During the pre-game portion of the Dodgers-Phillies tilt Wednesday, ESPN commentator asserted that Jamie Moyer should be considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame based almost solely on prevailing 249 games over his career despite possessing a lot less than dominating stuff.
He equated Moyer with, get this, Bob Gibson, who was victorious 251 times during his time with the Cardinals because they have similar win totals. This is one of the stupidest things I have heard in baseball this year.
Look, it's great that Moyer, whose fastball wouldn't hurt me if I caught it barehanded, has been able to make a living for 22 seasons with his soft, softer and yet softer repetoire. He is a two time 20 game winner and one of the smartest hurlers in the national pastime.
However, you have to look at the stats. Moyer has never had an ERA under 3.00 during his career. Gibson had a CAREER ERA of 2.91. Moyer's lifetime WHIP of 1.32 is the mark of somebody who has been just what Jamie is, a journeyman. Gibson's insane 1968 campaign had him boasting a beyond God-like 0.53 and it was 1.19 overall for his 16 seasons in the bigs. Moyer has had only four seasons out of his 22 in MLB where he met or exceeded that.
Gibons's H/9 was in the sevens lifetime. In 16 of his 22 campaigns. Moyer has averaged more than nine knocks for a regulation battle. In more than half of his career, Moyer has given up four earned runs or more a game, putting a lot of pressure on his offense to score for him. This is despite pitching in the extreme pitchers park that is the Mariners home stadium
So the Gibson comparison was laughably asinine.
The Bert Blyleven Marching and Chowder Society will cheer Sutcliffe's analysis because if Moyer is to be considered a candidate for enshrinement then Blyleven goes in by voice acclimation.
But you know who else does? Try Jim Kaat.
Kaat, who was actually a pretty solid pitcher in his day and who won a roomful of Gold Gloves in the bargain, finished with a 1.26 WHIP and a 3.45 career ERA to accompany 283 wins. Kaat's overall stats are better than Moyer's by just about any measure while largely toiling in a park much more favorable to batters than Seattle's homeground. Only their H/9 are comparable.
If Moyer, for some reason, goes in and Blyleven and Kaat don't it would be a farce.
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Sutcliffe really is an idiot. I want to put my foot right through the television screen everytime he opens his mouth. He offers nothing but criticism and babbles about one thing something like 50 different annoying ways. Even once in a while, his fellow commentator will say something to him like, "So what's your point?"
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