Moyer stays too!!

[Seattle Tech]

Here's Bob Finnigan's article from the Times concerning the signing of Jamie Moyer:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/134591816_mari08.html

:gt

[Seattle1]

Is there a way to get Jamie Moyer back for next season?

[SABR Matt]

There is if Philly doesn't pick up their mutual option for next year...but why would you want him back?

[TheKingofKings]

He's probably going to retire anyways .

[Seattle1]

Well, one way to look at it is that the object of pitching is to win ballgames. Jamie Moyer has won more ballgames for the Mariners than anybody else, including Randy Johnson. Granted he's getting up there in age, but look how well he performed for the Phillies. Also, if he had actually gotten any run support from the O early in the year he would have easily had a winning record with the M's for '06 too.

[candy curveball cummings]

Well, one way to look at it is that the object of pitching is to win ballgames. Jamie Moyer has won more ballgames for the Mariners than anybody else, including Randy Johnson. Granted he's getting up there in age, but look how well he performed for the Phillies. Also, if he had actually gotten any run support from the O early in the year he would have easily had a winning record with the M's for '06 too.

Jamie Moyer was a league-average pitcher last year. He would make for a nice number 3 or 4 starter.

[Stumanji]

He's a sound pitcher, and still effective. I'd take him if he wants to come back. I'm sure he'd like to retire in Seattle.

He averaged, roughly, six innings per start. I consider any performance of 3 or fewer runs in six innings as a reasonably good start, and the offense should do the rest.

Our offense didn't do much of anything for Moyer in his 12 losses and seven no-decisions as an M's pitcher. Check it out:

Games in BOLD are earned losses in my opinion:
No Decision 1: 3 ER
Loss 1: 3 ER
Loss 2: 2 ER
No Decision 2: 3 ER
No Decision 3: 1 ER
No Decision 4: 3 ER
Loss 3: 1 ER
Loss 4: 5 ER
Loss 5: 7 ER
No Decision 5: 3 ER
Loss 6: 2 ER
Loss 7: 2 ER
Loss 8: 4 ER
No Decision 6: 6 ER
Loss 9: 7 ER
Loss 10: 2 ER
No Decision 7: 4 ER
Loss 11: 5 ER
Loss 12: 3 ER

He had a record of 6-12, with 7 NDs with Seattle.

We'll give Moyer all the 1 or 2 runs-allowed games as wins (6) and add them to his actual win total (total of 12). We'll give Moyer losses for all the bolded selections (12 wins, 7 losses).

The rest (6) can be all losses (12-13 record), all wins (18-7 record), all no-decisions (12-7 record, 6 NDs), half-losses and half-wins (15-10 record), half-losses and half-no decisions (12-10 record, 3 NDs), half-wins and half-no decisions (15-7 record, 3 NDs)... anyway you slice it, you're looking at 12-18 wins in 25 starts for Seattle. I'll take that.

[leecemark]

--Jamie was a decent pitcher in 2006, but more like a 4th or 5th starter than a guy you want as a cornerstone of your rotation. There are two problems with the idea of Moyer returning to Seattle. He is far more likely to decline from his 2006 performance than to repeat it (and hoping for improvement would be like trying to get the missing half of your rent money by investing what you have in Lotto tickets). He is also going to have a stature beyond his actual talent with the M's. Due to his past achievments they are going to bump him higher in the rotation than he merits and would be very slow to yank him from it if he is not getting the job done.
--I hope the Phillies excercise their option and don't put the M's in a position to have to consider bringing him back. If he is on the market he should be a Plan B (or C) option. If we strike out with the guys we should be going after then bringing him back on a low base, incentive drive contract - or better yet a NRI - wouldn't be the worst thing we could do.

[Seattle1]

That's a good analysis Stumanji, thanks for taking the time to post that. You proved what I only generally alluded to.

[SABR Matt]

Moyer hasn't been an effective pitcher since 2003...the ERA is lying to you all. He is a reasonably good fit for the Mariners in that Safeco Field is an ideal park to hide his difficiencies, but I do not want him to come back. Because if he comes back he'll be like third in the rotation just to appease him and he pitches worse now than Ryan Franklin did in his last year with Seattle. I'm tired of holding my breath on every pitch knowing that if he makes even a tiny mistake it usually goes 450 feet.

[Seattle1]

I guess he re-signed with the Phillies, so much for that idea.