First things first — I like Paul O’Neill. He was a linchpin of a dynasty that seems like it won’t be matched for decades, if ever. His nine seasons as a Yankee are impressive, as he exceeded all expectations and hit .303/.377/.492 in New York, with 185 home runs to boot. He’s also stuck around the franchise as an in-game analyst for the YES Network. In my mind, that’s absolutely deserving of the plaque he received in Monument Park in 2014.
However, I think that the Yankees’ announcement yesterday that they will be retiring No. 21 in his honor this upcoming August (assuming there’s a season!