PHOENIX -- Orlando Hudson's eyes grew wide, and his expression was incredulous when he was asked this week if he intended to wear Jackie Robinson's No. 42 upon the celebration of next Tuesday's anniversary of the Brooklyn Dodgers great breaking the color barrier on April 15, 1947.

"Of course, I'm going to wear No. 42," the Diamondbacks' second baseman said on Tuesday. "Why do you even have to ask? If he didn't do what he did, I wouldn't be here. I just wouldn't be here."

Since Commissioner Bud Selig proclaimed that, for the second consecutive year, any big league player can wear the late Hall of Famer's retired jersey in action on Tuesday, the acceptances have come in fast and furious.

"All players have the option; it's entirely up to them," Selig said. "Candidly, I hope they all do it."

Hudson did so last year, along with D-backs teammates Chris Young and Eric Byrnes. All say they will wear it again. And as the early returns came in, it is clear that each of the 30 teams is taking a different approach. The Rays, for instance, have determined that all 25 players will do it. The Brewers, who were big on the unity thing last year, have designated one player this time around: first baseman Prince Fielder.

"It's pretty cool," said Fielder, whose name was picked out of a hat. "What [Robinson] did, what he had to go through, I couldn't have done it. You guys know my temper. I'm glad he was able to do it for me, so I didn't have to deal with that."

Many other teams have opened it up to two or three uniformed personnel. From the Reds camp, right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. and manager Dusty Baker confirmed their allegiance. From the Indians, center fielder Grady Sizemore and left-hander C.C. Sabathia said they were both again proud to do it. Among the Mariners, outfielder Charlton Jimerson said wearing a baseball jersey with the No. 42 on his back would be a special thrill.

"It would be an honor, it really would," Jimerson said.

Young center fielder Joey Gathright, right fielder Jose Guillen and first-year manager Trey Hillman will make up the Royals' contingent.

"For me, Jackie Robinson is the first black man I ever heard speak proper English and seem well-educated, so he did a lot for me," Gathright said. "He let me know there was a lot more out there in the world than just living in Mississippi in the woods.

"He brought baseball to me, was able to speak as a black man to me -- a lot of things. It was the way he was, and I respected him a lot."

From the Padres, Tony Clark and Scott Hairston will wear it. From the Cubs, Daryle Ward and Derrek Lee are on board for the second consecutive season.

"Anything you can do to bring awareness to what [Robinson] did and pay your respects to what he did is definitely a good thing," Lee said.

From the Marlins, it will be Bo Porter, Florida's third base/outfield coach. From the Orioles, it's 22-year-old center fielder Adam Jones. The Astros have asked center fielder Michael Bourn to represent them. On the Phillies, shortstop Jimmie Rollins was bestowed the honor. From the Braves, it's veteran center fielder Mark Kotsay.

"Obviously, it means a great deal to represent something that Major League Baseball has made into a tradition," Kotsay said. "You pay your respects to the fact that this man and many others went through those racially motivated trials and tribulations."

Tuesday is the 61st anniversary of the day Robinson put on a Brooklyn uniform in a regular-season game for the first time, thus reintegrating MLB forever. This year's signature event will be at Shea Stadium -- which is in its last season -- as the Nationals visit the Mets. The Mets' manager, Brooklyn native Willie Randolph, is a great admirer of Robinson, but Randolph said on Wednesday that he probably won't replicate last year, when he was the only Met to wear the legendary number.

"I'll probably just keep my number," said Randolph, who wears No. 12. "Maybe one of the players would want to wear it, and that would be fine."

Thus far, none of the Mets players have determined who's going to take the torch from Randolph.

Selig retired Robinson's number throughout baseball by proclamation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebration in 1997.

Robinson was simply issued that number by then-equipment manager John Griffin upon his arrival in Brooklyn. Robinson wasn't the first or the last player to wear the famous jersey for the Dodgers. In 1939, George Jeffcoat did so when he pitched in only one game. And long after Robinson retired in 1956, it was issued again to pitcher Ray Lamb. But Lamb was so uncomfortable wearing the number, that in 1969, he gave it up when the season ended. Lamb remained with the Dodgers for only one more season.

After that, it was never worn again by a Dodger and was retired by the club in 1972, a decade after Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame.

The idea of "unretiring" Robinson's number last year was Griffey's brainchild. He personally petitioned the Commissioner for the opportunity. So it was a no-brainer that he'd be doing it again this time around.

"You know what number I'll be wearing," Griffey said on Tuesday.

Baker -- one of four African-American managers in baseball, including Randolph, Ron Washington of the Rangers and Cecil Cooper of the Astros -- was out of uniform last season and wasn't able to participate. But there's no doubt about this year.

"That'd be cool. It's appropriate and necessary," said Baker, a native of Sacramento, Calif., where he makes his offseason home. "I have Jackie all over my house. I have a special Jackie Robinson wall in my memorabilia room."

Last year, full squads, such as the Dodgers, Pirates, Cardinals, Astros and Brewers, honored Robinson as the 25 players on each team wore No. 42. Dodger Stadium was the scene of the central ceremony for last year's 60th anniversary.

Thus far, only Tampa Bay has stepped forward as a unit.

"If we are the only team to do it, then that would be cool," said Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Mariano Rivera, of course, has worn No. 42 since he joined the Yankees in 1995, and he was among the players grandfathered in when Selig retired Robinson's number throughout baseball. Rivera is the only remaining active player who still wears it daily.

"You're not just talking about any player or any person," Rivera said about the legacy left by Robinson. "The respect that he had for the game, the passion that he had for the game, how he played the game -- we should respect that and tribute that."