Posted on Mon, Sep. 8, 2008
NEW YORK -
Jamie Moyer pitched like a master yesterday afternoon at Shea Stadium, but
Charlie Manuel wanted more.
"I wanted nine out of him with no hits," the manager said after the Phillies beat the New York Mets, 6-2, in Game 1 of their doubleheader. "He gave us seven innings, two hits, no runs, though. That was close. It wasn't close enough."
He was kidding. Manuel continues to be impressed with Moyer, 45, the oldest player in baseball, who improved to 13-7 with a 3.64 ERA.
"He continues to pitch because he's got more patience than the hitter has," Manuel said. "He knows what he's doing. Where he locates and puts the ball is what counts. . . .
"He's got a tremendous feel for pitching. He's very prepared. He works hard. He studies everything about the game."
No non-knuckleball-throwing pitcher 45 years or older has won more games in a season than Moyer. He had been tied with the legendary
Satchel Paige, who went 12-10 as a 45-year-old - if that indeed was his correct age - for the St. Louis Browns in 1952.
Knuckleball enthusiast
Phil Niekro won 16 games for the New York Yankees in 1984 and 1985 at ages 45 and 46.
"Do I take any personal pride in any of this?" Moyer said. "For me it's the responsibility to have a job and to be a starting pitcher and to go out there and give our team a chance to win. I think that's the most important thing. I've probably said it many times, but when I'm sitting in my rocking chair in about five or 10 years, maybe I'll look back on this kind of stuff.
Moyer can be a free agent after the season. He already has said he plans to keep pitching. The Phillies said they are interested in bringing him back, but they will not make a decision on that until after the season.
Met killer
Phillies teammates have called
Greg Dobbs "The Natural" on occasion.
Dobbs. Roy Hobbs. The Natural. Get it?
But Dobbs has been Mr. Met Killer the last two Septembers at Shea Stadium. Dobbs hit a pinch-hit grand slam Sept. 16, 2007, to lead the Phillies to a 10-6 win, completing a sweep of the Mets. He hit a two-run homer Friday in a 3-0 victory. And in Game 1 yesterday, he hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning.
"In this game, it helps to draw on anything positive," Dobbs said. "If the negative thoughts creep in, you try to go back to the times when you were successful and how you succeeded in those situations."
Wagner finished?
Mets closer
Billy Wagner, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 3 with a strained left forearm, tried to throw a simulated game between games of the doubleheader but had to stop because of discomfort in his left elbow. He tried to throw a simulated game in the middle of August in Pittsburgh but had to stop throwing then as well.
With just a few weeks to go, that is not a good sign for Wagner.
The unnamed starters
Because of Saturday's rainout, the Phillies are missing a starting pitcher for Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park.
They also need a starting pitcher tomorrow vs. the Florida Marlins because they skipped
Kyle Kendrick's turn in the rotation.
J.A. Happ and Kendrick are the best bets for those two spots, although pitching coach
Rich Dubee would not rule out having Moyer pitch on short rest Thursday.
Scoring on Eyre
Lefthander
Scott Eyre allowed two runs in the eighth inning of Game 1, the first runs he had allowed in 10 appearances with the Phillies.
Jenkins to pinch-hit?
Rightfielder
Geoff Jenkins has been on the disabled list since Aug. 23 with a strained right hip flexor.
Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies' assistant general manager, said Jenkins could take batting practice with the team as early as today.
Amaro is hopeful Jenkins could return to action before the end of the month, but indicated that because of Jenkins' hip, he might be used primarily in pinch-hitting situations.
Iguchi arrives
Tadahito Iguchi rejoined the team yesterday after the Phillies signed him Friday for the final 20 games of the season. The Phillies designated lefthander
R.J. Swindle for assignment to make room for him on the 40-man roster. Iguchi is ineligible for postseason play.
Contact staff writer Todd Zolecki at 215-854-4874
or tzolecki@phillynews.com.
Read his blog at http://go.philly.com/phillieszone.
email this
print this
reprint or license this
Buy tickets online
REGIONAL SCOREBOARD
