Jamie Moyer still wants to pitch at 50

More guest postage. Rock.
By Rob Sylvester
Earlier this season, 48-year-old Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer became the oldest player in MLB history to record a shutout, continuing to defy the laws of nature as he maintains an above-average career some 10-12 years past the point most major leaguers retire. With nothing but veteran guile, a snail-like change-up and and a fastball that wouldn’t crack Styrofoam, Moyer continues to play at a reasonably high enough level (9-9, 4.88 ERA) that retirement doesn’t yet appear imminent. The man, whose pitching career has spanned the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, the other George Bush, and Barack Obama, doesn’t see the need to hang up his cleats anytime soon (as of today, at least).

“Tomorrow, I may wake up and say it’s enough. Or, at the end of the season, I may say it’s enough. Or, two years from now, you may see me still in a uniform. I may still have that desire.”

Considering most 50-year-olds’ desires begin and end with a cold beverage and a nap, the thought of Moyer still pitching professionally at a time he would be 30 years older than some of the batters he’s facing is impressive, if even still a little hard to swallow. The sensible view here is that Moyer is pitching on borrowed time, and despite the strength of his results this season, the odds on him hanging it up have to tilt sooner rather than later — skills often diminish exponentially with age and with every start Moyer pushes himself closer to the inevitably of an empty gas tank. To quote a line from Futurama, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised.”
Still, best of luck to Moyer on making it to the half-century mark in an uniform. One wonders though if that were to happen, how a mound conversation between Moyer and then-54-year-old pitching coach Rich Dubee might go:
Dubee: Okay, Jamie, you think you can get this next guy out?
Moyer: Huh?
Dubee: What?
Moyer: Huh?
Dubee: What?
Moyer: I’m hungry.
Dubee: Ok we’ll have some Denny’s delivered to the clubhouse, but for right now, I need you to focus on …
Moyer: Have you seen my pills?
Dubee: Huh?
Moyer: What?
Dubee: Huh?
Moyer: I wish my children would call more.
Dubee: Yes, yes, we’d all like to go to the store. But listen, you see this rookie coming up to bat? He just threw a frisbee on your lawn.
Moyer: WHAT? GET OUT OF MY WAY!
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Phils’ Jamie Moyer, 48, could play two more years [Ben Maller.com]