If it wasn't clear before it is now: Jamie Moyer is no sentimentalist and neither is Ruben Amaro. When the season ended most observers assumed Moyer would re-sign with the Phils and negotiating the details would be relatively easy. Not so. Apparently Moyer wants a guaranteed two-year deal at $10 million per and the Phils are only willing to commit to one year with an option for a second.
Count me among the non-sentimentalists. I referred to Moyer throughout the championship season as "Jamie Moyer, aka 46 year old Jamie Moyer" in part in tribute to his amazing endurance. And for most of the season he was remarkable, coming up big start after start, leading the team in wins and playing a huge role in advising the youngsters on the staff.
He faltered a little in the final stretch but he found that fountain of youth again in the post-season. Nevertheless, Moyer's magic carpet will begin to fray and unravel in increasing degrees over the next year and a team already stretched by the arbitration eligibility of so many key players can ill afford to commit another year and $10 million to him.
Moyer doesn't owe the Phils any sort of "home town discount" and the Phils in turn don't owe him an extra year. Both sides benefited enormously from his tenure here and besides, when Moyer dug up the pitching rubber at the conclusion of the Series and walked off the field clutching it he already staked his claim to a real piece of this town.
Jamie Moyer will move on. We wish him well.
1 comment:
I'm still holding out hope we're going to see Moyer again in a Phillies uniform. Love to see him sprinting after those foul balls. His big performance in game three went a long way towards the Phillies winning the World Series. Hard to imagine him pitching somewhere else in '09.
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