Shut Up And Play Ball

Jamie Moyer gave a press conference yesterday to bitch about the Phillies’ decision to demote him to the bullpen to make room in the starting rotation for Pedro Martinez.  At age 46, you’d think Moyer would know by now that professional baseball is a business in which winning is Job One and that if you don’t perform, the team will try to find someone else who can.

Moyer has a respectable 10-9 record, but his 5.46 ERA stinks.  Someone had to go to the bullpen at least long enough to see if future HOFer Pedro Martinez has anything left, and Moyer was the most deserving candidate based on his performance this year.

I don’t know what if anything Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told Moyer or his agent last off-season, when the Phillies signed Moyer to a two-year $13 million contract extension, but I have the feeling the contract speaks for itself.  In other words, the Phillies were willing to make a two-year commitment to Moyer because they thought or at least hoped he had enough left for two more years as a solid third or fourth starter.

I’m sure that the Phillies aren’t thrilled to have Moyer pitching out of the bullpen given the size of his contract, but the Phillies are trying to win another NL pennant, and they have the resources to go out and sign a Pedro Martinez to try to play even better for the stretch run.

Moyer gets paid either way, and at this point in his career, he really ought to be focusing on trying to win another ring and not belly-aching because he thinks the Phillies should have more loyalty to him even though baseball is a business and he isn’t performing.

Perhaps Moyer has delusions that with only 44 more wins to go, he still has a shot at 300 career victories if only he can remain in the starting rotation.  Given his age, making it to 300 is extremely unlikely.

Moyer needs to get over himself.  He should shut up, stop creating a distraction for a team trying to win a second consecutive World Series, and focus on playing ball and helping the Phillies win any way he can.