Moose calls it quits

It's funny looking at all the adoration that Mike Mussina has been receiving over the last two days.  If you had asked most Yankee fans what they thought of Moose at the end of the 2007 season, the nicest answer would have been, "decent pitcher but never did anything in pinstripes." It's amazing what a difference a 20 win season can make.  Couple that with the low expectations that followed Moose into the 2008 season and it's no wonder Yankee fans are a bit nostalgic. As it turns out, Mike Mussina was a pretty good signing for the Yankees.  He wasn't Johan Santana and he never posted a season that matched his dominant years in Baltimore.  But he did start 249 games over the course of eight seasons, for an average of just over 31 games a year.  And seven out of those eight years, he was about league average or much, much better. For his career, averaging 15 wins a season is pretty darn good.  Most guys can't make it eighteen full seasons, nevermind winning so many games in the AL East.  His .638 winning percentage would have been that much better had his last year in Baltimore been with a half decent team. Wins aren't everything and Moose certainly benefitted from being on some decent teams.  I think his 123 ERA+ for his career and 7.1 K/9 career average show he wasn't just the benefactor of lots of offense. Does he belong in the Hall?  I would think so.  300 wins isn't the magic barometer that it used to be.  We won't see a heck of a lot of pitchers reaching the 270 wins plateau, nor will we see many who have the courage to walk away on such a high note. Moose deserves to have his head up on that wall.