The Moose Phones It In

MOOSEPORT -- All-Star pitcher Mike Mussina has called it a career. The Moose had a stellar career piling up 270 wins, five All-Star appearances, seven Gold Gloves, and an amazing knack for finishing just short of excellence his entire career.

On the last start in the last season of his career, Mike accumulated twenty wins for the first time in eighteen seasons; the first man to win 20 in his last season since Sandy Koufax. In fact, 2008 was Moose's best season since the beginning of the Bush administration. He pitched over 200 innings, won 20 games, and had an ERA+ of 132. So with a sure-fire chance to take a team to the bank for a few more years, and a solid chance to become a member of the 300 win club and the 3,000 strikeout club, why would he retire? Simple - Moose wants to be remembered as one of the greatest pitchers to never have his mug on a plaque in Cooperstown. Or I should say, Moose does not want to be remembered at all.

Mussina said Wednesday afternoon "I was just too good last year. I worry if I put up another season like that I'll be dangerously close to Cooperstown consideration." He added "I have a real fear of speeches, and I just don't know if I can handle getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. I've always dodged the Cy Young award thank God, and I've gone too far to be getting a plaque at this stage of my life. In another couple of seasons I will amass 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, and I just can't live with that."

Mussina managed to never quite get over the hump from great pitcher to dominating pitcher. In his career he finished with 18-19 wins five times, top six in Cy Young voting nine times, top ten in ERA eleven times, and top ten in K's ten times. However, Moose never won a Cy Young, or any other pitching award for that matter. Moose also never led the league in strikeouts or claimed an ERA title. He retired with 270 wins, a career 3.68 ERA, and 2,813 strikeouts.

Moose was stellar in 16 postseason series going 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA. Nine different seasons he pitched in October, two of which he made it to the World Series. However, Moose will retire without a World Series ring. With the Yankees being active in the free agent market and hoping to eclipse a seven trillion dollar payroll for 2009, it is more than plausible they have a good chance to win the World Series next season, and provide enough run support over the next two to three seasons for Moose to get 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts. Therefore, what has Moose chased for his entire career?

It seems obvious, whatever it was, it wasn't plaques on his wall, money in his brokerage account, nor rings on his fingers. Moose, simply wanted to throw a baseball and have fun for eighteen years. History will forget Mike Mussina, and maybe he wanted it that way? His name will not echo across eternity. He did not chase immortality like Roger Clemens, he simply pitched, and pitched damn well.

So I say, when the Moose comes up for Hall of Fame induction, the writers ignore his inability to get over the hump, and recognize this is a man whose demeanor would not drive him to banned substances and backstabbing. He is a guy who does not strive off fame or recognition. This is a guy who went out and did his job, and did it damn well for eighteen seasons. Furthermore, he did it naturally for eighteen seasons against hitters on enough juice to put horses on the endangered species list. So, when Mike Mussina's name is placed on the ballot for Hall enshrinement in five years, he should not be overlooked due to trivial benchmarks of excellence. He should be enshrined, and enshrined before Roger Clemens. Not because he had a better career or less blank space on his walls, but because his ambition was always a virtue and he never allowed it to become a vice.