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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Rox sign Jaime Moyer to Minor League deal

Fun fact: When the Rockies came into existence, Jaime Moyer was in his eighth Major League season.

The Rockies’ search for a veteran for the starting rotation could take them to the ultimate veteran, 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer.

Colorado and Moyer have agreed to a Minor League deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, the club announced on Wednesday. The agreement is pending a physical.

Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow in 2010 and didn’t pitch last season. The lefty worked as an analyst for ESPN in 2011 but stated that he intended to try to pitch again in ‘12.

Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for the Phillies in 2010.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 18, 2012 at 08:14 PM | 128 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: obituaries, phillies, rockies

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1. Tom Nawrocki Posted: January 18, 2012 at 08:47 PM (#4039861)

The Denver Post had a fun item the other day pointing out that Jamie Moyer is older than every single member of the Rockies' opening day lineup from their first game ever, in 1993, except for Andres Galarraga.

2. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: January 18, 2012 at 08:52 PM (#4039865)

I hope he makes it!

If I'm reading BBRef's leader boards correctly, he'd be the oldest player since 1980, when Minnie Minoso came back for two at bats at the age of 54.

3. AndrewJ Posted: January 18, 2012 at 08:54 PM (#4039866)

Jamie made his MLB debut the same week Len Bias died. I was in my final days of high school. Last year was my 25th reunion.

4. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: January 18, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4039867)

If he somehow pulls off three more years at his relatively recent performance level, he's got a shot at 300 wins. Does the BBWAA induct him if that happens?

5. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:05 PM (#4039871)

Jamie made his MLB debut the same week Len Bias died. I was in my final days of high school. Last year was my 25th reunion.

I was eight. I have two kids now.

The Rockies have 13 players on their 40 man roster who were born AFTER Jaime Moyer made his MLB debut.

6. Accent Shallow is still reading xi as squiggle Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:12 PM (#4039874)

I was eight [when Moyer made his MLB debut]. I have two kids now.

To be fair, this is probably true of some people and BJ Upton.

7. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:16 PM (#4039877)

If he somehow pulls off three more years at his relatively recent performance level, he's got a shot at 300 wins. Does the BBWAA induct him if that happens?

If he can pitch at his recent performance level up until he's 52, I'd consider voting for him regardless whether he got to 300 wins.

8. Shock has moved on Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:24 PM (#4039881)

I was eight. I have two kids now.

My mom was one-month pregnant with me.

I graduated from college several years ago.

9. JJ1986 Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:45 PM (#4039893)

I was born a few days after Moyer debuted.

10. Ray (CTL)

Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:51 PM (#4039895)

So who had Jamie Moyer and Julio Franco in the anti-death pool circa 1988?

11. Shock has moved on Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:52 PM (#4039896)

Orlando Cabrera just retired. He was 12 when Moyer debuted.

12. AndrewJ Posted: January 18, 2012 at 09:53 PM (#4039897)

Only six of the 26 MLB ballparks in existence when Jamie Moyer entered the bigs are still in use.

Two members of the Hall of Fame had not yet made their MLB debut when Moyer entered the major leagues. He pitched against a major league batter (Bo Diaz) who died 22 years ago.

Americans had not yet heard of Oliver North, Robert Chambers, Jessica Hahn or Bart Simpson when Moyer first appeared in a big league boxscore. George W. Bush was still a month away from swearing off liquor. Sarah Palin was still in college. Hugh Hefner had just had a stroke and his most recent fiancee had just been born. I wouldn't buy my first CD player for another three years. Lillian Gish was still making movies.

13. Ray (CTL)

Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:01 PM (#4039899)

Two members of the Hall of Fame had not yet made their MLB debut when Moyer entered the major leagues. He pitched against a major league batter (Bo Diaz) who died 22 years ago.

I'm not sure that Diaz being bad at installing satellite dishes really says much about Moyer's longevity.

14. AndrewJ Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:14 PM (#4039912)

Moyer started his MLB career when the Berlin Wall was still standing and Mandela was still in prison.

I'm not sure that Diaz being bad at installing satellite dishes really says much about Moyer's longevity.

Just the oddity that Moyer may well end his career pitching to guys born after Diaz's lifetime.

15. Shock has moved on Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:22 PM (#4039918)

I wouldn't buy my first CD player for another three years.

That's pretty ahead of the curve isn't? Must have cost a fortune. I don't remember even seeing a CD player until at least around 1995, I don't think

16. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:24 PM (#4039919)

How old is Jamie Moyer? Tim Wakefield was the oldest player in MLB last year. Moises Alou is older than Tim Wakefield. Greg Maddux and Alou were on the 2004 Cubs. Maddux is older than Alou. Maddux and Luis Polonia were teammates on the only Atlanta Braves championship team. Polonia retired 11 years ago and is older than Maddux. Polonia was a rookie on the 1987 A's, the year Mark McGwire had his historic rookie year. McGwire is older than Polonia. Eris Plunk was also on that team. Plunk retired in 1999 and is older than Mcgwire. Eric Plunk Debuted in 1986. So did Bobby Bonilla. Bonilla is older than Plunk. Bonilla was teammates with Darryl Boston on the 1986 White Sox. Boston is older than Bonilla. Boston Debuted in 1984. Also debuting in 1984 was Dick Schofield, who had nearly 5000 PA and last played regularly in 1992. Schofield is older than Boston. Moyer is older than Schofield.

Dwight Gooden and Bret Saberhagen both won a CYA before Moyer's MLB debut. Moyer is older than both of them.

Jose Rijo won over 100 games, retired, appeared on a HOF ballot (he got 1 vote), then played 2 more years, and got on another HOF ballot. The second one was 5 years ago. Moyer is older than Rijo.

Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son combo to both hit 50 HR. Moyer is older than Cecil.

Jamie Moyer is older than Will Clark, Jose Canseco, Ruben Sierra, Jose Oquendo, Benito Santiago, and Shawon Dunston. He's older than 2 of the 3 most recent BBWAA HOF electees. He's older than World Series winning managers Ozzie Guillen and Joe Girardi. Jamie Moyer is older than me.

17. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:31 PM (#4039923)

That's pretty ahead of the curve isn't? Must have cost a fortune. I don't remember even seeing a CD player until at least around 1995, I don't think

Not really, no. I got my first CD player in 1989 or 1990 and I was hardly on the cutting edge.

18. vortex of dissipation Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:36 PM (#4039924)

Not really, no. I got my first CD player in 1989 or 1990 and I was hardly on the cutting edge.

Yep, me too. Got my first CD player in '89, too, and was one of the last of my friends to do so.

19. NTNgod Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:39 PM (#4039926)

Not really, no. I got my first CD player in 1989 or 1990 and I was hardly on the cutting edge.

Yeah, by late 1989, you could get boomboxes with CD capability for about $100. Entry-level standalone CD players could be had for less than that.

20. McCoy Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:44 PM (#4039929)

Our family got our first CD player in either 1991 or 1992. I think our first CD was Paul Simon: Concert in the Park. Jamie Moyer debuted in the year I first started collecting baseball cards and it was so long ago that when he actually got good enough for people to start to talk about him he was so far removed from his beginnings that I had no idea he started with the Cubs.

21. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: January 18, 2012 at 10:53 PM (#4039937)

When Jamie Moyer debuted in MLB, Michael Jackson was only on his third nose.

22. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:08 PM (#4039949)

Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son combo to both hit 50 HR. Moyer is older than Cecil.

This is my favorite one.

23. ajnrules Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:13 PM (#4039951)

A total of 39 players younger than Jamie Moyer have tragically passed away, including two who died 18 years ago, and two who were born after Moyer's major league debut debut. Here's the full list:

Steve Olin (18 years ago)
Cliff Young (18 years ago)
William Suero (16 years ago)
Jose Oliva (14 years ago)
Ken Robinson (12 years ago)
Tim Layana (12 years ago)
Andujar Cedeno (11 years ago)
John LeRoy (10 years ago)
Miguel Del Toro (10 years ago)
Mike Darr (9 years ago)
Darryl Kile (9 years ago)
Steve Bechler (8 years ago)
Dernell Stenson (8 years ago)
Ken Caminiti (7 years ago)
Brian Traxler (7 years ago)
Mario Encarnacion (6 years ago)
Carlos Martinez (5 years ago)
Russ Swan (5 years ago)
Ron Jones (5 years ago) 
Cory Lidle (5 years ago)
Josh Hancock (4 years ago)
Red Beck (4 years ago)
Mike Coolbaugh (4 years ago)
Joe Kennedy (4 years ago)
John Marzano (3 years ago)
Geremi Gonzalez (3 years ago)
Darrin Winston (3 years ago)
Kevin Foster (3 years ago)
Nick Adenhart (2 years ago)***
Jessie Hollins (2 years ago)
Brian Powell (2 years ago)
Jose Lima (1 year ago)
Jeriome Robertson (1 years ago)
Oscar Azocar (1 years ago)
Francisco de la Rosa (1 year ago)
Howard Hilton (<1 year ago)
Hideki Irabu (<1 year ago)
Greg Halman (<1 year ago)***
Rosman Garcia (<1 year ago)

*** - born after Moyer's major league debut 

24. Everybody Loves Tyrus Raymond Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:17 PM (#4039954)

Ronald Reagan was president.

Bill Buckner hadn't screwed up yet.

25. jacjacatk Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:21 PM (#4039956)

There's a thread from a couple years ago where I looked up all the father-son combos he's faced, I think it was in the 30s or 40s. If Ken Griffey Jr's kid played baseball, he'd have a shot at the first 3 generation combo. I think Aaron and Brett Boone's kids would be the next best bet but are about 7 or 8 years too young to make it. He'd also faced 6 or 7 current managers and at least one GM (Kenny Williams).

26. Bourbon Samurai stays in the fight Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:21 PM (#4039957)

I think my first cd player was 95 or 96. It was a boombox that let you record cds to tape. My folks had a cd player a few years earlier than that.

27. birdlives is one crazy ninja Posted: January 18, 2012 at 11:53 PM (#4039972)

David Lee Roth had just left Van Halen when Moyer debuted.

28. Arne Olson Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:28 AM (#4039987)

Moyer revived his career at age 34 by going 17-5 in his first full year with the Mariners. That was in 1997. He became the oldest pitcher to win 20 games for the first time at age 38 (since surpassed by Mike Mussina). That was 11 years ago.

29. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:33 AM (#4039988)

When Jamie Moyer debuted for the Chicago Cubs, it had only been a scant 78 years since the Cubs' last World Series win.

30. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:35 AM (#4039990)

In his debut, Moyer beat Steve Carlton, who debuted in 1965. The first hitter Moyer faced who didn't reach base was Mike Schmidt. Lee Smith got his 122nd career save in that game, which put him around #30 on the all-time list. 122 saves wouldn't be in the top 100 now.

Moyer is three months older than Michael Jordan.

31. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:36 AM (#4039991)

When Jamie Moyer debuted, I had an onion tied to my belt, as was the fashion at the time.

32. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:45 AM (#4039993)

The 1986 Mets went 107-52 when they didn't have to face Jamie Moyer.

33. ajnrules Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:15 AM (#4040001)

And to think Steve Carlton was only 41 years old when he faced Moyer that day. I wouldn't be surprised if Moyer's goal is not just to get to 300, but also to pass Carlton in career wins.

Some other fun facts from Moyer's debut:
-At that time Nolan Ryan was the only pitcher with 4,000 strikeouts. Carlton had 3,974 going into the game. Roger Clemens had 304 going into that day. Randy Johnson was still toiling in class A West Palm Beach.
-In that game Moyer hit both Juan Samuel and John Russell with pitches. Both of them were managers when Moyer made his last appearance thus far on July 20, 2010.
-Moyer is older now than both of the managers in his debut game were at the time. Phillies manager John Felske was just 44. Cubs manager Gene Michael had recently turned 48.
-There were two players in that game younger than Moyer: Dave Martinez and Shawon Dunston. They last played in 2001 and 2002 respectively.

-The three top grossing films in the weekend that preceded the game were: Back to School (starring Rodney Dangerfield), Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Top Gun. (It blows my mind that Back to School grossed more than Ferris Bueller!)
-The #1 song on the Billboard 100 was Patti LaBelle's "On My Own."
-The Garfield comic from that day: http://www.garfield.com/comics/vault.html?yr=1986&addr=860616

34. #6bid transferred the menace Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:19 AM (#4040003)

Longtime reader, I registered just to point this out:

One event that impressed itself on my teenage memory is Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov squaring off twice, in 1984 and 1985, for the world chess championship. Karpov represented the Soviet establishment, Kasparov the brash young challenger.

And, you guessed it, Jamie Moyer is older than Garry Kasparov.

35. Random Transaction Generator Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:32 AM (#4040005)

In his MLB debut, Jamie Moyer pitched against Steve Carlton in 1986.
Steve Carlton made his major league debut in 1965. He pitched against Jim Gilliam that year.
Jim Gilliam made his major league debut in 1953. He batted against Dutch Leonard that year.
Dutch Leonard made his major league debut in 1933. He pitched against Frankie Frisch that year.
Frankie Frisch made his major league debut in 1919. He batted against Babe Adams that year.
Babe Adams made his major league debut in 1906.

36. Brian C Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:38 AM (#4040007)

This thread has made me realize that a lot of people are younger than I would have guessed (Cecil Fielder is only 48? Ozzie Guillen is only 47?), but it hasn't really made me realize that Moyer is any older than I already knew.

37. puck Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:48 AM (#4040008)

I wonder if this is one of those deals that allows him to become a free agent if he's not on the active roster in May or something.

The Rockies have a lot of young pitchers who will be competing for a couple spots after the incumbents and guys returning from injuries:

Chacin
Hammel
De La Rosa (back in May from TJ?)
Nicasio (he's been pitching to batters behind an L screen)
Pomerantz
Chatwood
Moscoso
Outman
White
Rogers

38. ajnrules Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:01 AM (#4040010)

Babe Adams made his major league debut in 1906.

On the same day as the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906! Among the players Adams faced that fateful day was Jimmy Sheckard, who made his major league debut in 1897. So we went from 1897 to possibly 2012 in only seven players!

39. Joyful Calculus Instructor Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:43 AM (#4040012)

Nolan Ryan pitched 27 seasons, the most of all time. If Moyer makes it, it'll be his 25th season. He missed all of last year and spent all of 1992 in the minors. So the span of time between beginning and end would be equal to Nolan Ryan. So really long, but not completely unprecedented, although Ryan did debut a few years younger than Moyer did.

40. Something Other Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:46 AM (#4040013)

If he somehow pulls off three more years at his relatively recent performance level, he's got a shot at 300 wins. Does the BBWAA induct him if that happens?

They'd love the story, and while he's had a better career than Jack Morris I don't quite see it; not without one excellent postseason game. (A weird distinction, isn't it?) He did have 14 years where he averaged better than 14 wins a season. That's pretty darned good. He went 199-119 with an ERA+ of 109 during that time. He had a 7 year, 126-56 peak, with an ERA+ of 121, and won 20 games twice in that span. Oh, and 16 complete games in those seven years. That's really... not good.

I'd love to see it, but could he have picked a worse place to go than Colorado?

41. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: January 19, 2012 at 03:07 AM (#4040016)

What young player who has batted/pitched against Moyer will be the link from him to 2026?

Cameron Maybin?
Carlos Santana?
Kris Medlen?
Josh Johnson?
Manny Parra?
Chris Coghlan?
Michael Bourn?
Dexter Fowler?
Justin Upton?

42. Shock has moved on Posted: January 19, 2012 at 03:28 AM (#4040019)

Not really, no. I got my first CD player in 1989 or 1990 and I was hardly on the cutting edge.

Interesting. I stand corrected, obviously.

All I know is I bought No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom on cassette a few months after it came out, which would have been 1996. I don't recall knowing anyone who owned a CD player at that time. Although, the fact that I was 9 years old probably has something to do with that. A hundred bucks is a lot of money when you're nine :)

43. Ron J Posted: January 19, 2012 at 03:50 AM (#4040023)

I like the idea of Moyer as the new Iron Man. Joe McGinnity pitched 206 innings (in D ball) at 52. After his major league career ended in 1908 McGinnity pitched through the 1925 season.

Reasonably successful too. And still handled heavy workloads. Over 400 innings in the minors 3 times (that's after 1908), over 300 innings another 3 times.

EDIT: 207 wins in the minors after his major league career was over.

44. Walt Davis Posted: January 19, 2012 at 05:36 AM (#4040033)

I got my first CD player (Technics) in 84 or 85. I got my first (maybe the first) CD changer (Pioneer) about a year after that. CD boombox probably no later than 1990. Can't remember when my first portable CD player was.

The point being I had a CD player before Moyer debuted and I never got suckered into the minidisk.

45. AndrewJ Posted: January 19, 2012 at 06:50 AM (#4040044)

When Moyer debuted, the average MLB salary was $413,000. His teammate Dennis Eckersley was still a starting pitcher.

Edd Roush from the 1919 World Series -- as well as the Federal League -- was still alive. As was Joe Oeschger, who pitched 26 innings in a 1920 game. As was Erv Kantlehner, a teammate of Honus Wagner's.

A Chorus Line was the longest-running musical in Broadway history (it's now 5th on the list). ALF hadn't gone on the air yet. Burger King customers were still on the lookout for Herb.

46. Jefferson Manship (Dan Lee) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 07:04 AM (#4040046)

Burger King customers were still on the lookout for Herb.

The Noid was still Pizza Enemy Number One. Bill Cosby had not yet released his masterpiece, Leonard Part Six.

47. Starring RMc as Bradley Scotchman Posted: January 19, 2012 at 07:39 AM (#4040054)

My fave Jamie Moyer Fun Fact: Moyer debuted in pro ball with the 1984 Geneva Cubs of the NY-Penn League. The only other member of the Geneva Cubs to make the majors was Laddie Renfroe...who retired twenty years ago. (Oh, and Geneva hasn't had a pro baseball team in eighteen years.)

48. Swoboda is freedom Posted: January 19, 2012 at 07:46 AM (#4040056)

Babe Adams made his major league debut in 1906.

On the same day as the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906!

Which was caused by the San Andreas fault. The San Andreas fault formed about 30 million years ago.

49. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 08:42 AM (#4040073)

When Moyer debuted, the average MLB salary was $413,000.

The MLB minimum next year is $410,000.

-The three top grossing films in the weekend that preceded the game were: Back to School (starring Rodney Dangerfield), Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Top Gun. (It blows my mind that Back to School grossed more than Ferris Bueller!)

I just saw the Biography "Behind the Scenes" of Bueller. I guess it got panned by a lot of critics at the time and Matthew Broderick was still relatively unknown so the box office draw was smallish, but steady.

People that were still alive when Jaime Moyer debuted:

Desi Arnez
Benny Goodman
Len Bias
Cary Grant
Bill Veeck
Fred Astaire
Jackie Gleason
Rita Hayworth
Danny Kaye
Liberace
Carl Hubbell
Lucille Ball
Irving Berlin
A. Bartlett Giamatti
Art Blakey
Roald Dahl
Greta Garbo
Ava Gardner

The first CD I ever bought/received as a gift as Urge Overkill's "Saturation" around 1994 or so.

50. Rancischley Leweschquens (Tim Wallach was my Hero) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 09:55 AM (#4040102)

I bought my first cd in 1991 (I was 14) and when I did a three-month student exchange in British-Columbia in 1992 (the first year the Blue Jays won it all!), I brought with me my seven cds and my parents' SONY discman.

51. Dock Ellis

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 10:19 AM (#4040120)

All I know is I bought No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom on cassette a few months after it came out, which would have been 1996. I don't recall knowing anyone who owned a CD player at that time. Although, the fact that I was 9 years old probably has something to do with that.

You caught the very last wave of cassette tapes. I do remember buying Pearl Jam's Vitalogy on cassette around the same time because I wanted it for my car; a CD player in a car was a relative luxury in the mid-90s. And considering most 9 years olds aren't into music enough to own their own CD player, your experience makes sense in context.

My first CD was It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back - This was 1992 or so and I was the last person on my block to get a CD player.

52. Bob Meta-Meusel Posted: January 19, 2012 at 10:41 AM (#4040146)

In his MLB debut, Jamie Moyer pitched against Steve Carlton in 1986.
Steve Carlton made his major league debut in 1965. He pitched against Jim Gilliam that year.
Jim Gilliam made his major league debut in 1953. He batted against Dutch Leonard that year.
Dutch Leonard made his major league debut in 1933. He pitched against Frankie Frisch that year.
Frankie Frisch made his major league debut in 1919. He batted against Babe Adams that year.
Babe Adams made his major league debut in 1906.

The first basemen in Frankie Frisch's debut game were Hal Chase (for whom it looks like Frisch either pinch hit or pinch ran) and Fred Merkle.

53. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 10:50 AM (#4040158)

I knew a guy who got a CD player in, like, 1984 or 1985. I got my first one in 1987, but it was a 6-disc changer from Pioneer.

It was one of the old "cartridge" style changers: you had a cartridge with little swing-out disc holders. You loaded the cartridge up, then shoved it into the changer like a big 8-track almost. They tended to jam and break, I later discovered.

First CD? I can't remember. Something by Van Morrison, maybe.

54. My name is Votto, and I love to get Moppo Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:04 AM (#4040170)

I do remember buying Pearl Jam's Vitalogy on cassette around the same time because I wanted it for my car;

That was probably the 3rd or 4th CD that I bought. The very first was Stone Temple Pilots' 2nd album (12 Gracious Melodies). The cool thing is that I've listened to both of them in the last month!

55. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:06 AM (#4040171)

My mom was one-month pregnant with me.

My wife was one-month pregnant with our oldest. Both of our sons have graduated from college.

Dinner Break, what's your birthday? My son's is Feb 2.

56. The Ghost of Sox Fans Past

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:16 AM (#4040176)

Moyer was released 3 times before he was 30, the last by the Cubs at the end of spring training 1992. They offered him a coaching job. He declined and spent the year in the minors.

He got back to the bigs the following year and "got it" in 1996. He was 6th in the Cy Young voting for Seattle (insert wisecrack) in 1999.

57. BDC

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:17 AM (#4040178)

I got my first CD player in 1988, the same fall that Moyer and I both got jobs in Arlington, Texas. First CD was a Columbia compilation of Billie Holiday recordings. For the record.

Moyer, incidentally, is a year younger than Barack Obama (and thus three years younger than me. Heck, Moyer is younger than my little brother. I bet I could beat him up).

When Moyer debuted in the majors, Barack Obama was still two years away from starting law school.

58. Shazbot Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:21 AM (#4040182)

.. I was not yet born.

I'm now divorced.

59. DL from MN Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:26 AM (#4040186)

In 1997 at age 34 Jamie Moyer did a rehab stint with the Tacoma Rainiers. Top prospects on that team included Raul Ibanez, Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe.

60. dlf Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:28 AM (#4040188)

Last year Wakefield and Vizquel were the only players left in MLB older than I am; I'm rooting for a comeback by Moyer and a long, long remainder of his career.

Bought my first CD player the same year Moyer debuted. I still have it. My first CD was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. I sorta still have it; my teenaged daughter pilferred it from my stack to download it to her Ipod and hasn't given it back yet.

61. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:31 AM (#4040192)

When Moyer debuted in the majors, I hadn't even met my wife yet. We've been married 23 years now, and our kids are in college.

There was (more or less) no public Internet. Very, very few people had cell phones. If you wanted a computer, you could get an Apple MacIntosh or an IBM PC/AT (or one of its clones). Compaq introduced the Compaq Deskpro 386, the first PC based on the 80386 processor, the year Moyer hit the bigs. Microsoft also came out with Windows/286 and Windows/386 (essentially Windows 2.x).

62. The Ghost of Sox Fans Past

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM (#4040201)

I got my first CD player as part of a system I bought in 95 or 96. It was one of those that held 5 discs on a circular rack.

Mrs.G's 2000 BMW had the 6-CD cartridge that chris h mentioned. It was in the trunk. I believe that was an option vs. the single disc in-dash player.

63. BDC

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:42 AM (#4040202)

When Moyer debuted, I was driving a crappy eight-year-old Honda Civic hatchback. Today, I'm driving a crappy twelve-year-old Honda Civic hatchback. Wait, this isn't how this is supposed to go.

64. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:46 AM (#4040209)

Jaime Moyer's teammate in 1986 was Gary Matthews Sr.

Gary Matthews Jr. is retired.

65. Shock has moved on Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:49 AM (#4040211)

Dinner Break, what's your birthday? My son's is Feb 2.

February 4th, right around SuperBowl Sunday :)

66. Run Joe Run Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:51 AM (#4040214)

Jamie Moyer is the only player older than I am. I hope he pitches forever.

67. Darren

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:52 AM (#4040215)

Do you know who has saved every one of Moyer's wins? Who else--Octavio Dotel!

68. Copronymus Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:52 AM (#4040219)

The lineup for the Cubs on Moyer's debut:

Davey Lopes, 3B - retired 25 years ago, last managed 10 years ago
Shawon Dunston, SS - retired 10 years ago, tied the record for fewest walks in a season 15 years ago
Ryne Sandberg, 2B - first retired 18 years ago, retired for good 15 years ago, elected to the Hall of Fame 7 years ago
Keith Moreland, RF - retired 23 years ago, won a World Series 32 years ago
Gary Matthews, LF - retired 25 years ago, had a kid who played for 12 years and retired 2 years ago
Leon Durham, 1B - retired 23 years ago, was in Little Big League 18 years ago
Jerry Mumphrey, CF - retired 24 years ago, stole 50 bases 32 years ago
Steve Lake, C - retired 19 years ago
Jamie Moyer, P

Dave Martinez pinch hit for Jamie and retired 11 years ago. It's been 12 years since he was traded 3 times in the same season
Jay Baller relieved him and retired 20 years ago
Jody Davis pinch hit for Baller and retired 22 years ago. His son is an assistant coach for Presbyterian College
Lee Smith closed the game and retired 15 years ago. His BR Bullpen article says about his Hall of Fame candidacy, "time may be running out for him to be voted in."

Admittedly, it's kind of an old lineup, but half of the starters retired more than 20 years ago.

69. Shock has moved on Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:53 AM (#4040220)

When Gil Meche debuted in the big leagues, one of his teammates was Jamie Moyer, who was already a crafty veteran lefty. Gil Meche is now retired.

70. DL from MN Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:55 AM (#4040222)

Jamie Moyer's baseball earnings (according to Baseball Reference) age 37+: $73M. His total baseball earnings: $83M.

71. Dock Ellis

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 11:56 AM (#4040225)

Bought my first CD player the same year Moyer debuted. I still have it. My first CD was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. I sorta still have it;

You know, if it's in good shape, you could get a few bucks for it. First-run CDs are a collectible.

72. Dr. Vaux Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:01 PM (#4040231)

. If you wanted a computer, you could get an Apple MacIntosh or an IBM PC/AT (or one of its clones).

You could still buy a new IIe. Heck, you could still buy a new C64.

73. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:03 PM (#4040236)

From this thread.

Jamie Moyer played with Dennis Eckersley on the 1986 Cubs
Dennis Eckersley played with Bill Melton on the 1977 Indians
Bill Melton played for Al Lopez on the 1969 White Sox
Al Lopez played for Wilbert Robinson on the 1928 Dodgers
Wilbert Robinson played with Bobby Matthews on the 1887 Athletics
Bobby Mathews played on the 1871 Fort Wayne Kekiongas

74. base ball chick Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:08 PM (#4040241)

june 1986

i hadn't started kindergarten. i was in LUUUUVVVVV with kevin bass. i remember the year of charlie kerfeld and mike scott being the ACE of the NL. i remember my mama saying all YEAR that this was gonne be our year

looking at the 86 team stats, i see that mike scott started 37 games and threw 275 innings in the regular season.

nolan ryan started 30 games, threw 178 innings - not even 7 IP/GS - so much for the legend. he was 39. no one was talking about the astros future hall of famer. it was more that he couldn't win when it counted.

i remember watching MTV like ALL the time but couldn't remember what videos were big that year. i never get crabby with ballplayers remembering games/game dates all wrong for the reason that i do it too. i remember stuff like going to specific games with mama even though i check bbref and find out they were away games.

interesting that no one is saying that jamie moyer's sudden learning how to pitch at age THIRTY just HAD to be due to steroids because how else could he have gone off the timeline. And winning 21 games at age 40? cmon

75. The Ghost of Sox Fans Past

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:28 PM (#4040253)

bbc, no one's accusing Moyer of juicing because
1) he's a lefty, ergo crafty
2) he's so skinny, his pajamas only have one pinstripe

You were an Astros fan pre-kindergarten? Wow.

76. SJC in A2 Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:32 PM (#4040259)

I'm older than Wakefield, younger than Moyer. This story, not VMart's ACL, is now the most important baseball story to me.

77. aberg Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:50 PM (#4040274)

Yes, but what everyone wants to know is, how much did a gallon of gas and a McDonald's cheeseburger cost when Jamie Moyer debuted?

78. Random Transaction Generator Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:54 PM (#4040279)

Since Jamie Moyer's debut:

Barry Bonds hit 759 home runs, won 7 MVP awards, "retired", waited 5 years, and will be on his first HOF ballot this year.

Roger Clemens won 327 games, 7 Cy Young Awards, retired, waited 5 years, and will be on his first HOF ballot this year.

79. Tippecanoe Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:03 PM (#4040294)

Phil Hughes was born that day.

I am the same age as Moyer and exactly the same size. In June of '86, my shelves were well-stocked with Bill James. I had first listened to CDs the year before as a TA in "Physics of Hi-Fi", but I had no player until '88.

80. ajnrules Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:06 PM (#4040300)

Nolan Ryan pitched 27 seasons, the most of all time. If Moyer makes it, it'll be his 25th season. He missed all of last year and spent all of 1992 in the minors. So the span of time between beginning and end would be equal to Nolan Ryan. So really long, but not completely unprecedented, although Ryan did debut a few years younger than Moyer did.

Actually, Nolan Ryan was in the minors for all of 1967, so his career extended 27 years, from 1966 to 1993. Moyer would need to pitch in 2013 to have the same career span.

81. base ball chick Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:13 PM (#4040310)

The Ghost of Sox Fans Past Posted: January 19, 2012 at 12:28 PM (#4040253)

bbc, no one's accusing Moyer of juicing because
1) he's a lefty, ergo crafty
2) he's so skinny, his pajamas only have one pinstripe

- stereotypes
it's the whole "look like one" thingy right here

You were an Astros fan pre-kindergarten? Wow.

- well, it was my mama's passion and i guess it was grrrrl bonding.

that and the first time she took me to the magic Dome and i looked out and watched the guys playing ball and said - i wanna do that. and of course i fell madly in LUUUVVVV with kevin bass. who, by the way, is STILL really a FINE lookin man even though he's oldern jamie moyer

82. Fred Lynn Nolan Ryan Sweeney Agonistes Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:19 PM (#4040323)

of course i fell madly in LUUUVVVV with kevin bass. who, by the way, is STILL really a FINE lookin man even though he's oldern jamie moyer

I agree, although my main image of 1986 Kevin Bass is that last at-bat... an early chair-throwing moment for the young FLNRSA.

83. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:29 PM (#4040344)

Yes, but what everyone wants to know is, how much did a gallon of gas and a McDonald's cheeseburger cost when Jamie Moyer debuted?

Not sure about the cheeseburger, but multiple web sources claim gas was $0.89/gallon in 1986.

Other fun facts from Jamie Moyer's debut year:

Chernobyl had a bit of a problem.
"Hands Across America."
Pan-Am flight 73 is hijacked (note: Pan-Am no longer even exists).
Iran-Contra goes down.
Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champion in history (naturally, he's retired now).
Smoking is banned on planes, trains, buses, etc. Yes, that's right; Moyer was a pro ball player back when you could still smoke on planes.
IBM unveils the PC Convertible.
Geraldo Rivera hosts a fascinating TV program wherein he opens Al Capone's vault.
The Nintendo Entertainment System is introduced in the US.
ALF and the Oprah Winfrey Show debut.

84. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:30 PM (#4040350)

june 1986

i hadn't started kindergarten.

Holy Christ, do I feel old now.

But not as old as Jamie Moyer.

85. ajnrules Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:45 PM (#4040373)

The Nintendo Entertainment System is introduzed in the US.

I thought that was in 1985. It was the Sega Master System that made its American debut in 1986.

86. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:48 PM (#4040380)

ALF and the Oprah Winfrey Show debut.

Mrs. Ochmonek wasn't Mrs. Seinfeld yet.

87. Best Dressed Chicken in Town Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:50 PM (#4040384)

multiple web sources claim gas was $0.89/gallon in 1986.

Maybe in some places. In the northeast gas was never under a dollar at that time. Usually around $1.00 to $1.20, I think.

88. base ball chick Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:54 PM (#4040388)

Fred Lynn Nolan Ryan Sweeney Agonistes Posted: January 19, 2012 at 01:19 PM (#4040323)

of course i fell madly in LUUUVVVV with kevin bass. who, by the way, is STILL really a FINE lookin man even though he's oldern jamie moyer

I agree, although my main image of 1986 Kevin Bass is that last at-bat... an early chair-throwing moment for the young FLNRSA.

- oh dear GAWD i remember that moment. mama was AT the game and i was watching it on TV. it know it was a school night and must have started in the afternoon because i was up and thre is no and i mean NO way daddy would have let me stay up late, pennant or no pennant. i cried and cried and i remember my daddy picking me up and comforting me. he doesn't like sports, but he didn't want his baby Grrrl crying.

nolan ryan lost one of the games giving up 5 runs, but the other 3 were lost by the usually stellar bullpen (like the astros in the 05 playoffs with brad lidge). oh and if ONLY kevin had won the game we would have won the Series because Mike Scott was gonna beat the mets and they KNEW they simply could not beat him

sobsobsob

89. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:05 PM (#4040412)

I thought that was in 1985. It was the Sega Master System that made its American debut in 1986.

You're right; my bad.

You could still buy a new IIe. Heck, you could still buy a new C64.

Yep. Or if you had more money, you could look at the Amiga 1000 or Atari ST. Or some kind of Tandy thing.

90. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:08 PM (#4040416)

multiple web sources claim gas was $0.89/gallon in 1986.

Maybe in some places. In the northeast gas was never under a dollar at that time. Usually around $1.00 to $1.20, I think.

Gas was below $1 as recently as 1999. That summer my wife was on maternity leave with our first, and we decided to take a road trip, Florida Keys to Alaska and back. 14,500 miles in a Ford Explorer towing a pop-up. It was a fortuitous time to do so. The cheapest I remember paying was 89 cents in Georgia.

91. Shock has moved on Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:16 PM (#4040432)

The gas prices you guys pay today is still absurdly cheap.

92. dlf Posted: January 19, 2012 at 02:47 PM (#4040478)

- oh dear GAWD i remember that moment. mama was AT the game and i was watching it on TV. it know it was a school night and must have started in the afternoon because i was up and thre is no and i mean NO way daddy would have let me stay up late, pennant or no pennant.

Afternoon game. I was riding back from college for a mid-semester break and traveling along I-90 in upstate New York and kept having to spin the dial to pick up a station playing the game. The folks in the car going a little crazy near Utica when Knight tied it in the 9th, nearly going off the road near Schnectedy when Hatcher homered in the 14th and the signal fading in and out past Albany when Davis singled to put the winning run on base in the 16th. I remember that the car was full of Red Sox fans and the driver's mom was video recording the game ... we were debating whether, if the Astros tied it and the games overlapped, if we should turn off the radio to make sure we didn't get any Angels - Sox updates and spoil the video we were going to watch that night.

93. Fred Lynn Nolan Ryan Sweeney Agonistes Posted: January 19, 2012 at 03:08 PM (#4040503)

- oh dear GAWD i remember that moment. mama was AT the game and i was watching it on TV. it know it was a school night and must have started in the afternoon because i was up and thre is no and i mean NO way daddy would have let me stay up late, pennant or no pennant.

My last-period HS teacher was kind enough to let me listen to the game on the radio in the classroom - quietly, head down on the desk with my ear right by the speaker, so it wouldn't disturb other students. The class ended, and I stayed to hear the end; it went into extras, and eventually the janitor came & kicked me out. I RAN to the bus stop, RAN from the bus to my house, and turned on the TV just in time to catch the bottom of the 16th.

*throws chair*

94. Darren

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 03:39 PM (#4040559)

I really like the Fielder and Matthews father/son bits. Great stuff.

Moyer is older than Clayton Kershaw and Justin Upton... combined.

95. base ball chick Posted: January 19, 2012 at 04:06 PM (#4040615)

i'd think i would have more clear memories of that day, not just the ending, but i don't. i can't remember whether or not the game was on when i came home from skool. i can't remember who brought me home from skool THAT day, i disremember if it was THAT day that my brothers tried to watch something else and i had a fot, i disremember when my daddy got home but i swear that day i did eat in front of the TV while watching the game - which was a NONO because my mama didn't want no food in the living room. was it that day i was running back and forth between the kitchen and the living room during commercials? i swear i remember run-dmc blasting from my brothers room and me having to turn up the tv all the time and my daddy screaming at all of us to TURN IT DOWN!!!!

mama got home long after i went to bed and went to sleep and i know when we talked about kevin and the guy the next day or maybe even a few days later, she didn't talk about next year because it wasn't this year and youneverknow and sometimes when you are going strong is the only time you can get where you wanna go and you have GOT to just do what it takes to get it done right THEN.

i remember she was even MORE Up Set in 98 when we couldn't win with randy johnson pitching vs the stupid padres - not even the braves, who couldn't none of our good hitters touch. no wait until next year stuff.

and i remember her complaining constantly in 04 that THIS was our year with clemens/pettitte/oswalt/lidge and all we really needed was for hunsicker to get us a really good 8th inning guy (not dan EFF miceli - you know how many decent relievers we picked up and tossed???!!!) and after pettitte got hurt and had to be replaced with pete munro and adam everett broke his wrist and had to be replaced with the execrable jose vizcaino, she just said - and this was our last year. even after we FINALLY beat the maddux/glavine-less braves

and then, of course, we had the improbable, impossible 05 and brad lidge got steve blass disease or was hurt or whatever and uncle albert put paid to any WS hopes messing up the rotation. i can still see him staring at that ball soaring toward the tracks as clearly as i can see kevin bass goin lefty vs lefty and lookin like barry lamar

facing jesse orosco, i mean...

sigh

now i'm just an old lady stuck BITGOD and i gotta pick up a broom shoo some kidz offn my lawn...

96. phredbird

Posted: January 19, 2012 at 04:50 PM (#4040655)

i'm older than jamie moyer. by a lot.

i wonder how many other btf regulars are older? harveys for sure, and andy.

97. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 04:53 PM (#4040659)

now i'm just an old lady stuck BITGOD

You were born around the time I graduated high school.

You don't get to say this.

98. Rafael Bellylard: The Grinch of Orlando. Posted: January 19, 2012 at 05:26 PM (#4040690)

I'm older than Jamie Moyer as well.

When Moyer debuted, I hadn't met my first wife yet, nor the three that came after her.

Now I really feel old.

99. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 19, 2012 at 05:36 PM (#4040702)

i'm older than jamie moyer. by a lot.

i wonder how many other btf regulars are older? harveys for sure, and andy.

100. UCCF Posted: January 19, 2012 at 06:15 PM (#4040725)

Seeing as it was played on a Monday afternoon in June, it's very likely I watched that game, in my mother's basement.

I was still six months shy of getting my driver's license.

As of that date in 1986, these were the top grossing movies for the year:

Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Top Gun
Police Academy 3: Back in Training
Cobra
Pretty in Pink
The Money Pit
Gung Ho
Hannah and her Sisters
Poltergeist II
Short Circuit

That's a pretty classic 80s movie marathon right there.

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