Jamie Moyer Makes It

Friday, March 30 2012 @ 11:11 PM EDT

Contributed by: John Northey

Wow. At 49 he has made the Rockies rotation and will start the 2nd game of the season for them.

To get an idea of how crazy this is...

Wikipedia lists Satchel Paige (age 59 - 3 IP after age 46), Jack Quinn (50 - 15 2/3 IP in his age 49 season) and Hoyt Wilhelm (49 - 25 1/3 IP) as the only other pitchers aged 49 or greater to play in a ML game. So all Moyer has to do is throw 44 1/3 innings to have thrown more innings at age 49 or greater than all other ML pitchers in history.

For hitters it is Minnie Miņoso (57 - 10 PA post age 38), Jim O'Rourke (54 - 4 PA post age 42), Charley O'Leary (51 - 1 PA post age 37), Julio Franco (49 - 106 PA in his age 48 season, 4 PA post turning 49 in August), Hughie Jennings (49 - only played defense at 1B, didn't hit) and Arlie Latham (49 - 2 PA post age 39). So the total PA for guys 49 or older is 21 - another figure Moyer could easily pass this season (would probably take 7 or 8 starts).

No pitcher has thrown in a post-season game who was 47 or older. No hitter has hit in the post-season at that age.

So, should Moyer last the season and the Rockies make the playoffs and have him throw even one inning there he will have thrown more innings, had more PA, and more playoff appearances than all other 49+ year olds in baseball history combined.

Of note: Moyer was drafted in 1984 - that year...
Ronald Reagan was re-elected, Brian Mulroney was elected Prime Minister, the USSR still was viewed as being as powerful as the USA, no space shuttle had failed yet, our dollar was worth around 77 cents US, the Jays had yet to make the playoffs, the Tigers won the World Series, Cal Ripken was the best player in baseball, and Pete Rose was getting his 4000th hit as an Expo while Roger Clemens was a rookie.

Also born in 1962 (the year Moyer was): Darryl Strawberry, Eric Davis, Devon White, Wally Joyner, Bo Jackson, Kelly Gruber, Tony Fernandez, Roger Clemens, Chuck Finley, Doug Drabek, Randy Myers, Dan Plesac among others.

Only 6 pitchers born in 1962 threw a pitch after 1999. Only Clemens after 2003. Randy Velarde was the last hitter to retire for guys born in '62 - he retired after the 2002 season.

I think the last word is 'wow'.

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