Phils’ Moyer hopes to return this season
July 24, 2010
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Jamie Moyer(notes) stood at his locker Friday afternoon, speakingof pitching again not retirement.
Faced with the possibility of a career-ending elbow injury, the 47-year-oldleft-hander said he owes it to himself to try everything to return to thepitching mound this season.
“That’s my goal,” he said. “But without a full diagnosis—I think that’sonly fair—but the competitor in myself, I want to pitch. If my arm doesn’tallow that to happen, it’s not going to happen. I believe I’m going to make somesort of a, I don’t want to say comeback, but I’m going to make some sort ofattempt to get back out there.”
Moyer left his July 20 start in St. Louis when he strained his left elbowafter making a pitch. He is headed for the disabled list—likely on Saturday—and is in having tests to determine the severity of the injury.
“It’s best until all the testing is done,” Moyer said. “Without all thetesting, I don’t feel it’s appropriate to comment on something halfway through.I know it’s a strain. I think it’s my flexor pronator (forearm) and it soundslike it’s a sprain in my ulnar collateral (ligament), but I think we’re going todo some further testing to determine the severity of the sprain.”
Moyer has made 686 appearances in a 24-season big-league career, starting628 games. He is 267-204 for his career, and was 9-9 this season with a 4.84ERA. He started Game Three of the 2008 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
While he prefers not to think about the inevitable end to a storied run—Moyer knows he will eventually have to walk away from the game he made he debutwith on June 16, 1986.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it, but I haven’t spent awhole lot of time thinking about it, because I’m not there yet,” he said,holding back tears. “It’s one of those situations that you don’t want to havehappen, but if it happens, it happens. There’s nothing I can do about it. Ican’t turn back and change anything. I feel like I can look myself in the mirrorand know that if that was my last outing, so be it. I’ve given it my best and Ienjoyed my career. At this point, I’m not looking at it as that being the case.
“I’m still under contract, so I feel obligated to make every effort toallow this to heal and give myself that chance to pitch. (But) when it’s over,it’s over.”
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