HOVG Rewind: Jamie Moyer’s Record-Setting Night

Seven years ago, Vernon Wells wiped Hall of Famer Robin Roberts name from the record books.

With one swing of the bat, the then-Toronto Blue Jays outfielder made Jamie Moyer the all-time leader for the most home runs allowed (506) in Major League Baseball history.

For Moyer, it all started June 16, 1986 with a win against the Philadelphia Phillies. A week later, those same Phillies would take on the Moyer’s Chicago Cubs again. Early on, Juan Samuel would send a first inning offering deep for what would be the first of many, many home runs hit against the veteran lefty. By the time Moyer retired…he would have given up 521 more.

In case you were wondering (and you weren’t), if he accomplished the feat as a hitter, he would be right in front of Hall of Famers Ted Williams, Frank Thomas and Willie McCovey (521 career bombs) and behind Jimmie Foxx (534) on the all-time list.

Here are TEN THINGS you might not have known about Jamie Moyer’s date with record-setting career.

1386
The night Jamie Moyer gave up his 506^th career home run, he was the only active player that could tell you where he was when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Nearly four years (or 1386 days) after Moyer was born (November 17, 1962), Robin Roberts, then with the Chicago Cubs, gave up his 505th and final home run to Willie Stargell.

332
Over the span of Jamie Moyer’s 25-year career, he’s been touched up by 332 different batters. By comparison, Roberts gave up his 505 home runs to only 209 different batters. But who victimized Moyer the most? That honor belongs to right-handed slugger Manny Ramirez…who hit ten home runs against Moyer. Among left handed batters, Carlos Delgado (eight home runs) is the leader and for switch hitters…Bernie Williams (seven) holds the distinction. A fun fact about those 332 batters that Moyer gave up gopher balls to, they carry with them birthdates ranging from 1949 (Mike Schmidt) to 1989 (Giancarlo Stanton).

221
For his career, Jamie Moyer gave up home runs during five different presidential administrations…the most being 221 during the 2001-2008 run of George W. Bush. The other presidents that occupied the White House while Moyer toed the rubber…Ronald Reagan (58 home runs), George Bush (21), Bill Clinton (164) and Barack Obama (58).

44
In 2004, Jamie Moyer, at 41, posted a 7-13 record and a 5.21 ERA. To top off what was, arguably, one of his worst seasons, he would also give up a career high 44 home runs. In back to back starts against the Yankees in May, Alex Rodriguez went deep for three of his six career home runs against the lefty.

43
When considering Jamie Moyer gave up home runs to all 30 Major League teams (and yes, that includes the Montreal Expos AND Washington Nationals and all three incarnations of the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels), it is no surprise that he allowed home runs in 43 different ballparks (266 at home and 256 on the road). The five stadiums that played host to the most home runs are, not surprisingly, places that called Moyer home…Safeco Field (89 home runs), CitizensBank Park (58), Camden Yards (47), Kingdome (38) and Wrigley Field (38).

12
As mentioned, 332 batters went deep off Jamie Moyer. Ten of them are currently in the Hall of Fame. Two more (Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez), will be joining them in Cooperstown in July.

8
An amazing stat when you look at the 522 home runs that Jamie Moyer gave up is this…306 of them were solo shots. On the flip side of the coin, only eight of them were with the bases juiced. Moyer gave up his first grand slam to Craig Paquette in May 1997…his last to Giancarlo Stanton in May 2012.

2
To say Jamie Moyer spans generations would be an understatement. Over his 25-year career, he gave up home runs to two father/son combos. In 1994, he gave up a home run to Cecil Fielder…14 years later, Cecil’s son Prince took Moyer deep for the first of his two career home runs. Similarly, Moyer has also given up home runs to both Tony Penas…Senior in 1993 and Junior in 2007. And if you were curious about siblings, only the Molinas (Bengie and Jose) took Moyer yard.

1
Only once, has Jamie Moyer been the victim of a walk-off home run. On June 24, 2004, the Texas Rangers infielder Alfonso Soriano spoiled Moyer’s only relief appearance with a two run blast in the bottom of the 18th inning. Soriano is also, coincidentally, one of 17 batters to have lead off a game against Moyer with a home run.

0
To call Jamie Moyer “not much of a hitter” would be an understatement. In 502 plate appearances, the pitcher hit just .128 with, you guessed it…zero home runs.