Fred Mitchell reports the Cubs are finally going to retire No. 31:

At long last, Ferguson Jenkins received the call. The Cubs plan to retire the No. 31 he and future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux wore during a special ceremony May 3 before the Cubs host the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field. "I knew eventually it would happen," Jenkins said Wednesday from Arizona. "It is good for the fans. It's important fans recognize it, as well as the organization. I am having family members come down and friends I made over a couple of decades playing for the organization." Jenkins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 but has had to wait as the uniform numbers of former teammates Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg were retired. Jenkins insists he does not know why the Cubs delayed his honor. "No, not really," he said. "When they had a day for me the year I went into the Hall, I thought it would have happened then. But nobody ever brought it up. "You know, there's a time to do things, and unfortunately it just wasn't that time."

If I may … • Ernie Banks spent all 19 seasons of his career with the Cubs. • Billy Williams spent 16 of his 18 seasons with the Cubs. • Ron Santo spent 14 of his 15 seasons with the Cubs. • Ryne Sandberg spent 15 of his 16 seasons with the Cubs. And Ferguson Jenkins? He spent 10 of his 19 seasons with the Cubs. I'm sorry, but a significant distinction may be drawn here. All of those other guys spent the vast majority of their careers with the Cubs, and none of them had any good seasons with any other club. Jenkins, while certainly a Cub in our memories, enjoyed some of his best seasons with the Rangers and the Red Sox. But you take Jenkins' 10 seasons and Greg Maddux's 10 seasons? Now you've got something. That is a pitcher whose number is worth retiring. Even if that pitcher is actually two pitchers. And those two pitchers should make for one fantastic ceremony at Wrigley Field this spring.