Jamie Moyer, 1995 Score #114

I thought for sure that the Orioles' decision to draft Ryan Ripken (Cal's son) in the twentieth round would be the most interesting news surrounding the team today. It was an intriguing but likely anti-climactic gesture, since the graduating senior from Gilman High School has an athletic scholarship to the University of South Carolina waiting for him. But the O's were just getting warm.

A few hours ago I was delighted, confused, and maybe a bit morbidly intrigued to learn that the Orioles had signed Jamie Moyer to a minor league contract. He'll report to the Norfolk Tides for at least three starts as a sort of trial to see whether he can be of use to the Baltimore organization. He's obviously a long-shot to join the Birds' rotation, but then I didn't think Chris Davis would have more wins than Chris Tillman at this point in the season, either. I certainly didn't foresee the O's having sole possession of first place in the American League East on June 6 thanks to a franchise-record seventh straight win in Fenway Park. Baseball has a way of making people much smarter than me look like complete chumps.

So, 49-year-old Jamie Moyer will join the AAA Norfolk roster, a motley casserole of use-in-case-of-emergency MLB veterans that already includes Bill Hall (age 32), Miguel Tejada (38), Lew Ford (35), Nate McLouth (30), Willie Eyre (33), Pat Neshek (31), and J. C. Romero (36). Oh, and the rehabbing Brian Roberts (34). I didn't even mention Dontrelle Willis (30) and Joel Pineiro (33), neither of whom is currently on the active roster. Either GM Dan Duquette is playing out some elaborate gag or con on the rest of Major League Baseball, or he really loves the movie Cocoon. Either way, I'm just awed by the possibility that the guy who resurrected his big league career at age 30 with the 1993 Orioles could be back on the mound in Camden Yards a couple decades later. That was the team that kickstarted my baseball fandom when I was ten years old. This is such an awesome, terrible idea.

Jamie Moyer, 1994 Fleer Flair #6

You had to know that this post was coming. Ever since Jamie Moyer signed with the Rockies in his quest to pitch a 25th big league season (and 28th professional season) after missing all of 2011, I've been monitoring his progress. I was thrilled when he earned a spot in Colorado's starting rotation to begin the year, but I figured I'd save the celebratory post for the occasion of his first win. Last night, the lefty made history. By holding the Padres to six hits and two unearned runs in seven innings, Moyer became the oldest pitcher to ever win a major league game. At 49 years and 150 days of age, he bested the mark set by the Dodgers' Jack Quinn in 1932 by a cool 80 days. In true Jamie Moyer fashion, he did it all without throwing a single one of his 87 pitches at 80 miles per hour or greater.

Jamie also had a remarkable sense of timing in accomplishing the feat when he did. As I noted, yesterday was the 47th anniversary of Jim Palmer's big league debut. Moyer's win was the 268th of his career, tying him with Palmer on the all-time list. Not only that, but it was also 66 years to the day that Jack Quinn passed away. I don't want to end on such a morbid note, so here's a few more of those endless and delightful Jamie Moyer age facts:

-He was born on November 18, 1962, making him less than 16 months younger than President Obama and 27 months younger than former teammate Cal Ripken, Jr.

-He is older than every member of the Rockies' original 1993 starting rotation and their Opening Day starting lineup, with the exception of first baseman Andres Galarraga (born June 18, 1961).

-He debuted with the Cubs on June 16, 1986. In the news at the time: the USFL's antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, Mikhail Gorbachev's new arms-control proposal for the USSR, protests over apartheid in South Africa, and the NBA draft prospects of Brad Daugherty and Len Bias.

-Moyer has faced 8.9% of all hitters in major league history. As of April 9, 2012, he had pitched to 1,417 of the 15,855 men who had taken hacks in a big league game since 1876. That's still less than Greg Maddux, who is the current record holder with 1,535 unique batters faced (9.7%!). More details here.

Some day I will tell my children that I saw Jamie Moyer pitch...as they watch him pitch.

Jamie Moyer, 1995 Topps #318

Why hello there, Jamie Moyer! I hope you're having a happy 48th birthday today.

Two weeks ago, the wizened lefty was pitching in the Dominican Republic and suffered an elbow injury. Once again demonstrating why he gets so much attention on this blog, he announced last weekend that he does not intend to retire, even if the results of his MRI indicate that Tommy John surgery might be needed. Rock on, Jamie.

Jamie Moyer, 1994 Donruss #547

We're all about baseball history here at Orioles Card "O" the Day, especially as it pertains to the delightfully elderly Jamie Moyer. Last night, the only active major leaguer born during the Kennedy administration won his ninth game of the season and the 267th of his endless career. He's 36th all-time in total victories, and his next 'W' will tie him with Jim Palmer. After that, he's only two wins away from former O's teammate Mike Mussina. But in Sunday night's game, Jamie unseated another pitching great with Birdland ties for a dubious honor. He surrendered a two-run homer to Vernon Wells - the 506th home run allowed in his career. Of course, when you hang around for 24 years and pitch to contact, you're bound to get hammered a few times. I wandered over to Jamie's Home Run Log on Baseball-Reference and dug up some real great trivia on Moyer's roundtrippers:

-He allowed his first two home runs on June 23, 1986...24 years and five days ago. The first was hit by Juan Samuel, currently the interim manager of the Orioles. The second was hit by Mike Schmidt, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

-322 different batters have victimized Jamie, including six current Hall of Famers (Schmidt, Tony Gwynn, Andre Dawson, Wade Boggs, Paul Molitor, and Cal Ripken, Jr.). At a glance, as many as 15 others could be enshrined in Cooperstown when the smoke from the Steroid Era clears.

-Manny Ramirez is Moyer's most frequent flier with 10 home runs. Rounding out the Top Five are Carlos Delgado (8), Bernie Williams (7), and Eric Chavez, Alex Rodriguez, and Frank Thomas (6 each).

-Batters have knocked the ball out of 42 different ballparks against Jamie. Contrary to popular belief, he never pitched at Shibe Park or Forbes Field.

-Once he got to 400 homers allowed, he apparently couldn't wait to give up #500. David Ortiz hit the big 4-0-0 off of Moyer in a Red Sox-Mariners tilt in 2006; it was the first of five home runs Boston hit against the lefty that day. Alex Gonzalez, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis, and Manny Ramirez rounded out the quintet.

-He's given up only one inside-the-park home run. It was hit by Kansas City's Kevin Seitzer on May 13, 1989.

-Likewise, Jamie has surrendered just one walk-off home run. It came on June 24, 2004. The Mariners and Rangers had been tied at seven when Moyer was called upon to make an emergency relief appearance in the 15th inning. He held Texas scoreless for three innings before Hank Blalock singled to open the bottom of the 18th. Two pitches later, Alfonso Soriano ended the game with a round-tripper.

-He has given up home runs to the father-son combos of Cecil and Prince Fielder and Tony Pena Sr. and Jr.

-Last year, Jamie was taken deep by Dan Murphy of the Mets. Murphy was born on April 1, 1985. Moyer was drafted by the Cubs in June 1984, ten months earlier.

Jamie Moyer, 1995 Pacific #26

When this photo was taken, Jamie Moyer was a mere lad of 31 years. Sixteen years later, he has supplanted Phil Niekro to become the oldest man to ever throw a shutout in the major leagues at 47 years, 170 days of age. He accomplished the feat last night, two-hitting the Braves in a 7-0 Phillies win (his 262nd career victory, 40th-best all-time). When told of his place in history, Moyer's response was typically understated: "Really? Cool. Just doing my job."

If you've been reading me for a while, you know that I never tire of "Jamie Moyer is so old" trivia. As Joe Angel joked on the radio today, his first name has become "The 47-Year-Old". You can't say his name without mentioning his age in the same breath. Well, here's a great piece of business. Last night's two-hitter was the third of Jamie's career. The first came in his ninth career start, on August 16, 1986. Pitching for the Cubs, the southpaw defeated the Montreal Expos, a team that no longer exists. The losing pitcher was Floyd Youmans, who has not pitched in the majors for 21 years. The starting left fielder for Chicago was Gary Matthews, whose son is now a 12-year major league veteran.

Cool indeed. Keep doing your job, Jamie.

Jamie Moyer, 1995 Fleer Flair #5

Jamie Moyer seems intent on returning for a 24th season in the major leagues in 2010 (which doesn't even count 1992, when he spent all year with the AAA Toledo Mud Hens). It's a remarkable thing to take the mound in four different decades; it takes talent and good health. Jamie's certainly got the former, but the latter is starting to present a real challenge.

It may not surprise you to hear that a 47-year-old athlete is starting to break down, but the sheer volume of the lefthander's medical woes is daunting. In September, he suffered a sports hernia, for which he underwent surgery on October 2. Five days later he returned to the hospital with a blood infection. After making some progress in recovery, he was hospitalized again on November 24 with recurring symptoms and had a second surgery three days later to eliminate a small collection of infected blood. Moyer has said that he is on the mend, but still has a peripherally inserted central catheter (yikes) and is taking medication.

But wait, there's more. In January, the 258-game winner is scheduled to have surgery on his right knee to repair a minor meniscus tear. Believe it or not, he claims that doctors have projected him for an on-time arrival to Spring Training in a month and a half.

The real kicker to this story is that Jamie had never undergone a single surgery in his lengthy career until these troubles began in October. When it rains, it really does pour.

Jamie Moyer, 1994 Stadium Club 1st Day Issue #284

Help us, Jamie Moyer, you're our only hope. Okay, so the Obi Wan Kenobi of the major leagues won't actually be a participant in this year's World Series; his season was ended by groin and abdominal tears that required surgery. I suppose that's the occupational hazard of being the MLB's oldest active pitcher. Still, Moyer's Phillies are going to need to harness all of his spiritual energy to help them defend their World Championship against the hated Yankees.

That's right, Philly is our last line of defense against the best (and smarmiest) team that $200+ million could buy. Not that the Phightin's are the scrappy little guys that could; their $113M payroll ranked seventh in baseball. Still, that's small potatoes compared to an irritating offseason binge that netted New York all three of the top free agents that were available. Thankfully, manager Charlie Manuel's charges should be a formidable opponent, with a powerful lineup and a top-heavy starting rotation. If only they can provide enough insurance to keep Brad Lidge off of the Yankee Stadium mound in tight ninth-inning situations...

Come Wednesday, I hope you'll join me in donning your Phillies red and rooting against the Steinbrenners. I'm not ready to return to a world order that has the Yankees on top.

Jamie Moyer, 1996 Score #210

Congratulations to Jamie Moyer, Jayson Werth, and the rest of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. I'm glad that someone as classy as Jamie got a chance to win his first championship after a twenty-two year career that had been completely devoid of trips to the Fall Classic. After hearing how violently ill he was in the days and hours leading up to his rain-delayed starting assignment on Saturday night, it's all the more remarkable that he pitched as well as he did (6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). If it weren't for a blown call at first base, his numbers would look even better, and he might have gotten the win that he truly deserved. Fox's Chris Myers spoke with Moyer amid the onfield postgame melee, and the 45-year-old lefty was as cool and collected as ever, showing off little more than a wry grin. He spoke of being on hand for the victory parade the last time the team won it all, in 1980 - he was 17 then.

Because I never tire of "How-old-is-he?" stats (though I think poor Jamie is growing weary of them), here's one I compiled myself. Eyeballing his pitcher-batter matchups, it appears that Moyer has pitched to four father-son combos: Buddy and David Bell, Bob and Bret (and Aaron) Boone, Jose Cruz Sr. and Jr., and Cecil and Prince Fielder. His career has also run parallel to eleven other father-son pairings, though he didn't actually face one or the other of each duo: Alan and Andy Ashby, Jesse and Josh Barfield, the Ken Griffeys, the Jerry Hairstons, the Gary Mathewses, Hal and Brian McRae, the Tony Penas, Tony (!) and Eduardo Perez, the Tim Raineses, Gary and Daryle Ward, and Mookie and Preston Wilson (Mookie is actually Preston's uncle and stepfather, believe it or not!). That's quite a legacy. Oh, he also pitched against Chris Speier; I didn't include the Speiers because son Justin is a reliever with just 17 career at-bats.

I wonder if Jamie can hang on until Trey Griffey is ready for the big leagues.

Jamie Moyer, 1994 Leaf #215

Apparently, there are just five ex-Orioles on the active rosters of the eight teams in the various League Division Series. That includes draftees Jayson Werth and Mike Fontenot, neither of whom played a single game in orange and black. However, it also includes Jamie Moyer, who just finished the winningest season ever by a 45-year-old pitcher. It speaks to the incredible dearth of starting pitching in Baltimore - but also to the remarkable longevity and talent of Moyer and ex-teammate Mike Mussina - that the 2008 Orioles would have been much better off if they had been able to call upon two-fifths of their 1993 rotation.

On Saturday evening, Jamie Moyer will take the mound in Milwaukee with a chance to send his Phillies to their first National League Championship Series since - wouldn't you know it - 1993. I know at least one blogger who will be hoping, praying, and cursing that it doesn't happen, but only time will tell.

Jamie Moyer, 1996 Donruss #69

Ten Reasons Why Jamie Moyer is Awesome:

1. He beat Steve Carlton in his major-league debut.

2. He won 34 games in his twenties, 130 in his thirties (including 20 for the first time at age 38!), and 77 so far in his forties.

3. Nicknamed former Oriole teammate Jack Voigt "Roy Hobbs" because the outfielder hit so well against him in the minor leagues.

4. Is a punctual through-the-mail autographer.

5. Is twenty-ninth all-time in career strikeouts, despite topping out at 158 for a single season.

6. Hasn't lost to the Washington Nationals franchise since 1991...when they were known as the Montreal Expos. (Sure, he was in the American League for most of his career, but it's still a fun stat.) In a similar vein, he went sixteen years between RBI and nineteen years between doubles as a hitter. He also set a record by going 20 years and 2 days between wins vs. the Braves.

7. At the age of 45, recently plowed into first-base ump Randy Marsh while rounding the bases. He had just legged out a bunt, and wound up at third base thanks to several Pirates miscues.

8. A recent article suggested that he could pitch until he's fifty. Moyer didn't shoot down the speculation, indicating only that he planned to pitch next year.


9. Has been involved in trades featuring three different players named Andrew.


10. He and his wife founded the Moyer Foundation, which assists at-risk children.

Jamie Moyer, 1996 Fleer #16

It seems like a lifetime ago that Jamie Moyer was an Oriole. Although this card is from 1996, he pitched his last game in orange and black in 1995, signing with the Red Sox as a free agent in January of the following year. Jamie resurrected his career in Baltimore in 1993, winning twelve games with a then-career low ERA of 3.43 after spending more than a year in AAA. He hadn't won a game in the bigs since 1990, as injuries had derailed him and taken the zip off of his fastball. It's amazing that Moyer was able to reinvent himself and become one of the best pitchers in the game, getting by on control and brains. He had mixed results in his last two years with the O's, but has since posted double-digit wins in 11 of 12 seasons and looks like he will be back for more in 2008 at the tender age of 45.

Jamie Moyer happened to have his comeback season during the same year that I became a baseball fan. As a still-impressionable eleven-year-old, I soaked up everything I could get about that 1993 Orioles team. I consulted the team roster printed in the TV Guide of all places - just names and uniform numbers. With this roster, I played ball in my back yard, tossing a tennis ball in the air and taking mighty swings with a big plastic bat. As you might imagine, there weren't any other kids in the neighborhood who were close to my own age. As 1994 rolled around and my fanhood was reaching a fever pitch, the names and numbers of that 1993 team persisted in the newest baseball cards and preview magazines and almanacs, in the Ken Griffey, Jr. Super Nintendo game that was my most treasured birthday gift, and in the Strat-o-Matic game that I bought for myself but never really played that often. Of course, my budding fanaticism was cruelly undercut by a players' strike that wiped out the final two months of that 1994 season, cancelled the World Series, and delayed and shortened the 1995 season by a month. But that just made the 1993 team all the more special to me.

I could still rattle off stats from 1993, both good and bad. I remember Cal Junior's 24 home runs and 90 RBI, but I also remember Leo Gomez's .197 batting average. There was Gregg Olson's 1.60 ERA, and Rick Sutcliffe's astronomical 5.75.

There are three players still active from that team, fifteen years later. One is Arthur Rhodes, who missed all of 2007 with Tommy John surgery and has not caught on with a team for 2008. Another is Mike Mussina, who pitched just his second full season in 1993. He is now 39, and with 250 wins to his credit he will be fighting to maintain his spot in the Yankees' rotation this season. Then there's Jamie Moyer, who merely won 14 games for the National League East Champion Phillies in 2007, including the clincher on the last day of the regular season.

Not bad for an old guy.