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KNBR reported on Sunday that Matt Moore would be taking the jersey number of beloved former-Giant, Tim Lincecum. This, of course, sent an already upset fan base into a tailspin, prompting Moore himself to intervene:
Haven’t had one conversation about changing my number since the day I was traded. I will be 45 next season unless they tell me otherwise
— Matt Moore (@MattyMoe55) December 10, 2017
The source for the KNBR report was apparently Chris Haft from MLB.com. However, Alex Pavlovich of NBC News Bay Area advised that it was based on a typo on a roster.
Haft has since issued a correction and apology:
Correction: Giants LHP Matt Moore is NOT inheriting Tim Lincecum's No. 55. I was told the roster I consulted was erroneous. I apologize to all who were upset or inconvenienced in any way. Though the roster appeared in an MLB Winter Meetings guide, I should have double-checked it.
— Chris Haft/SF Giants (@sfgiantsbeat) December 11, 2017
This is not, of course, the first time Moore has been mixed up with the Tim Lincecum legacy. When he was traded from Tampa Bay in 2016, it was initially reported that he would wear #55, the number he’d worn throughout his time with the Rays.
While not clear if that was actually the plan, he quickly cleared the air by saying he’d wear #45 instead, out of respect to Lincecum’s special place in the hearts of San Francisco fans. A sentiment that has clearly not changed since then.
Though the KNBR report remains online, I think it’s safe to say that this is one issue the Giants don’t have to worry about for the 2018 season.