Jamie Moyer Is Becoming Baseball's Very Own Willy Loman

Moyer, if you'll recall, started the season with the Colorado Rockies and was soon designated for assignment after going 2-5. He then signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. A clause in that contract required the Orioles to either promote Moyer to the big league club or release him after three starts at AAA-Norfolk. Moyer recently completed his third start and the Orioles asked if he would be interested in making a fourth. He declined and requested his release.

So, Moyer is now a 49-year-old free agent roaming the vastness of major league baseball. He doesn't appear to be willing to pitch anywhere but the Major Leagues, but that's looking less and less like a viable option. The last Major League team he pitched for has gotten such poor starting pitching it switched to a four man rotation, for crying out loud. He seems content to go door to door hawking his wares to anyone who'll listen—but he won't be low-balled.

Baltimore was actually hoping he would stick around for another start so they could call him up when they actually needed him, but nothing was guaranteed. That sounds an awful lot like a guy who thinks he's got more options elsewhere. And, hey, he did pitch to a 1.69 ERA with Norfolk. But let's not delude ourselves, that might have been a selling point for Moyer were he younger, but he is not and AAA Norfolk is not the AL East.

Image via Getty Orioles release Moyer at his request [SI, AP]