Is the Magic Gone?
Posted by Johnny Goodtimes on May 14th, 2009
One of the greatest plays in last year’s World Series was essentially ruined by a blown call by the first base umpire. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll ever forget 46 year old Jamie Moyer diving to the ground for a ground ball and pushing it to Ryan Howard, expending his body in the hopes of winning his first World Series. When the Series ended, he took home the mound. It would have been the storybook ending to a great career. But he decided that he had more left in the tank, so in the offseason he signed a two year contract that the Phillies tendered probably as much due to sentiment as to hopes that he would repeat his magical run of 2008. Thus far, it has not paid off. In the last few games, Moyer has had little to no control of the strike zone, and when a pitcher with an 82 mph fastball has no control, well, he becomes a batting practice pitcher. So is he in danger of losing his job? Apparently not. “I’m concerned,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “I’m concerned about all our pitchers. But we’ve got to stick with them. We signed these pitchers to pitch. Will I stay with them? Of course I will.”
