...And Paul Responds (Part 2)

by Paul Semedinger

March 19, 2026

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Our contributor, Dusty Writes, brought up a host of great questions on Tuesday. Today I plan to share my thoughts and responses to some of Dusty's questions and points. We hope our readers join in the fun in the comments as well...

Dusty's original comments are in bold.

If you were to choose which players should be in the Hall of Fame, would you have less players in the HOF than currently in the HOF?

This is a tough question in some ways, and easy in others. In short, there are players who belong in the Hall of Fame who are not in there.

I also do not believe in taking players out of the Hall of Fame as some suggest. Every player in the Hall of Fame was very very good in his own way. Some were better, much better, than others, but the players enshrined each certainly have a case (although some of those cases aren't very strong). Still, since they are in, they should stay in.

With that being said, one would have to call me a big Hall of Fame guy because, as noted, I believe there are a host of players who deserve to be in the Hall of Fame who are not there. Among Yankees, these include Graig Nettles, Thurman Munson, and Tommy John. Strong cases can be made for others as well.

And then, there are retired numbers and Monument Park... How have the Yankees failed to retire number 11 for Lefty Gomez (and others)?

I agree. The Yankees' process for honoring players with retired numbers and with inclusion in Monument Park is flawed, arbitrary, and unfair, at best. In some ways it is downright cruel. Long time Yankees greats sit on the outside, grow older, and observe the team they played for, and starred for, honoring younger players who were not their equals. It's wrong.

The Yankees have never articulated a criteria for inclusion in Monument Park. Their process is completely arbitrary.

For example, the Yankees had three big pitchers for the 1949-53 World Championship squads. Only one of the three is in Monument Park. Allie Reynolds is in Monument Park. Vic Raschi and Ed Lopat are not.

Hank Bauer was a better player than Paul O'Neill and yet O'Neill's number is in Monument Park and he had his number retired.

The Yankees have also never honored a third baseman in Monument Park. Graig Nettles belongs there. Of that there is no question. He was also a captain on the Yankees.

Roy White was a top player who has served the franchise in many ways, and was a better Yankee than a host of players in Monument Park, but he has never been honored there.

Dave Winfield also.

It's time for the Yankees to recognize these players.

In regard to retired numbers, number 8 has been retired for two players... the Yankees should do the same for uniform number 6 (Roy White and Joe Torre) and number 9 (Roger Maris, Hank Bauer, and Graig Nettles) among others.

As far as statues go, it is amazing the Yankees do not have statues of their great players as far as I know (except of Berra and Larsen inside the stadium). Other teams, with nowhere near the success of the Yankees have great statues of their players outside near their stadiums. 

Again, I agree. I have always felt that there should be a Babe Ruth statue in Babe Ruth Plaza outside the stadium. That should be the first of many.

The Yankees " museum" inside the stadium is nowhere close to being as comprehensive as other teams.

The Yankees "museum," feels like an afterthought that is tucked away in a corner. When one sees the way other teams honor their history, the Yankees' approach is severely lacking.

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(Shameless Plug - I discuss Monument Park and such in two of my Yankees books: The Greatest New York Yankees By Uniform Number and The Least Among Them. Also, Roy White's case for inclusion in Monument Park is made in From Compton to the Bronx.)