Saturday, April 21, 2012

Mr. Moyer's Wild Ride

This past week Major League Baseball experienced a new record for the oldest pitcher to win a baseball game when Colorado Rockies pitcher Jamie Moyer achieved this feat. It got me thinking and reminded me of the classic exchange, from the film Major League, between rookie phenom Ricky Vaughn and the willy old veteran Eddie Harris.

It goes like this:

Harris: Crisco, Bardol, Vagisil. Any one of them will give you another two to three inches drop on your curve ball. Of course if the umps are watching me real close I'll rub a little jalapeno up my nose and get it running, and if I need to load up the ball I just...Wipe my nose.

Vaughn: You put snot on the ball?

Harris: I haven't got an arm like you, kid. I have to put anything on it I can find. Someday you will too.

I am not suggesting that Moyer is loading the ball and deceiving hitters like this film conveys. I just like the comparison about the status of his throwing arm and what it takes to make it that long in the big leagues. The movie character had to "put anything on it I could find" as his skills diminished. His arm just wasn't what it used to be. We all obviously age; however, some more gracefully than others.

When Jamie Moyer made his MLB debut on June 16, 1986 he was only 23 years old. The opposing pitcher that day was Steve Carlton who was, at the time, 42 years old and in the twilight of his career. It is strange when lives cross paths having no idea what impact it will have or significance. One career seemingly ending while another is just beginning. Moyer won his first game that day and it started off a career path that has now spanned four decades (80's, 90's, 00's, 10's).

How has he done it?

It all comes down to knowing how to pitch. Many pitchers can throw a ball to home plate. Many can bring it reaching upwards and beyond 100mph. It takes a special player to pitch. It is just like real estate.

Location. Location. Location.

Jamie's ability to locate his pitches on the inner and outer half of the plate allows him to keep hitters off balance. He has three pitches: Slow, Slower, and Slowest. This plays to his advantage by feeding off the hitters inability to be patient. It is similar to knuckle ball pitchers who throw a steady diet of 45mph knucklers then throw a "fastball" at 70mph. The change in speeds feels like 90+ to the hitter. These young brash hitters think it is like slow-pitch softball but just can't keep their anxiousness down. It is like waiting for the Heinz ketchup to come out of the bottle. You just can't wait and you find yourself out of control.

He has been doing this for 24 seasons and his best years came when he was in Seattle. He spent 11 years there and was an All-Star once in 2003 when he had his best overall year (21-7, 3.27). He has amassed 268 victories with the latest coming at the ripe old age of 49 by beating the San Diego Padres. He is almost 50 years old and still went 7 strong innings. Opposing players see when he comes out to the mound and it looks like a players Dad is coming out to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Yet he doesn't let it bother him. He may look old but it is all in how you feel. And he feels good.

He is 32 victories away from the exclusive 300 win club which is a bench mark for the Hall-of-Fame. Depending on how this season goes and if his health keeps up he could challenge to achieve this total. I am not sure if he is worthy of HOF status like other 300 game winners, but his longevity has proven to be worthy. If he continues to sip from baseball's fountain of youth it will be hard to avoid it.

His career will ultimately end someday and maybe just maybe he will have a conversation with a rookie phenom similar to Eddie Harris.

One can only wonder if by that time Jamie too will have used a little jalapeno.

No comments:

Post a Comment