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Red Sox: What if Jamie Moyer never got traded to Seattle in 1996?

By Charlie Smith

Aug 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Jamie Moyer is inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame before the start of a game against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Jamie Moyer is inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame before the start of a game against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Former Seattle Mariners manager Lou Piniella (left) and wife Karen Moyer (right) clap as former Seattle Mariners pitcher Jamie Moyer is inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame before the start of a game Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Former Seattle Mariners manager Lou Piniella (left) and wife Karen Moyer (right) clap as former Seattle Mariners pitcher Jamie Moyer is inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame before the start of a game Texas Rangers at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

Jamie Moyer in Seattle

Moyer went on to post a 6-2 record in Seattle while also posting a 3.31 ERA and got another 29 strike outs in 70 2/3’s innings after the deadline. Moyer’s totals in 1996 weren’t bad overall, a 13-3 record, a 3.98 ERA with 79 K’s in 160 2/3’s innings. Moyer went on to record 13 wins or more in the next seven seasons in Seattle. The lefty seemed to be like a fine wine, getting better with time. Three of Moyer’s best years numbers looked as so:

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1997
Record: 17-5
ERA: 3.85
Innings: 188 2/3
Strike outs: 113

2001
Record: 20-6
ERA: 3.43
Innings: 209 2/3
Strike outs: 119
**4th in Cy Young Voting

2003
Record: 21-7
ERA: 3.27
Innings: 215.0
Strike outs: 129
** 5th in Cy Young Voting

There’s no question that Jamie Moyer was one of the late bloomers in baseball. No other explanation for someone who got better in his 30’s and played well into his late 40’s. Moyer’s numbers in Seattle were nothing short of remarkable posting two seasons of 20 or more wins and also had 13 wins or more in eight of nine seasons before being traded mid-season in 2006.

Career numbers in Seattle:
1996 – 2006
Record: 145-87
ERA: 3.97
Innings: 2,093
Strike outs: 1,239

Moyer finished his career in Seattle with some pretty impressive numbers finishing 2nd in both wins and innings pitched only to Felix Hernandez and 3rd in strike outs behind Hernandez and Randy Johnson. Lefty also finished in the top 6 for the Cy Young Award three times.

Post-Seattle

Post-Seattle? Moyer went on to win 58 games as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, tallying 475 strike outs. From 1996 on, Moyer won 10 or more games in 13 of 14 straight seasons and almost made it 14 out of 15 seasons missing 10 by one win in 2010 at the age of 46. Quite a difference when considering both players and the careers they had after getting traded at the 1996 deadline.

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