Seattle Mariners: Top 50 players of all time
By Nick Lee
7. Jamie Moyer (1996-2006)
Jamie Moyer, the Ageless Wonder, was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2015. He pitched for an astounding 25 seasons in the major leagues, 11 of those with Seattle.
Towards the end of his career, he could barely touch above 80 MPH. That made him all the better pitcher. If you looked up the definition of “crafty lefty”, Moyer’s picture should be right there.
Moyer broke into the majors in 1986 and became a Mariner in 1996 after being dealt by the Red Sox. The fit was perfect. In his first full season in Seattle, he won 17 games with a 3.86 ERA in 189 innings.
His best season was in 2003, when he earned his only All-Star spot. He won a career-high 21 games with a stingy 3.21 ERA in 215 innings. This season stamped Moyer in Mariners history.
He made four starts in the playoffs as a Mariner between 1997 and 2001, winning three of them. Moyer put his name in many Mariners record books. He had the most wins at 145 in franchise history, until a guy named Felix Hernandez came along. (More about him later.)
His 1,239 strikeouts are good enough for third all-time in Seattle. He started 323 games over those 11 seasons.
Despite his lackluster velocity, he was a master at location and changing speeds. This aided him in seven sub-4.00 ERA seasons in Seattle.
In the summer of 2006, Moyer was traded to the Phillies where he finally got a World Series ring in 2008. He last pitched for the Rockies in 2012.