New Road Sign For Cooperstown

Is Mike Mussina a Hall of Famer? That seems to be a popular question this week with the announcement of Mussina's retirement. Well, my answer to that is a resounding YES!
Full disclosure, Mike Mussina is my favorite pitcher of all-time. Even after he left the O's to play for the "evil empire", I still found myself pulling for Moose. Mike debuted in late 1991 and was a full blown star by 1992. I was pitching in college during this time. My motion and mannerisms were patterned exactly after Moose. In my mind, I looked exactly like him. Some 15 years later, I was still imitating his pitching motion while I played in a fantasy camp, my real baseball career long over. Moose, on the other hand was still busy winning 15 games or more a year for the Yankees.

Mussina won 20 games last year for the first time in his career. He was certainly cheated of a couple more 20 win seasons. Strike shortened seasons, blown saves, and pop-ups that found there way into the left field seats at Camden Yards. Mike pitched for 18 seasons in the AL East. 18 seasons with a DH. At least 10 seasons dominated by steroids and another 10 at Camden Yards. Moose could easily hang around a couple more seasons and get to 300 wins, which is an immediate ticket into Cooperstown. But, he's walking away. He could chase the 300 wins and probably make 25 million doing so. He could also chase that ring that I wish he had, but he's walking away on top, and on his own terms. I admire that.

So, we have to judge the numbers that are in the book. I've looked at them, I've lived them, and they work for me. Enjoy your retirement Moose, you will be missed.

Cheers and Hail