Are the growing numbers of players planning to wear Jackie Robinson's No. 42 on Sunday too much of a good thing? Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter thinks so.
"This is supposed to be an honor," Hunter told USA Today, "and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you've got entire teams doing it. I think we're killing the meaning.
"It should be special wearing Jackie's number, not just because it looks cool," Hunter told the newspaper.
"It kind of waters it down," Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia told USA Today. "I could see the Dodgers since that was his team, but not everyone else."
What started as Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. receiving special permission from Robinson's widow Rachel to honor the 60th anniversary of Robinson integrating the major leagues has ballooned into more than 150 players saying they'll don Robinson's No. 42 on Sunday. Five entire teams -- the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros -- will field rosters of 42s for the day.
"I didn't know so many guys planned to wear the number. I sure wasn't expecting whole teams to wear it," Griffey told the newspaper of his gesture-turned-movement. "But I'm not going to look at it as a negative. This is a tribute for what the man has done, a day to celebrate."
But Los Angeles Angels left fielder Garret Anderson told the newspaper he won't wear No. 42. "I just don't feel I'm worthy of it," he explained.