Until #9 claimed its third victim this year, no number has been passed around more in Metro history than #4. In fact, until Carlos Mendes, no player who wore that number lasted more than a season with Metro (with one obscure asterisked exception). In all, 13 players have worn the number, including two in the first two games in Metro history.

#4 originally belonged to Ken Hesse, but as we detailed in Obscure Metro Files, he only lasted a single game with Metro, before being cut. The Metros signed Cristian da Silva, but did not have enough time to give him his own jersey, so da Silva made his debut as a sub in the Curse of Caricola match... wearing Hesse's jersey with the #4. That would be the only time da Silva would wear that shirt; and since he lasted two plus seasons with Metro, he is the exception mentioned above (but the shirt was not his, hence the asterisk).

Before the year was over, #4 was worn by minor league call-ups Travis Rinker and Ian Hennessy; the latter given it when he was signed for the last part of the season (he wore #27 in his first Metro stint). So one year, four #4s; it will slow down from this point on, but not too much.

In 1997, #4 went to Joao Luiz, another player whose failure we've previously detailed. He only lasted seven games, and the shirt became Branco's, whose two goals will forever be dwarfed by his three red cards.

1998 saw the coming of Diego Sonora, and perhaps the best right back in club history should have made the number his own; he had a great season with three goals and seven assists, but was traded to DC in a salary dump after the season. And then came 1999, and Kevin Knight (another Obscure Metro Files casualty), perhaps the worst player on the worst team in league history.

Thomas Dooley wore #4 for his lone Metro year in 2000, and the aging defender added much-needed class, if not skill, to the forsaken number. It went vacant for most of 2001, before Alex Dixon, a forward, wore it for Copa Merconorte (he never appeared in an MLS game, but since the Copa was an official CONMEBOL competition, he is forever entrenched on the Metro all-time roster).

In 2002, #4 went to rookie Brad Davis, a weird decision considering his position as an attacking midfielder. But he too fell to the one-year-only trend started by Sonora, and was traded to Dallas prior to the 2003 SuperDraft. The trend continued that year as well, as Edgar Bartolomeu could not last until 2004. But he was cut in preseason, no one wore #4 for the following season, as the wandering number got its much-needed respite.

And then Carlos Mendes came on board, an inexplicably broke the trend, making the number his own. He is quietly putting in a second steady season with Metro, and who knows, could make #4 his for years to come. He's already lasted longer than all of the others.