He’s Baaaack: Jamie Moyer Agrees to Minor League Deal With Colorado Rockies, One Year Shy of 50

Published: 18^th Jan 12 9:02 pm

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Steve Mitchell - US PRESSWIRE

He may be 49 years old, but Jamie Moyer is determined to keep playing baseball. Moyer signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies earlier today, which will be his 25th year pitching at the professional level.

Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010, then missed all of 2011 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Moyer is making a comeback this year, although it won’t be with the Phillies. He enjoyed a successful five-year run though in the City of Brotherly Love, winning 56 games and delivering a World Series championship to Philly.

Moyer has 267 career wins, most among active pitchers. While it once seemed impossible for him to get to the coveted 300, he keeps inching closer and closer. Moyer is with his eighth team. He broke in with the Chicago Cubs, pitched briefly for the Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox, before spending parts of 11 seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

While in Seattle, Moyer won 20 games twice and made an All-Star team at the age of 40. He finished in the top six in the American League in Cy Young award voting three times, and also became the oldest player to win 20 games (21 in 2003).

Moyer was traded to the Phillies midway through the 2006 season at the age of 43 and went 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA down the stretch. He won 14 games in ’07, including the final one that clinched the NL East for the Phillies. Moyer enjoyed an impressive season in ’08, winning 16 games and going 6.1 strong innings in his first-ever World Series start.

Moyer has managed to excel even into his forties with his dominating changeup. His fastball is the slowest in the big leagues – he averaged just 80.9 miles per hour on the pitch in 2010.

Moyer’s new deal with the Rockies is pending a physical, and includes an invite to spring training.