The power of (uniform) numbers and the appeal of humility

Now that he's with a new team -- the Mets -- reliever Scott Schoeneweis has a chance to get rid of an awkward component of his jersey. Since 1999, reports the New York Times, when he made the Angels after wearing number 60 in spring training, he's both been stuck with and stuck to the number.

Traditionally, in spring training, the lower your chance of making the big league squad, the higher your number. Being given "60" meant that the Angels didn't expect Schoeneweis to go to Anaheim with them once they broke camp. But he did go. According to the Times, "The team never offered to give him a lower number, so he kept it. Schoeneweis assumed he would switch at some point, but every year when he arrived at spring training, No. 60 awaited him."

This year, he thought he'd change his number, but the No. 36 jersey that awaited him at Port St. Lucie the other day rubbed him the wrong way. So he's going back to 60. He explained that he wants to remember where he's come from -- it's been a long struggle, including serious health problems, for him to get to the point where he's solid enough for a 3-year, $10.7 million deal.