Moyer on the mound tonight

This blog has declared its abiding love for Greg Maddux on many an occasion. Today, we salute Jamie Moyer, who not only pitches with eagle-like intensity and crafty intelligence, but is a humble guy to boot.

How can you not fall head over cleats for a guy who, after more than 20 seasons in the majors, still sits on the dugout bench and contemplates the simple beauty of a baseball game? Yeah, it's corny. That's what makes it so great. He doesn't care that it's corny.

"When I was 8 years old, I started playing baseball," Moyer says. "And I'm 45 and I'm still playing, at a different level, but it's still the same game. That you can never take away. That is never going to leave, this part of the game.

"Six outs to a full inning. In a major league game, you're going to play 8½ or 9 innings. That is never going to change. The money changes. People change. But the game itself is never going to change. … The people who designed this thing are brilliant."

I wish I could watch you pitch tonight, Mr. Moyer. Here's hoping you can turn it around this postseason. It'd be nice to know that at least one regional sports hero is enjoying success in something.

Update: Moyer's strong effort was almost derailed by a shaky bullpen outing, but the Phillies hung on to win and have a 2-1 series lead.