Free agent lefty Jamie Moyer is having Tommy John surgery Wednesday, according to his foundation's Facebook page last night, and he's "cautiously optimistic" about a comeback. Moyer would be 49 for the 2012 season, and his left elbow has over 4,000 innings and 57,000 pitches of mileage. He's got 267 wins and a 4.24 ERA across 24 seasons for the Cubs, Rangers, Cardinals, Orioles, Red Sox, Mariners, and Phillies.
2 words. Ed Wade
Are you even allowed a walking cane on the mound?
If you are, Moyer isn’t retiring for another 20 years.
Moyer probably expects to pitch after death as well.
Goodluck.
I hope he can comeback, a 50 Year Old P would be pretty cool
Go for it, Jamie! You’re the man! Keep playing until they drag you off the field kicking and screaming!
He’s more machine now than man.
How twisted and evil is he though? That’s the important question.
Damn what a trooper!!!
It’s hard not to like Jamie Moyer. I personally hope to see him back in Philly in 2012 in some type of role. Good luck Jamie!
me too…some type of role… ie bullpen coach, peanut sales, beer sales, old guy in the stands who tells you stories about how tickets used to cost a nickel.
I really hope you’re kidding.
Comeback meaning like… playing for the independent league… right?
Good luck to him. At he knows Amaro will overpay him if he comes back.
It would be awesome to see Jamie Moyer get to 300 wins as a 52 year old pitcher.
The only thing better than a Moyer comeback from TJ surgery, is a Moyer comeback with a brand new elbow throwing 95mph flamers.
1. It’s not gonna happen.
2. But I REALLY want it to happen.
And yet…MLB The Show constantly has him retire after one season. (yes, “nerd alert!”)
OOTP/Baseball Mogul. Just unretire him every time he tries.
Wait you can do that in MLB 10 the show?
How can you do that
Ya know, come to think of it…he’s been retiring after one year for pretty much as long as the video game franchise option has been available!
He should get whatever was keeping Barry Bonds pasted together over his last couple years. A combination of Roids, HGH and pure vitriol hate should do it.
Geritol. 🙂
This guy must really hate his wife and kids.
At his age he’s probably just trying to get out of babysitting the grandkids.
This has RED SOX written all over him
No it doesn’t.
You know as times get tighter, it’s getting harder and harder for people to retire early.
This does make me wonder though. With lefty relievers at a premium, it seems like the guys who know how to pitch could really prolong their careers as short relievers/lefty specialists. Guys like Cliff Lee, Pettitte, etc. seem like they’d probably be at least useful into their 40s even as their stuff really deteriorates. They obviously know how to pitch (read: not just “throw”), and getting one or two batters out is a whole lot different than going through a lineup a couple of times. Hell, it seems like this is exactly what Mike Hampton is doing, but the jury’s obviously still out.
I guess it comes down to the reasons they’re retiring. If they’re retiring to be with family, then great, enjoy…but if it’s for diminished skill/stamina, perhaps eeking out a career as a peripheral reliever for several more years at a million or so per year ain’t the worst thing in the world. Obviously they’ll still hit an age where they can’t get even one or two batters out, but I’m just surprised you don’t see it attempted more often.
I’d imagine it’d be pretty dang hard for Andy Pettite, with $100M in his bank account, to go from taking the mound in New York in October, to coming out in the 6th inning for some relief work for $500k. He’d make more money on interest on his career earnings than his paychecks for doing bullpen work – and he’d be enduring the road schedule on top of it.
You’d have to *really* love the game to keep playing in that type of reduced role. 95% of us would say “forget it”, because we’d never again get that adrenaline rush of being in a high-pressure, big-game situation. And we’d basically be doing it for free.
Yeah, I see what you’re saying. Basically, a lot of these guys WANT to continue playing, but only at the level they’re accustomed to. Still though, it’s not a bad way to stay occupied and make some money, *IF* you don’t have anything better to do.
He wants to troop on past Hoyt Wilhelm and Satchel Paige as the oldest guys to pitch on the mound. Coming back from TJ at 50 may derail that though, but one never knows.
I hope makes it. Sounds impossible though
It’s hard not to root for him.
I wonder, has TJS ever been performed on someone his age? Don’t the tendons and things get less pliant over time? With the mileage and age on his arm I would guess this is unprecedented so I doubt even the doctors know how it’s going to turn out.
That said, I’d love to see him comeback from this at his age, how cool would that be?
It has Hollywood biopic written all over it. Starring Chris Cooper as Jamie Moyer.
Chris Cooper.. That’s a good facial comp.
BLS on Yahoo says the only other pitcher to have even had TJ in his 40s was John Franco.
he likes baseball too much just to walk away from it he won’t retire until he’s dead
lol, cracked up when I read this
wait, didn’t Moyer pitch TWO complete games this year (Padres and Braves (a shutout). And he ALWAYS kills the Marlins. Bring him back at a club friendly deal for 2012. Then make room for him on the coaching staff.
And remeber in 2008 when he held the Rays to one run (i think) in 6 innings and ended it up with the dive towards 1st base scoop play at the age of like 90. nearly broke his hip!!
That dive to first is still one of my most favorite baseball memories ever.
Moyer amazes me how he can get big league hitters out without much velocity. Other lefties should watch film of this guy, and how he locates his pitches. Pitchers with better stuff have no excuse to be outpitched by this guy.
Since he’s getting a TJ surgery his arm might comeback stronger and with about yr 1/2 worth of not throwing he might comeback with Fastballs in the mid to high 80’s up from his 82mph fastball. And if he doesn’t lose control why not i think he could do it thats alot of rest he will have he could possibly comeback.
Since he’s getting a TJ surgery his arm might comeback stronger and with about yr 1/2 worth of not throwing he might comeback with Fastballs in the mid to high 80’s up from his 82mph fastball. And if he doesn’t lose control why not i think he could do it thats alot of rest he will have he could possibly comeback.
The increased velocity may get him hit!
Hopefully he concentrates like crazy on his flexibility and strengthening his legs while he is doing his rehab. He’s never really had injury issues and your body doesn’t heal like it once did when you are younger.
I always forget about 30 innings he pitched for the Cardinals way back in 1891.
1991 was the first year I started following the Cardinals (when I was 6), so I’ve long forgotten about that as well. I’ll have to check and see if I’ve got a Jamie Moyer baseball card from that year.
i understand not wanting to give up the game that you love… but c’mon man
Oldie but goodie: Jamie Moyer’s HOF plaque:
sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/070…
Go watch your kids grow up or something. Sheesh! Your time is up buddy.
His kids are 42, 40 and 37.
Jamie Moyer’s gravestone will be his Hall-of-Fame Plaque.
Jamie Moyer= Ric Flair of MLB.”I WILL NEVER RETIRE!!!”
Good luck, Jamie.
Moyer might be pitching Ronco vegemates next summer….but that’s all. See ya at 3am Jaime!
Lots of funny posts on this thread! 😀