Results tagged ‘ Jamie Moyer ’
Moyer Makes History
Jamie Moyer became the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout, when at 47 years, 170 days old, he threw a two-hit shutout tonight in a 7-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
“Cool,” he said.
Just cool?
“Just doing my job.”
Phil Niekro had been the oldest pitcher to throw a shutout when he threw one for the New York Yankees against the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 6, 1986, at 46 years, 188 days old. ESPN’s Jayson Stark first found that Satchel Paige had been the oldest non-knuckleball pitcher to accomplish the feat, when he pitched for the St. Louis Browns and threw a 12-inning shutout against the Detroit Tigers at 46 years, 75 days old.
“We knew it was Eighth Wonder of the World type stuff,” Chad Durbin said.
“There’s no ands, ifs or buts about it,” Chipper Jones said. “We didn’t really barrel much hard. The guy is 87 years old and he’s still pitching for a reason. He stays off of people’s barrels. That’s what he did. … That’s about as well pitched of a game by a guy who throws 80 mph that I’ve ever seen.”
“That amazes me,” Charlie Manuel said.
“It was impressive, regardless of how old you are,” Roy Halladay said.
Does Halladay expect to be throwing shutouts at 47?
“No,” he said immediately.
What does he expect to be doing then?
“Fishing,” he said.
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“What did I do with the ball?” Moyer said. “I think one of my kids has it. I don’t know if it’s in the (batting) cage and they’re hitting with it, or they’re going to give it to one of the dogs at home.”
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Moyer said it was nice to know that some of his children are old enough to have vivid images of this historical night.
“Yeah, I hope they do,” he joked about his boys. “Two of them are teenagers.”
Maybe they were fiddling with their iPods instead?
“There might have been some cute girls around, too,” Moyer said.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
The Pitching Picture
Cole Hamels pitched great yesterday, which almost made yesterday’s 2-0 loss to the Marlins feel like a victory.
Almost.
The way the Phillies’ rotation has looked lately, it needed Hamels to flash the signs he flashed in Spring Training, namely, that he looked like the ’08 Hamels, not the ’09 Hamels. I never thought Hamels pitched terribly in his first two starts, so I never worried. He had poor command against Washington on April 7 and was a check-swing away from allowing just one run through his first four innings against the Nationals last Wednesday. But there is no question the Phillies’ rotation needed somebody to step up other than Roy Halladay, who is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA.
Joe Blanton remains on the DL, although he could be back following the team’s nine-game road trip through Atlanta, Arizona and San Francisco. He makes a rehab start Tuesday with Single-A Lakewood. J.A. Happ (1-0, 0.00 ERA) has soreness in his left forearm and might miss his next start — maybe more. He will throw today at Citizens Bank Park. If he feels fine, he could start as early as Wednesday in Atlanta. If he doesn’t feel fine? It could be a problem. It goes without saying the Phillies need the rotation to stay healthy because the back end of the rotation is struggling: Jamie Moyer is 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA and Kyle Kendrick is 0-0 with a 17.47 ERA.
The Phillies don’t need a fifth starter until Saturday, so the Phillies can give Happ time to rest. But when Saturday rolls around in Arizona they’ll need a fifth starter. If Happ can’t pitch I’m guessing Nelson Figueroa takes the spot.
Tuesday is a big start for Kendrick. He not only is pitching for his spot in the rotation, but possibly his spot on the team. Kendrick took Blanton’s spot in the rotation, so when Blanton is back Kendrick is out. Finding a spot for Kendrick looks difficult, at least in the short term.
J.C. Romero could be back sometime during this road trip. He likely will replace Antonio Bastardo. Brad Lidge could be back following the road trip. I think the Phillies will try to keep David Herndon on the 25-man roster. (They must keep him on the roster or they likely lose him because he’s a Rule 5 Draft pick.) That means Lidge might take Figueroa’s spot in the bullpen. But if Blanton returns before Lidge, the Phillies might option Kendrick to the Minors and bring him back as the long man once they lose Figueroa. Figueroa is out of options and must clear outright waivers to send him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. As well as he has pitched, I can’t see that happening.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
The 2009 National League Championship Ring
I wanted to pass this along …
The USA Today Kindness community blog launched a Twitter campaign where the top “tweet-getting charity” will receive one full-page, full-color ad in USA TODAY — a value of $189,400 – to promote its efforts. From April 13 through April 16, whichever charity gets the most #AmericaWants tweets and retweets will win the ad.
The Moyer Foundation is asking for your help by posting the line below in your Twitter account:
#AmericaWants @moyerfoundation to get a full-page ad in USA TODAY.
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I will be signing copies of my Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Borders on S. Broad Street in Center City. I hope you can stop by. The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter.
Turn Back the Clock, Keep Scoring Runs
The Astros held ”Turn Back the Clock Night” last night at Minute Maid Park to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first game at the Astrodome, which featured the Phillies. Houston’s grounds crew commemorated the event by dragging the infield wearing astronaut outfits.
Poor guys.
The Phillies wore replica 1965 road uniforms, which got thumbs up from Charlie Manuel and Ryan Howard. (If you liked them they apparently will be auctioned off. I’m not sure where, but keep an eye open on the Internet. They have all sorts of things on sale there.) The ’65 Phillies scored 654 runs (4.04 per game) in 162 games, which ranked sixth in the 10-team National League. It’s safe to say the 2010 Phillies have a more potent offense.
The Phillies have scored 41 runs (8.2 per game) through five games. That pace can’t possibly last, but where will the Phillies finish? Let’s take a look at how the Phillies offense has ranked in the National League since Manuel became manager in 2005.
2009: 820 runs (5.06 per game), first in the league.
2008: 799 runs (4.93 per game), second in the league.
2007: 892 runs (5.51 per game), first in the league.
2006: 865 runs (5.34 per game), first in the league.
2005: 807 runs (4.98 per game), second in the league.
The Phillies’ franchise record for runs is 944, which they set in 156 games in 1930. The Phillies would need to average 5.83 runs per game to break that record.
So where do they finish this year? What’s the magic number?
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Manuel let Jamie Moyer hit in the sixth inning because he needed to give his bullpen a break. As well as the Phillies have played the first week of the season, the bullpen had pitched a combined 12 innings the previous three games because Cole Hamels went five innings Wednesday, Kyle Kendrick went four innings Thursday and J.A. Happ went five innings Friday.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Moyer to Start, Kendrick to Pen
It’s official: Jamie Moyer is the Phillies’ fifth starter and Kyle Kendrick is in the bullpen.
The news is not a surprise. Moyer locked up the job with an outstanding performance Friday against the Yankees. The Phillies also said a couple things this spring that made it clear Moyer had the decisive edge for the job: First, Moyer’s experience mattered. Second, spring training numbers didn’t matter. In other words, nothing short of Kendrick throwing shutouts in every start and Moyer carrying a double-digit ERA would have gotten Kendrick the job.
But the Phillies liked what they saw from Kendrick. They think he can start again in the big leagues, and he still could. Moyer must produce. The Phillies showed last season they’re not afraid of pulling him from the rotation. If he struggles like he struggled last year, and if Kendrick pitches well in the bullpen you definitely could see the two swapping roles.
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The Zo Zone has reached the Phinal Phour at The Phield. Voting begins today at 8 p.m. and runs 24 hours.
Vote!
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Brad Lidge still needs to build up arm speed and improve his fastball command.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Moyer Likely Takes the Fifth Job
It’s not official, but Jamie Moyer‘s stellar performance last night against the Yankees very likely secured him the fifth spot in the Phillies’ rotation.
Here is why:
- The Phillies have said throughout the spring that Kyle Kendrick must beat out Moyer for the job. Kendrick has pitched great. He has a 1.37 ERA in five Grapefruit League appearances. He has shown poise on the mound. His secondary pitches have come along nicely. He simply looks like a completely different pitcher than the one fans saw last spring. But after Moyer threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Yankees, Moyer has a 0.77 ERA in two Grapefruit League starts, and a combined 2.61 ERA, including starts in three B games. Moyer has done nothing to lose the job.
- The Phillies have said they will not look at Spring Training numbers to make their decision, so even if Moyer should struggle in his final spring start, I don’t think the Phillies will put much stock into it.
- The Phillies have said that Kendrick is better suited for the bullpen than Moyer, 47.
- The Phillies have said Moyer’s track record matters.
It’s not official — well, at least the Phillies haven’t said anything publicly — but for those reasons it looks like Moyer gets the job to start the season. But he’ll have to perform. The Phillies pulled him from the rotation once last season. They also have a track record for pulling a starter early in the year (i.e. J.A. Happ and Chan Ho Park swapping jobs last May).
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Good Thursday for Kendrick, Big Friday for Moyer
Charlie Manuel insisted today that the Phillies haven’t talked about the fifth spot in their rotation.
Nope, not once.
(Insert “Really?!? with Seth & Amy“ here.)
But the decision is near. Believe that much. In fact, it could be pretty clear after Jamie Moyer pitches tomorrow night against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. If he pitches OK, the job could be his. If he gets knocked around, things get a little more interesting.
Kyle Kendrick, who is competing with Moyer for the job, impressed again today in an 8-7 victory over the Astros at Bright House Field. Kendrick struggled with his command early and arguably had his worst stuff of the spring but allowed five hits, two runs (one earned run) and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out one. Kendrick has an impressive 1.37 ERA after five Grapefruit League appearances. Moyer has a 3.86 ERA in four spring appearances, which includes on Grapefruit League and three B game starts.
Big night for Moyer on Friday?
“I don’t know,” Manuel said. “I don’t think so. Not really.”
Really?!?
The Phillies announced on March 31 last year that Chan Ho Park had edged J.A. Happ for the fifth spot in the rotation. It would not be a surprise to see the Phillies make this year’s announcement around the same time with Kendrick scheduled to make his final Grapefruit League start next Tuesday.
“I’m pleased with the way Kyle is throwing the ball, but I also know there’s a track record on the other guy,” Rich Dubee said.
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A couple notes from today:
- Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero are expected to open the season on the DL. No surprise there. The Phillies can backdate DL stints to March 26, which means today would have been the last day they could have pitched in a Grapefruit League game. The earliest Lidge or Romero are eligible to pitch is April 10 in Houston. There remains a chance Lidge could be ready to pitch in Houston, but Romero still hasn’t appeared in a Minor League Spring Training game. He is further behind.
- Roy Halladay allowed seven hits, two runs and one walk and struck out seven in seven innings in a Minor League Spring Training game against the Yankees in Tampa. He threw 98 pitches. Halladay will make his final Grapefruit League start Wednesday against the Blue Jays at Bright House Field. He makes his Phillies debut April 5 on Opening Day in DC.
- Left-hander Antonio Bastardo allowed two hits, three runs, one walk and one home run in one inning. He struck out two. He has a 7.71 ERA in six Grapefruit League appearances. “I can’t say a whole lot of our guys have been real sharp the last time out,” Rich Dubee said. “I think we’re at that point right now in Spring Training where guys are going through a little bit of a dead arm and dead body period, which is fine. I’d rather they hit it now than the first week of the season.”
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Thanks to WIP’s Howard Eskin and Ike Reese for having me on today to talk about the Phillies and my book.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Amaro on Pitching Staff, Moyer and Kendrick
Ruben Amaro Jr. answered a couple questions before they got asked yesterday morning at Bright House Field:
“No, we haven’t made any final decisions on our pitching staff or rotation.
“Yes, we’re still looking in other ways to improve our club.”
The Phillies optioned Mike Zagurski on Monday. It left the Phillies with 12 healthy pitchers in camp, a strong indication those are the 12 pitchers they will carry into the season until Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero are back. Amaro won’t say anything is official because the chance always exists they could make a deal before April 5, unlikely as it might be.
One roadblock to any deal is the Phillies appear to have exceeded their payroll budget, which is approaching $140 million. They’re simply not in position to add payroll. The second roadblock is that everybody in baseball is looking for pitching right now, so it’s not like teams are eager to trade a quality bullpen arm.
If the Phillies stand pat, there is just one roster decision: Jamie Moyer or Kyle Kendrick for the fifth job in the rotation?
“They’ve both doing very well,” Amaro said. “Obviously, competition is a good thing. The fact that they’re pitching well, I think it can only bode well for the club.”
Kendrick has a 1.29 ERA in four Grapefruit League appearances. Moyer has a 3.86 ERA in one Grapefruit League start and three B game starts. If those numbers hold – they could change dramatically before the Phillies break camp – it would appear on paper that Kendrick had outperformed Moyer, right?
“I don’t evaluate the numbers, especially in Spring Training,” Amaro said. “That’s not how we evaluate. We have to evaluate what’s going to be best overall for our club, and how they’re getting people out and those sorts of things. It’s still kind of a complicated decision to make. Hopefully we’ll make the right one.
“Look at what we did last year. Chan Ho Park probably pitched better than J.A. Happ. Ultimately, was that the right decision to start those guys in those roles? Probably not. That’s why they were flipped. We ended up being a better club as a result of it.”
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Thanks to 97.5 The Fanatic’s Mike Missanelli for having me on his show yesterday at the Tiki Pavilion, where we talked about the Phillies and my book. Thanks as always to WIP’s Angelo Cataldi and The Morning Team, which had me on this morning. They even gave me a little “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” music at the end of my segment.
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The Fightins is giving away a copy of my book, if you enter their NCAA tournament Sweet 16 pool.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Moyer Makes His Case
Like the rest of us, Jamie Moyer does not know how the Phillies will pick their fifth starter.
But he made a strong case for himself today at Bright House Field. He allowed five hits and one run and struck out six in five innings in a 5-4 loss to the Orioles. It was Moyer’s first Grapefruit League appearance after making three starts in B games. In a combined 14 innings, he has allowed six earned runs for a 3.86 ERA. Kyle Kendrick, his sole competitor for the job, has allowed two runs in 14 innings in four Grapefruit League appearances for a 1.29 ERA.
The Phillies said a few weeks ago that Moyer had the edge over Kendrick because of his experience.
Still true?
“I think they’ve both got two more starts,” Charlie Manuel said. “I think it’ll play out. I think we’ll do what’s best for our club and everything. I like how Kendrick has improved, but at the same time Jamie’s healthy and in the next couple starts we’ll see where he’s at.”
“Basically it’s what’s best for us and how we line up as a team,” Rich Dubee said.
If Moyer pitches well in his next two starts and Kendrick struggles, Moyer gets the job. If Kendrick finishes the spring with a 1.29 ERA and Moyer finishes the spring with a 3.86 ERA, I’ve got to think Moyer still gets the job. If Moyer struggles and Kendrick pitches well Kendrick has the edge.
And if Moyer struggles in the rotation once the season starts, Kendrick could be this year’s J.A. Happ and take his place. But it makes some baseball sense to start Moyer in the rotation: 1) Moyer is better suited for the rotation than the bullpen; 2) This gives him a chance to prove himself; 3) If he struggles and returns to the bullpen the Phillies can say they gave him a fair shot.
The edge: Moyer
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Dubee said Cole Hamels, who was scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game, would pitch tomorrow against the Yankees. Joe Blanton, who originally had been scheduled to pitch tomorrow, will pitch Tuesday. … Dubee also said Brad Lidge will pitch in a Minor League game tomorrow and J.C. Romero will pitch in a simulated game Tuesday.
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Escalona, Moyer and Polanco Updates
The Phillies play the Orioles tonight at Bright House Field, and we’ve got a couple things to pass along:
- The Phillies optioned left-hander Sergio Escalona to the Minor Leagues.
- Placido Polanco will not be in the lineup tonight, but Charlie Manuel said he is expected to play in a Minor League game tomorrow while the team is in Lakeland against the Tigers. Roy Halladay is pitching in Lakeland.
- Jamie Moyer will make his first Grapefruit League start Sunday against the Orioles. Kyle Kendrick pitches tonight against the Orioles.
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Beerleaguer has a few copies of my book to give away. Check it out!
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The Zo Zone is on Facebook and Twitter. His Phillies book “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly” is available online, and at Delaware Valley bookstores!
Todd Zolecki
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