I agree with JS from NC. Mussina could have had 20+ wins with some offense (I mean you, A-Rod). I was an Oriole fan for years and watched Mussina pitch. He was the ace so usually faced the other team’s ace. He lost games like 2-3 or less. It was discouraging altho I was disapointed when he was traded to the Yankees. I became a Yankee fan because of Moose.
— Jeterjobafan 5. September 24, 2008 4:22 pm
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i for one would rather see young, hungry players going for broke than these old, over-priced vets who so casually blow off their under-production as “slumps” that will break. wow, i call 162 game slump a waste of a season myself….
Moose has carried himself with a “quiet dignity” for much of his career. I agree with JS’s comment that after last season, he could have moped or sulked this year and been a non-factor. Instead, in a season that was practically over by Memorial Day, Moose gave the Yankees a bit of hope. I am hopeful he will get his 20th win on Sunday as with any reasonable assistance from the pen at all (heck, even Mo blew a game for him in Minnesota) he would be at 22 or 23 wins by now.
— mark 14. September 24, 2008 6:51 pm
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I too was ready to toss Moose after last season’s performance. But after reading ‘Living in the Black’, I gained respect for the way Moose handled being pulled from the rotation. He could have moped and spent the remainder of the season stewing, but he was a true professional and worked on changing his pitching style to become a “crafty” old left-hander. That professionalism and hard work led to his personal and team success this year. I hope he gets his 20.
— Michael Deane 12. September 24, 2008 5:55 pm
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— kmiller 13. September 24, 2008 6:11 pm
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Let’s all keep our fingers crossed, say a little prayer that his elbow will be fine and he will win on Sunday. With a little help from the batting line-up, is that too much to ask??
Poster #12 (KMiller),
What nasty post about Mike Mussina.
Moose is no “Mr. Almost,” and he’s certainly not a loser. In fact, he’s one of the best — and classiest — pitchers in recent history.
How sad that you feel that it’s appropriate to write such a horrible (and totally inaccurate) assessment of his career.
Shame on you!
The cynical side of me says Mussina’s resurgence this year is a direct result of his expiring contract.
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i however caution all of you “bring back moose” fans…remember that certain yankees who played way over his head last year and now for some reason is remembered as a great hitter (although most of his career he stunk it up in the clutch). we gave him a boatload of cash and his age caught up to him. the jeopardy answer is…posada…
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I hope he comes back. The younger Yankee pitchers would benefit from his experience and his intelligence.
— bryan 17. September 24, 2008 10:30 pm
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Mussina should come back – he clearly still has not lost his ability to win. BUt more than that,
he is such a great role model. I understand that Steinbrenner and Cashman don’t build their team on role models. But Mussina can have a positive effect on some of the Yankees’ less motivated players. So I think Mussina being Mussina as a pitcher and as mensch are two valid reasons to bring him back.
I’m rooting for his #20 on Sunday and I agree with some of you that if it weren’t for our non-existent offense this year, he might be looking at 22 or 23 wins, which I beleive would have made him a front runner for the cy young, but not the case.
I showed him my baseball writer’s card to prove it.
— Julien 7. September 24, 2008 4:40 pm
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Yelnoc
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— Patrick 16. September 24, 2008 9:58 pm
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How bout a “crafty righty”?
He still hasn’t won “the big game”, but maybe this Sunday will be the first of several in the twilight of his career.
Mike Mussina has the slowest and most annoying wind-up I have ever seen, and that’s why I can’t ever watch him pitch–He has a windup like a little leaguer
— JS from NC 2. September 24, 2008 3:25 pm
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— hamilton 25. September 25, 2008 11:31 pm
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as longtime Orioles follower living in the Washington DC area, I can only say Mussina was artist with the Orioles and has continued to be so with the Yankees. I so much more enjoy the pitching artists than the intimidating fireballers, like–say–Rocket Roger. With the Yankees now officially done, I am very happy for the first time since he left Baltimore to be rooting for a Mike Mussina win this Sunday. –Bryan
— Yelnoc 6. September 24, 2008 4:26 pm
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This has been a bad year for the team. But it has been an excellent year for him. Congratulations.
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I second that, JS. While the Yanks were sleepwalking through August, I had to keep myself from watching games so as to avoid sinking into a depression. But I did make sure to tune in for all of Moose’s starts. To be honest, he reminds me more of a latter day El Duque than Jamie Moyer.
Mussina’s been a bright spot for so many fans. It’s also been great watching the joy that Al Leiter and David Cone (his former teammates and peers) take in Moose’s renaissance on the YES broadcasts. You can imagine them high fiving each other if he gets 20. HOF? Definitely. The only question will be how does he compare to Bert Blyleven who pitched for some bad teams.
i’ll be honest, i was ready to chuck moose into the trash heap after last year. he definitely found a way to reinvent himself, he’s the Madonna of baseball.
He is a master craftsman and it is a pleasure to watch him work, even more so because he has to think and not blow hitters away. How valuable can he be to the Yankees’ young pitchers? Very.
I’ve been a Yankees fan for 45 years. This year, one of the few positive things about the team has been Moose’s gutsy pitching. I had the opportunity to see his masterful game against the Twins on July 26 at the Stadium when he pitched 8 shutout innings for his 13th victory. I’m definitely rooting for him to win his 20th against the Red Sox. That would be justice and a way for the whole team to end a fairly miserable season on a positive note. The alternative would be the ultimate irony for this baseball season: If the Yankees don’t give the Moose enough run support to win, it will mean that Mariano Rivera’s ONLY blown save of the season cost the Moose his 20th.
Anyway, after we talked about his interest in putting the flag pole at Yankee Stadium on his property in Montoursville, Pa., I told Mussina that I was the reporter that talked to Hank Steinbrenner back in April when the Yankees boss said Mussina, 39, “just needs to learn how to pitch like Jamie Moyer,” the Phillies’ 45-year-old starter.
Moose, Moose, Moose!
Yelnoc
Now how many more millions will he earn with this 19+ win season versus another season of mediocrity like ‘07?
I think Moose has an excellent chance at getting his 20th win on Sunday, especially since the Yankee hitters will be going all out for him because of what a great teammate he is, and Boston will probably sit at least a few starters.
I think the Yankees should absolutely resign him. One year, with a team option for a second year, ~$12mil per year? In 2 years, he has a very realistic chance at getting 300 career wins. I wonder if he reaches this milestone, will people still say he doesn’t have Hall of Fame credentials?
— WF 3. September 24,
Cheap New Era Jordan Hats, 2008 3:53 pm
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— JorgieJuicedOne 4. September 24, 2008 3:58 pm
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I’m not a Yankees fan, but Mussina’s a quality pitcher and I hope he reaches that milestone. Even if he doesn’t, he’s got 269 wins now and is within sniffing distance of 300. Good luck, Moose.
“That said, thanks for doing it my way,” Mussina said.
Since then, Mussina has won 18 games and lowered his E.R.A. to 3.47. On Sunday, he is scheduled to pitch against the Red Sox. A victory will give him his first 20-win season in his career, and increase his chances of making it to the Hall-of-Fame.
Everybody knows that Moose is a right-handed pitcher. Through his transformation he now has the substance, style and guile of a crafty left-hander. He now thinks like a lefty.
Mussina hasn’t changed. Age has lessened his velocity, but he’s the same pitcher he always has been. (I’m an old Orioles fan.) Every year he’s gonna give you a handful of masterful games, and an equal number of dreadful ones. Mostly he’s gonna use his head, heart, and whatever pitches happen to be working that day to bulldog his team into position for a W. He’s as tenacious as hell. This year proves it more than anything else. I hope he gets his well-deserved 20, and I hope he lasts long enough to get 300, on his terms. And if you dont think he belongs in the HoF, you haven’t been paying attention. Too bad Angelos wasn’t.
Two years for 24 million? Second year as an option for the Yanks. Imagine a year ago, people wished it was his last year of his contract.
— Kevin 23. September 25, 2008 1:47 pm
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— Adam 8. September 24, 2008 4:54 pm
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“Oh, really,” Mussina said when I told about my conversation with Steinbrenner. Mussina said after the article appeared, he received a glove and autographed ball from Moyer in the mail.
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— Jaak in Tallinn 22. September 25, 2008 10:02 am
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There is a good chance that Mussina will get his 20th since the Sox will be resting some of their players for the playoffs. Sorry, Yankee fans.
After Carl Everett wrecking his perfect game and Armando Benitez blowing his bid at 20 games, I truly hope Moose reaches it this year. Goodness knows he would have had probably 23 wins by now had there been an offense behind him. But while that could be discounted as speculation, what is fact is that last year when he was pulled from the rotation,
Cheap Pittsburgh Pirates Hats, rather than sulk or complain, the guy came back with a new mission and approach. Let’s also hope he signs for a couple more years and then gains entry into the Hall wearing his NY cap. Watching him and Mo pitch this season were about the only bright spots.
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Permalink Hank Steinbrenner, Mike Mussina, Yankees Related Posts From Bats Jeter Extends a Drawbridge to SteinbrennerHank Steinbrenner Picks on the CaptainSome Yankees Free Agents Stood ApartIan Kennedy Looks BackDesperation Drives the Market — and the Yanks Aren’t Desperate Previous Post
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Next » 1. September 24, 2008 2:18 pm
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Baseball teams are always giving crafty old lefties a continuing chance to pitch into their forties. Now that Mike Mussina has transformed himself into that type of “crafty old lefty” type pitcher the Yankees would be wise to resign Moose without any question. God only knows that the Yankees can use some pitcher that will give them innings and a good chance to win.
For all those talking about Moose being a “crafty lefty”: sorry, but he’s throws right handed.
Mike Mussina aka Mr. Almost. Almost won a world series, almost won 20 games, almost made the hall of fame, almost won 300 games. As they say, you show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser, aka Mr. Almost
— Yelnoc 24. September 25, 2008 3:27 pm
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i agree…he does have a very slow wind-up, and as his wins go, he should have no problem as long as all those all-stars do what their payed to do.
— steve moschetta 15. September 24, 2008 8:40 pm
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By my estimate, I had interviewed Mike Mussina maybe twice before I approached him at his locker after the Yankees game on Saturday. I introduced myself as Mike Schmidt, my name.
— Nina Dobrer Hoffman 20. September 25, 2008 1:56 am
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Bring him back (hopefully he’ll be reasonable about dollars) and put him at the back end of the rotation…but don’t be surprised if he moves up.
— pat m 18. September 24, 2008 11:08 pm
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— Bobby Sox Fan 9. September 24, 2008 5:03 pm
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Mike Mussina earned his 19th victory Tuesday night. (Mike Cassese/Reuters)
— Deborah Broide 19. September 25, 2008 12:40 am
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“Mike Schmidt, no way, that’s not your name,” Mussina said. “I bet you’ve never heard that.”
— Adam L 21. September 25,
Players A to Z, Tyler Greene, 2008 5:49 am
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— matt 11. September 24, 2008 5:45 pm
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That was April 20, when the Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles and were off to a somewhat disappointing (10-10) start. I had sent Steinbrenner a text message and twenty minutes later he called me back. He said at the time “you have to be an idiot” not to put Joba Chamberlin into the starting rotation, and he took a dig at Mussina who was off to a 1-3 start and had a 5.75 earned run average.
Mussina, Doing it Jamie Moyer’s Way
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