A year from now, the discussion surrounding Jamie Moyer looks to be where he’ll play again rather than “if”.
You see, if you listen to the 48-year-old lefty…he’s expecting to make it back from recent Tommy John surgery that will keep him out the entire upcoming season.
“It may be difficult to find a job at the age of 49. Then again, it may not be,” Moyer said in a recent interview with The Seattle Times. “I know where I stand: I’ll probably get a spring-training invitation (rather than a guaranteed roster spot), and rightly so. I don’t have a problem with that. Throughout my career, I’ve always had to earn the situation I’ve been in. I don’t expect anyone to give me anything. It’s never been that way, so why now?”
It’s not uncommon for a pitcher to return and have success following Tommy John surgery. But no one has ever attempted a comeback at Moyer’s age. And if/when he does make a comeback at age 49…he’ll be only one of four pitchers (Satchell Paige, Jack Quinn and Hoyt Wilhelm were the others) to take the mound that close to the half century mark.
You’ll remember that Moyer originally hurt his elbow this summer after leaving a game in July with elbow pain. A couple days later, it was determined that the lefty had both a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained flexor pronator tendon in his throwing elbow.
Back in November, while Moyer was attempting a comeback in the Dominican Winter League, he re-injured the same elbow.
Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts this past season. For his career, he has compiled 267 wins…good for ninth all-time among left-handers.
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