Jamie Moyer Joins ESPN

Beginning tomorrow, Jamie Moyer will start the second phase of his (very long) baseball career as an MLB analyst for ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight.” What the Scoop wants to know: Will he still wear the high socks?

Full release below the jump.

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2011

MLB WORLD SERIES CHAMPION JAMIE MOYER JOINS ESPN

Pitcher Brings His 24-Seasons of MLB Experience to Network’s “Baseball Tonight”

Seattle, WA – Jamie Moyer, a 2008 World Series Champion & co-founder of The Moyer Foundation, and ESPN, Inc. today announced that the veteran pitcher has joined ESPN as a Major League Baseball (MLB) analyst for the network.  Moyer will make his debut on Thursday, March 31 on the Midnight EST edition of “Baseball Tonight.”

“Baseball has been a significant part of my life for the majority of my 48 years on this earth, so I appreciate this opportunity with ESPN and look forward to being a part of the ‘Baseball Tonight’ team,” stated Moyer.  “Not being in a uniform this season as I go through my rehab is an unfamiliar situation for me, so I’m excited to stay connected to the game and offer baseball fans my perspective on the sport that I truly love.”

“Baseball Tonight” has become fans one stop for all the day’s events in MLB. Each night, the show provides the latest news about the game, both on and off of the diamond, previews and recaps games during the season and features analysis from a number of experts, which now includes Moyer.  The show first aired on ESPN in 1990.

Moyer played 24 MLB seasons.  As a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010, he became the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout when, at 47 years, 170 days old, he turned in a scoreless, two-hit performance against Atlanta (5/7/10).  Moyer made 19 starts in 2010 before sustaining a season-ending injury.  He underwent surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament, also known as Tommy John surgery, and is currently undergoing rehabilitation with intentions to return to the mound in 2012.

In 2008, Moyer helped the Phillies capture their first World Series Championship in 28 years.  He started 33 games that season, pitching 196-1/3 innings and compiling a 16-7 record.  Moyer’s victories led the Phillies’ pitching staff, while his 3.71 ERA was second only to Cole Hamels (3.09), who was 21 years his junior.

Moyer joined the Phillies in 2006 after spending 10 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, where he remains the team’s all-time leader in wins (145).  Over a career that spanned more than two decades in MLB, he also pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox.  Moyer began his career with the Cubs in 1986 and twice finished in the top five in voting for the Cy Young Award while with Seattle (2001 & 2003).  He is also a member of an exclusive group that includes Randy Johnson, Warren Spahn and Cy Young as the only pitchers to have won 20 games at least twice after the age of 38.  In 24 MLB seasons, Moyer earned 267 victories, recorded 4,020.1 innings pitched and collected 2,405 strikeouts.

Away from the field, the father of eight is an active philanthropist. He and his wife, Karen, founded The Moyer Foundation (www.moyerfoundation.org) in 2000 and the nonprofit is dedicated to empowering children in distress by providing education and support to help them live a healthy, inspired life.  With the community’s support, The Moyer Foundation has raised more than $20 million to assist over 225 different programs that directly serve the needs of children in distress.