throughout the 2017 season, and they will make sure to do so in the right way. That should involve retiring his number.