Ageless Wonder

I have to take a moment to give a shout out to Jamie Moyer. On Tuesday night, the Souderton native became the oldest pitcher ever to win a Major League baseball game, at age 49. His line: 7 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 R, 0 ER. Pretty impressive.

On the season he is 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA. Despite the 1-2 record, he has yet to give up more that 3 ER in a start this year. When you consider the fact that this man had Tommy John surgery last year, at the age of 48, a surgery which has derailed the careers of men half his age, these feats become even more remarkable.

For his career, Jamie is now 268-206 with 2411 K's, a 4.23 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. He currently ranks 35th all-time in wins, 37th in strikeouts, 40th in innings pitched, and 34th in fielding percentage as a pitcher. He is one of only 29 players to appear in a game in four decades.

I have always been a Jamie Moyer fan, as we share the same hospital as our birthplace, and he graduated from the same high school as my mother. Here was this local kid defying the odds and winning in the major leagues without overpowering stuff. I became even more of a fan when he helped his hometown team, my favorite team, win the World Series and produce the first championship for the city of Philadelphia in my lifetime. It was glorious. It is astonishing that this man has lasted in the big leagues since 1986 (he got his first win against Steve Carlton), that he is still pitching effectively at age 49, after returning from Tommy John surgery at age 48. Not only are his on the field feats remarkable, but Jamie is also known for his charitable contributions off the field. He has given southeastern Pennsylvania plenty to be proud about.