Congratulations to Pat Gillick. The man sure knows how to retire. I had the pleasure of meeting the now former General Manager of the Phillies this past summer, though at the time I did not expect his team to win the World Series. He’s got an awful lot to be proud of.
Congratulations are also in order to Jamie Moyer – the oldest first-time World Series winner, I suspect – nearly four years older than Satchel Paige, who won as a 42-year-old rookie in 1948. The soon-to-be 46-year-old Moyer – a 23-season veteran – has expressed interest in returning to the Phillies. I admire him for his desire to keep playing and know he still loves the game, but at the same time it is surprising that he is not calling it quits. After all, he’s well beyond the age at which even the best in his profession hang ‘em up, and most importantly, he’d be going out on top. Moyer is a native of the Philadelphia area, and he did have a very good season (posting a 3.71 E.R.A. – his lowest since he won 21 games for Seattle in 2003), so he’s got every reason to believe he can continue to be an effective pitcher and a hometown hero. Regardless of his thinking, I hope Jamie Moyer continues to find success on the mound.
