BY SCOTT LAUBERGood afternoon, all.
So, we're sitting here at the Bank, moments away from Charlie Manuel's between-games press conference. Jamie Moyer also will be available in the media room. We'll have updates when they are through talking.
But, during my drive to Orlando International in the wee hours and my flight home, I kept thinking about what this moment, a Game 3 start in a deadlocked World Series, must mean to Moyer. Imagine going to work every day for years, and after 22 years, finally reaching the pinnacle of your profession. It's terribly unfair to say that a career as long and distingushed as Moyer's comes down to one game, but clearly, he's going to be immortalized in large part for what he does tomorrow night. If he shuts down the Rays and restores the Phillies' momentum, nobody will remember what happened against the Brewers in the Division Series or the Dodgers in the NLCS. Struggle and, after 16 wins at age 45, people will wonder if Moyer should merit a Game 7 start, if it even gets to that point.
My gut feeling is that Moyer will pitch well. The Rays are a little like the Florida Marlins, a young, aggressive, fastball-hitting team. Chances are, Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton have never seen a pitcher quite like Moyer, who will dictate the tempo and, if he's on his game, speed up and slow down their bats almost at will. Few of the Rays hitters have faced Moyer, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of at-bats they have, especially early in the game.
Of course, none of it will matter if the Phillies don't start hitting.
More on that, and everything else, in The Paper and here on The Blog. For now, you tell me: How do you think Moyer will fare tomorrow?
3 comments:
In Jamie we trust!
Jamie won 16 games for us this year and has been an incredible mentor to many of the Phillies players. I have faith he will step up this weekend.
AW
I think that Jamie will come out firing on all cylinders. This next start is the culmination of his 22-year career. He's pitching for his hometown team in front of the hometown fans in the city of Philadelphia with a chance to take us one step closer to the first World Series title since Moyer himself joined the parade down Broad Street in 1980.
Let's just hope that the suddenly trash-talking Rays get trounced. Apparently 'worst to first' is justification for vocally writing off your World Series opponent these days.
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