Feb. 26 -- OLD MAN MOYER

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Looking back now, nearly 23 years later, it still brings a smile to Jamie Moyer's face.

But it also makes him sad.

Moyer (AP photo) grew up about 40 miles from Philadelphia, in quiet Souderton, Pa. He cheered for the Phillies and idolized Steve Carlton. But by the time Moyer took the mound on June 16, 1986 at Wrigley Field for his major-league debut and and defeated Carlton and the Phils, Carlton wasn't the same pitcher. It was the first year of a three-year slide in which he went 15-29 with a 5.72 ERA and bounced between five teams as he limped to the finish line of his Hall of Fame career.

"It was really hurtful to watch Steve Carlton finish his career the way he did," Moyer said yesterday, his left shoulder and elbow packed in ice after tossing two scoreless innings against the Pirates in Bradenton. "I'm not questioning why he was playing. Maybe he thought he could still pitch. But to watch him as a kid growing up and have all the respect in the world for him, to see him hanging around the last few years, he struggled. And I've seen other pitchers struggling. I hope I don't have to go through that."

So, when his time comes, Moyer insists he'll know when to say when. When his skills finally erode, he'll know when to throw his last pitch and retire to his wife and seven children. But that time isn't coming. Not yet. Not anytime soon.

Geoff Jenkins said yesterday that Moyer will pitch until he's 110. That gave Moyer a good chuckle. But, really, he isn't slowing down. Not at age 46. Not in his 25th spring training. Moyer threw more than 40 pitches yesterday, almost all fastballs. It's what he does every spring. He's working his way up to being ready for the season, his 23rd in the majors. He led the Phillies with 16 wins last season. Only six National League pitchers won more games. And there's no reason to believe he can't do it again, even though logic tells you a 46-year-old shouldn't be having this kind of success against players who are only slightly older than his children.

So, I'll ask you: How many wins for Moyer in 2009?

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Within the notebook, Scott Eyre has received an advance on his $2 million salary from the Phillies. Consider it his own personal stimulus package. Most of Eyre's assets have been frozen while the federal government investigates a $9 billion fraud scheme allegedly perpetrated by Robert Allen Stanford of the Stanford Financial Group. ... Also, Eric Hinske talks about his famous strikeout, which will live in Philly sports lore.

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On tap for today: Phillies-Blue Jays in the home-opener at Bright House. The curtain rises on the fifth-starter competition. Carlos Carrasco and J.A. Happ will pitch today, and we'll be sure to let you know all about how they do.

And a reminder about our first-ever Phillies online chat at 12:30 p.m. Stop by. We'll talk. It'll be fun.