Jamie Moyer Should Go To Anaheim for All-Star Game

When potential players for Charlie Manuel’s National League club get thrown out into conversation, you will hear the typical Phillies’ candidates, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Roy Halladay.

But, one name should be mentioned in the conversation this year and it should be that of Jamie Moyer.

In a year where the Phillies have been mired in a slump, are dealing with injuries and are not hitting well, it is the perfect opportunity for the 47-year old to make his second All-Star Game appearance (he made one with the Mariners in 2003).

Moyer has a chance to be the Phillies’ leader in wins, WHIP and hits allowed before the All-Star break hits. With Roy Halladay on a losing streak, Moyer could have 11 wins, which would at worst tie him with Halladay at the break and with NL hitters finally finding a way to hit Halladay, Moyer could top the ace in wins with starts against the Pirates on Friday and if the rotation holds against a weak-road team in the Braves on Wednesday.

The other reason that Moyer should be on the team is that Charlie Manuel is the NL manager and just like every other Phillies fan, appreciates the effort and continued success that Moyer has had this season.

Plus, the extended rosters now let each manager choose two extra players to make the team a 34-man roster and Moyer does not even need to pitch in the game with the stellar talent that the NL pitching staff would have.

If everything goes right for the NL, Ubaldo Jimenez, Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, Mike Pelfrey, Josh Johnson could start the game with Jimenez going two which in an ideal situation would lead to a combination of Billy Wagner, Matt Capps, Luke Gregerson and Arthur Rhodes (all of whom have been effective this season and are capable of holding and then closing a game) could close the game, or you could have Moyer come in between a pair of hard throwing starters and keep the AL hitters off balance.

In any situation, Jamie Moyer deserves to make the National League All-Star team because of what he is doing this season at his age, it would a great tribute to a humble man who has a solid MLB career.

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Is Roy Halladay the Best Pitcher To Throw a Perfect Game?

With his perfect game against the Florida Marlins on Saturday night, Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher Roy Halladay became the 20th pitcher to throw a perfect game in MLB history.

The question can now be asked, is Halladay the best pitcher to throw a perfect game?

But, after looking at the list of perfect game pitchers, there are some names that start the argument against Halladay.

Of the twenty pitchers, I singled out a few names that are worthy of making the discussion of best pitcher to throw a perfect game.

Cy Young, May 5, 1904

Addie Joss, October 2, 1908

Sandy Koufax, September 9, 1965

Catfish Hunter, May 8, 1968

Randy Johnson, May 18, 2004

Roy Halladay, May 29, 2010

The first four are already Hall of Famers and Johnson and Halladay should join them at the end of their careers.

Joss can be eliminated because of how short his career was. If Joss did not die at 31 from disease, he would have had better numbers and a more illustrious career.

Koufax lost years from his career at the end when he had to retire after only 11 seasons in the big leagues.

Now, the debate really begins.

Cy Young is the best pitcher statiscally in wins but he did play in a different era of baseball when pitchers were the focus of the game.

Hunter can also be thrown into the discussion with a career 224-166 record and over 2,000 strikeouts.

The Big Unit was a dominant force no matter where he landed and his 303 wins and 4,875 strikouts are there to prove how dominant he was.

Then, there is Halladay.

Halladay is now 33 years old with 155 career wins and over 1,500 strikeouts. Beyond the statistics, Halladay was consistently good on a consistently bad team in Toronto for a decade and is now on a winning team in Philadelphia.

Will he reach 300 wins? He just might. At 155 already, he will win at least ten more this season and has had 16 wins in each of the past four seasons.

So, the answer to the question of Who is the best perfect game pitcher is hard to figure out due to the eras that these four played in but Roy Halladay is surely on track to keep the debate going on and on for generations of baseball fans to debate this question.

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