Carter is sick now, news that has devastated the Mets’ family and fan base. And the Mets face a disquieting choice now. Even an operation as tone-deaf as this ought to know that it should finally step up and do the right thing, have a day sometime in the next few months, put Carter’s 8 up on the wall next to 37, 14, 41 and 42.

Would it look like they would be reacting to the horrific news of Carter’s brain cancer? Maybe. And you know what? That’s tough. The Mets could’ve done the right thing on their own years ago. Now they need to give their fans an opportunity to thank and salute Carter, whether he is physically up for the task or not. And because the Mets couldn’t identify the right thing to do if it was a neon sign, then shaming them into doing the right thing will have to do.

– Mike Vaccaro, N.Y. Post.

I’ve left this one alone because Carter’s health issues sort of hit close to home for me, though I suppose cancer hits pretty close to home for most people. And I’m not interested in getting into a whole thing about whether Carter’s contributions to the Mets in his five-season tenure with the club merit retiring his number, because retired numbers are a pretty subjective thing on the whole.

But here’s what I’m wondering: Has anyone asked Carter if he wants his number retired?

Carter has inoperable glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He is currently enduring radiation and chemotherapy treatments, which do brutal things to the body to try to slow the spread of the disease.

I don’t know Carter and I certainly can’t speak for the man. And one thing I’ve learned from this job is that baseball players — especially those of Carter’s caliber — are programmed a bit differently than I am.

But… I don’t know. Man. I guess I don’t understand why so many people seem to assume a guy staring at brain cancer wants some relatively meaningless (and inevitably grim) ceremony in his honor when he’s going through what he’s going through.

Is this something people want for Gary Carter or is this something people want for themselves? Is it all about honoring a Mets legend and “making it right”? Or does some part of this great campaign to retire No. 8 have something to do with our own sadness — not just for Carter and his situation but for ourselves and the crushing fragility of everything — and some human need to provide life with a neat climax to help us better process something that’s damn near impossible to process?

Or maybe that’s just me. Maybe I’m extrapolating too much. I loved Gary Carter when I was a kid, and if the Mets want to retire his number and he’s up for it too, then great.

Any recent news on Carter’s health has come via updates from his daughter to his family’s private website. Carter released one statement on the matter, after his diagnosis. It said this:

My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition.