Has Major League Baseball Watered Down Jackie's Honor?

Is Major League Baseball getting carried away with the Jackie Robinson tribute to the point where it's becoming watered down? At last count five whole teams are going to be wearing No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. I kind of understood it when the Dodgers said they wanted to do it, despite the fact that J.R. never played in L.A. And it's neat that each team was going to be allowed one player to wear that number in tribute to him, but five whole teams? I'm not the only one wondering whether this is such a great idea...

From KFSN-TV:

"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."

I think Torii Hunter hit the nail on the head. Players (many of whom haven't got the first clue about the history of the game, which also never ceases to amaze me) seem to be latching on to wearing Jackie's number more for the "coolness" of it, than for the honor of it.

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 balooned into more than 150 players saying they'll don Robinson's No. 42 on Sunday.

If 150+ players are wearing it, is it still a "special" honor? Garret Anderson has actually taken heat for NOT wearing the number, despite what I think makes more sense than having whole teams wear it.

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.

And here is an interesting fact from USA Today: Only 72 African-American players were on opening-day rosters this year, but more than 150 players are scheduled to wear No. 42.

What do you think about all this?