18. Jamie Moyer, 269 wins, 103 ERA+, 4,074 innings, 2,441 strikeouts, 49.9 bWAR
In 1984, the Chicago Cubs drafted Jamie Moyer in the 6th round out of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Roughly two years later, Moyer was already up to make his debut. A child born on the day Moyer made his debut against the Phillies on June 16, 1986 would have been weeks short of his/her 26th birthday when Moyer finally pitched in his last game on May 27, 2012.
Along the way, Moyer showed that it doesn’t require a blistering fastball or a wicked breaking pitch to have a productive and lengthy major league career, as he really had neither. What Moyer did well was pound the zone and force hitters to swing at his pitches, walking roughly 6.5% of hitters for his entire career.
Because he never really had dominant stuff, Moyer didn’t have the numbers of many dominant starters in strikeouts or limiting hits as his goal was to create contact. After multiple arm issues really sapped any velocity he might have had as a young pitcher with the Cubs, Moyer re-invented himself once he got to Seattle in a mid-season deal in 1996, really beginning his career at 33 years old.
For those who insist only dominant stuff can find success in the postseason, all you would need as a counterpoint is Moyer’s postseason record. Over 8 career postseason appearances, all starts, Moyer put up a 4.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, with his record standing at 3-3, even tossing 6 1/3 innings in Game 3 in the 2008 World Series to help the Phillies win the championship, only losing a victory when the bullpen blew the lead he left with. He was 45 at the time, and just a few weeks away from 46.
Moyer made just one All-Star team, and he received votes in Cy Young voting just three times in his career, topping out with a 4th place finish in 2001. His tremendous off-field work earned him the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award and Roberto Clemente Award. Players referred to him as “grandpa”, and many who played with Moyer refer to him as showing them how to play the game off the field as much as on the field.
Next: 17. Prince Hal