According to Bill Plunkett, the Angels spring training roster has already assigned jersey numbers and the assignments pay little heed to recent Angels legends.
Alexia Amarista will be wearing Chone Figgins' familiar Number 9 in Tempe.
Infielder Abel Nieves will sport Garret Anderson's #16
Terry Evans will be the first Angel sport #17 since Darin Erstad last wore it in the 2006 season. Evans is out of options and already on the 40-Man roster so there is a high likelihood of him making the team. Evans wore jersey #64 in his previous major league appearances, and the honor of that high number will be handed to Hank Conger when he reports to camp a week from Monday.
Gary Matthews Jr. will not even receive the one-season turnover, as power hitter Mark Trumbo has been assigned #24.
The Troy Glaus hold on #25 was broken in 2008 by the Mark Teixeira trade and now #25 is the property of hot outfield prospect Peter Bourjos.
Even the great Vladimir Guerrero's #27 will be sported in camp. Look for infield prospect Andrew Romine to wear this on his jersey sans dreadlocks.
While Tommy Mendoza is a longshot to make the team out of spring, his assigned jersey of #39 signals that the Robb Quinlan era in Anaheim is most definitely over.
Three available jersey numbers that are not being assigned...
#15, #31 and #34: Tim Salmon, Chuck Finley and Nick Adenhart.